Some times it’s good to have a book that will be just exactly what you are looking for. No big surprises, just comfort in reliability and happy endings. This book fit that perfectly when I needed it to.
Would I recommend it? It’s not high class literature, but if you are, say, sick in bed and can barely focus and just need to get your mind on something else, it’s just about perfect.
Since I am one of those with a daughter who inexplicably loves all things princess I couldn’t resist the title of this book. The author covers topics ranging from the Disney princesses, the color pink and child beauty pageants to internet use and violent fairy tales. I didn’t always completely agree with where she was coming from but the book had enough food for thought to make up for it.
Would I recommend it? If you’ve got girls, it’s an interesting, if frightening look at how our current culture affects them. But please see my Screamfree Parenting review for my full reasons on why I will not be recommending any sort of parenting books.
I’ve read most of Chris Bohjalian’s other books so when I saw his newest on the shelf I dove right in.
Oops.
While some of his others were nightmare inducing for other reasons they didn’t involve seeing dead people, and contemplating killing your own children, not to mention and the extra chill inducing ending.
Please read something by Bohjalian… just maybe not this one.
Would I recommend it? No, well written, but just no.
I’ve got a little back log of books I’ve read so here are some extra mini reviews:
A book that looks chocked full of promise, but then you read it and it’s just not there.
Would I recommend it? No, if you live in Wisconsin and are reading a book set in Wisconsin you shouldn’t keep thinking it’s set in the South.
Can something be beautifully written and completely un-captivating all at the same time? If so this is it. I don’t know why I was so uninterested. The book looked good and the writing was the kind that wants to roll around in your mouth before it flows off your tongue, but it was a book I could put down, and did…a lot.
Would I recommend it? No. But I’d be curious to know if anyone has read her other books, or liked this one better.
I don’t read very many parenting books, but this one kept cropping up everywhere so I thought I’d see what all the fuss was about. I admit I did not read this slowly and thoughtfully while answering all the “reflection questions” at the end of the chapters, it was more of a skimming, yeah, yeah, blah, blah, hmm that’s interesting, sort of read.
My issue with reading it was my own avoidance of parenting books problem, it breaks down something like this:
one part,”I’m doing just fine thank you very much,”
one part “If I read all the parenting books, I’ll probably start thinking that I need to do everything different, they will all say different things and then I will go insane which would have the opposite effect I was hoping for.”
and one part “I’m half Finnish and I don’t think that half of me is interested in reflecting on my inner feelings, thank you have a nice day.”
I read it anyway, and tried to stifle my eye rolling on the bold texts that said things like,
“Pain is often the greatest catalyst to powerful change.”
and
“Screamfree Parenting is not a problem-solving or behavioral modification model; it is a growth model.”
Not that these things aren’t true, it’s just that my aversion to books like this was in control of my eyeballs.
My point, I did have one…
This was better than I thought. For the most part I liked what he said (it helped that I also do/believe many of the things already) and it did give me some stuff to ponder in daily life with my three year old. Hopefully my Finnishness will subside and I can even implement a bit of it. And I liked the basic message of the book. While the author multiple times mentions his disapproval for “what works for fideo will work for your kid” type books, I’d say, what I took out of it sounded an awful lot like Caesar Milan. The dog whisperer and this guy have the same basics. Calm assertive pack leader and calm consistent parent aren’t too different when you get right down to it. I know it works on the dogs, I’ve seen it help with the kids, but knowing it will help and actually being calm are not always the same thing!
Would I recommend it? I’m not recommending any parenting books. Not because how I feel but because what you want to read in that area is completely up to you, I’d hate to add to any insanity (see avoidance issues above).
