Wednesday, January 15, 2014

In need of something to read?

A look back at the reviews I did in 2013. Look for two new reviews by the end of the month!

Help, Thanks, Wow

But as much as she seemingly knocks you down, she is there to pick you back up again. She is deeply religious, but still questions her faith and her practice of it. She doesn't let her God off the hook for much but recognizes her flaws as well.


And this book delivers. The book is broken down into several sections; beginning with a beginner's guide to the guide and how it breaks down, car maintenance when to call the mechanic, special conditions and buying and selling a car. The authors include lots of color photos that accompany step by step instructions on how to change a tire, dealing with an overheated engine, putting on snow chains and a checklist on what to check for when buying a car.


Half of the stories in this compilation are the highest form of birth control. The other half are combination of sugar, RedBull and the tallest drink at Starbucks (who the hell knows what that is these days) singing parenthood's praises. What happened to being honest with one's self about the fact that parenthood can be a struggle and a blessing at the same time?


I mentioned before the addictive rush. It took me a while to finish this book, not because it wasn't engaging (it is) or long winded (it isn't), but because each page held something I didn't even consider before and before I knew it, I needed to go de-clutter something. I purged so much before I bought my house last year and I still came up with two bags full by the end of this book.


The heart of the book is when Dais acknowledges "the most difficult part of new parenting is the conflicting emotions you feel, and your fear of even acknowledging those different emotions, let alone sharing them...So that's what I've set out to do...Warn you about all the shit no one is telling you...Knowing you are not along actually helps a little."


The author starts off with this premise, "A cruddy economy. A generation of young workers who demand meaning and fulfillment. Lack of maternity leave and other workplace protections. Sexist expectations. Guilt. A sense that we've been fighting for two generations and still haven't won even basic concessions like paid maternity leave. No wonder domesticity has been looking so rosy lately."


The personal stories, like Alcorn's, have permeated the current media landscape and have been shared aplenty over social media sites; with buzzwords like "having it all", "leaning in", "opting out", etc. But time and again, the onus is put on women to figure it out, to, be frank, how to shove ten pounds of stuff into a two pound bag.

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