Gender studies: women and girls Books

Book SynopsisTrue beauty is not about how you look…but how you live.Women are constantly bombarded with the lie that how we look is far more important than who we are. It?s time for a clarion call back to the truth.Journey with gifted storyteller Kim Meeder as she encourages women to see that true value is defined by our Creator and that our worth has a purpose of eternal proportions.Real beauty isn?t a look, it?s an action. It can be found by making one crucial, life-defining choice?to lay down personal ambitions and selfish desires, pick up your sword of encouragement, and fight for those who are losing their battle for hope. As you do, fierce beauty is revealed?along with lasting value, fulfillment, and joy.In Fierce Beauty, Kim shares inspiring true stories from her own life of adventure, love, and loss?including her parents? shocking death when she was nine years old and her struggles with self acceptance, knowing God, and standing for Him. Through it all, you?ll discover life lessons about trust, transformation, surrender, forgiveness, and genuine purpose.Ultimately, life comes down to one question: Will you serve yourself or your King? Includes discussion guide for individuals or groups. ?You were not created to be a princess of entitlement but a warrior, fighting to bring love and hope to the world.? ? Kim Meeder

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor the first time, the voices of Eastern Band Cherokee women receive their proper due. A watershed event, this book unearths three centuries of previously unknown and largely ignored speeches, letters, and other writings from Eastern Band Cherokee women. Like other Native American tribes, the Cherokees endured numerous hardships at the hands of the United States government. As their heritage came under assault, so did their desire to keep their traditions. The Eastern Band Cherokees were no exception, and at the forefront of their struggle were their women. Eastern Band Cherokee Women analyzes how the women of the Eastern Band served as honored members of the tribe, occupying both positions of leadership and respect. Carney shows how in the early 1800s women leaders, such as Beloved Nancy Ward, battled to retain her people’s heritage and sovereignty. Other women, such as Catharine Brown, a mission school student, discovered the power of the written word and thereby made themselves heard just as eloquently. Carney traces the voices of these women through the twentieth century, describing how Cherokees such as Marie Junaluska and Joyce Dugan have preserved a culture threatened by an increasingly homogenous society. This book is a fitting testament to their contributions. Eastern Band Cherokee Women stands out by demonstrating the overwhelming importance of women to the preservation of the Eastern Band. From passionate speeches to articulately drafted personal letters, Carney helps readers explore the many nuances of these timeless voices.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn June 1972, President Richard Nixon put pen to paper and signed the Educational Amendments of 1972 into law. The nearly 150-page document makes no mention of “gender,” “athletics,” “girls,” or “women.” The closest reference to “sport” is transportation. In fact, the bill did not appear to contain anything earth shattering. But tucked into its final pages, a heading appears, “Title IX—Prohibition of Sex Discrimination.” These 37 words would change the world for girls and women across the United States. On its face, Title IX legally guaranteed equal opportunity in education. In time, Title IX would serve as the tipping point for the modern era of women’s sport. Slowly but surely, women’s athletics at the high school and collegiate levels grew to prominence, and Tennessee fast emerged as a national leader. In Title IX, Pat Summitt, and Tennessee’s Trailblazers, Mary Ellen Pethel introduces readers to past and present pioneers—each instrumental to the success of women’s athletics across the state and nation. Through vibrant profiles, Pethel celebrates the lives and careers of household names like Pat Summitt and Candace Parker, as well as equally important forerunners such as Ann Furrow and Teresa Phillips. Through their lived experiences, these fifty individuals laid the foundation for athletic excellence in Tennessee, which in turn shaped the national landscape for women’s sports. The book also provides readers with a fuller understanding of Title IX, as well as a concise history of women’s athletics in the pre- and post-Title IX eras. With interviewees ranging from age 20 to 93, Pethel artfully combines storytelling with scholarship. Guided by the voices of the athletes, coaches, and administrators, Pethel vividly documents achievement and adversity, wins and losses, and advice for the next generation. This book represents the first statewide compilation of its kind—offering readers a behind-the- scenes perspective of Tennessee women who dedicated their lives to the advancement of sport and gender equality. Readers will delight in Title IX, Pat Summitt, and Tennessee’s Trailblazers: 50 Years, 50 Stories.Trade ReviewWhether gold medalists, NCAA champions, legendary coaches, or pioneering athletes and administrators, Tennessee has been home to an incredible vanguard of women in sports. Mary Ellen Pethel brings us the stories of women whose accomplishments continue to pave the way for generations to come. This is a valuable collection, an important book, and a timely tribute on this fiftiethanniversary of Title IX."— Andrew Maraniss, bestselling author of Strong Inside: Perry Wallace and the Collision of Race and Sports in the South and Inaugural Ballers: The True Story of the First U.S. Women’s Olympic Basketball Team. "Whether gold medalists, NCAA champions, legendary coaches, or pioneering athletes and administrators, Tennessee has been home to an incredible vanguard of women in sports. Mary Ellen Pethel brings us the stories of women whose accomplishments continue to pave the way for generations to come. This is a valuable collection, an important book, and a timely tribute on this fiftiethanniversary of Title IX."—Andrew Maraniss, bestselling author of Strong Inside: Perry Wallace and the Collision of Race and Sports in the South and Inaugural Ballers: The True Story of the First U.S. Women’s Olympic Basketball Team

Read more less

Book SynopsisDespite growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area as the daughter of four lesbians, Kellen Kaiser envisioned her life working out, fairy tale–like, with a Prince Charming. When her possible prince did arrive, however, it was not without complications. Home on leave from the Israeli army, the man Kaiser picks doesn’t seem like a sure bet. Starting with some casual sex gone awry, they face a number of obstacles, not the least of which are war in the Middle East, long-distance romance, and differing views on sexuality and their approaching adulthood. But they find themselves most challenged by a more mundane concern: the upkeep of a relationship between two people. Funny and keenly observed, Queerspawn in Love is a story about identity, family, and figuring out, through loving someone else and failing, how to love yourself.Trade Review“In this wry, wise, and thoroughly terrific memoir, Kaiser handles the kind of thorny identity politics that make lesser writers quail with a light, lovely and seemingly effortless touch -- and she's hilarious to boot.” —Rachel Shukert, author of Everything's Going to be Great “Kaiser’s descriptively compelling, sweetly sensual, coming-of-age story transcends religions and geography.” —Booklist

Read more less

Book SynopsisWounds fester and spread in the darkness of silence. The First Signs of April, explores the destructive patterns of unresolved grief and the importance of connection for true healing to occur. The narrative weaves through time to explore grief reactions to two very different losses: suicide and cancer.Trade Review2019 IPPY Silver Medal Winner in LGBTQ+ Non-Fiction “Reading First Signs of April is like sitting in front of a fire with an old friend: Briscoe starts telling her story and all of a sudden the sun is up and you feel as if you haven't blinked once. This book will become that friend who stays with you for life.” —Melanie Braverman, author of East Justice and Red “The First Signs of April is an inspiring story of about life, death, and how connected we all remain—but only if we're open to listening to the wisdom waiting for us. Mary-Elizabeth Briscoe shows us the power of friendship, and the ways we can heal by embracing all life has to offer. —Linda Joy Myers, president National Association of Memoir Writers, and author of Song of the Plains: A Memoir of Family Secrets and Silence “By living and writing her truth, Briscoe shares her healing journey of loss and love. A compelling read that grabs your attention and will not let you leave.” —Priscilla A. Hutchins, licensed Psychologist-Doctorate, retired

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Leah Reinhart was six years old, her family moved to an unlikely neighborhood on a hill much like the country—a place where everyone dressed and lived like they were living a real-life Little House on the Prairie. Yet their new home was in Oakland, California, and everything surrounding Leah’s neighborhood was the polar opposite of their old-fashioned lifestyle. As an already scared little white girl in a predominantly African American city, Leah quickly learned that would have to face many of her fears—or get eaten alive. And in her search for love and belonging, she also found that things aren’t always as they appear. As she got to know her neighbors, most of whom belonged to the neighborhood church, she began to realize that the hood was sometimes much safer than the country. Over the course of her life—learning from the streets, a cult, trial and error, and many years of therapy—Leah developed an eye for patterns. She learned how the belief system she’d absorbed during her childhood manifested in her teenage years and young adulthood. Ultimately, she learned how to change her thoughts and accept herself—and in doing so, she broke free of the cycle she’d been imprisoned by.Trade Review"Reinhart writes in a conversational tone, as if she’s telling a juicy story to a good friend… A memoir that crafts a neatly resolved narrative” —Kirkus Reviews This is a raw and honest sharing about love, life, and success. Leah skillfully takes us through a story that gently teaches us that anything is possible if you always point yourself in the direction of love in your life. —Phyllis King, author of The Energy of Abundance "Who needs a guru? Leah’s raw, self-revelatory read shows how grit and grace led the author to her own truth and healing." —Donna Morrish, psychotherapist and energy healer

Read more less

Book SynopsisInspiring and hopeful, Audacious Voices is a collection of twelve stories from alumnae/alumni of WILL*, a feminist model for education. Each author featured in this book is working, in their own distinct way, to make their communities more equitable—and their stories illustrate how different elements of the WILL* program influence and inspire them to act with such intentionality. Author-activist Courtney Martin writes in The New Better Off that the times we live in may break our hearts, but they don’t have to break our spirit; it’s that spirit that these stories capture, alongside the power of a feminist educational program that engenders such spirit. Emphasizing hope, empathy, resiliency, and solutions by showcasing the transformative power of inclusive leadership, advocacy, and mentorship, Audacious Voices reminds us that real change is possible, even in the current political climate.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Adrienne Rubin enters into the jewelry business in 1970s Los Angeles, she is a maverick in a world dominated by men. She soon meets a young hotshot salesman who doesn’t seem to struggle at all, and when he asks her to be his partner, she is excited to join him. She doesn’t know him well, but she does know his father, and she believes he is as trustworthy as the day is long . . . Diamonds and Scoundrels shows us how a woman in a man’s world, with tenacity and sheer determination, can earn respect and obtain a true sense of accomplishment. Following Rubin’s experiences in the jewelry industry through the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s—with the ups and downs, good guys and bad—this is a tale of personal growth, of how to overcome challenges with courage and resilience. It’s a story for the woman today who, in addition to a rich family life, seeks a self-realized, fulfilling path toward a life well lived.Trade Review“Diamonds & Scoundrels is an incredible story of a woman who seemingly had it all but craved purpose. Through determination, boldness, entrepreneurial spirit and sheer will, she built a flourishing business, smashed barriers and proved that no dream is out of reach if you simply refuse to quit. It’s a story of business, betrayal, justice and even love. Best of all, her story serves as an incredible learning guide for anyone seeking to live life to the fullest, pursue fulfillment, and achieve goals. Diamonds & Scoundrels had me mesmerized, and the real gem in it is Adrienne Rubin.” —Matt Iseman, host, American Ninja Warrior “Diamonds and Scoundrels is a fascinating story about an extraordinary woman, whom I know personally and admire greatly. She started her own company, naive but full of courage, and was truly ahead of her time, navigating the cutthroat business world in ways that were uncommon for women of that generation. The story is a pleasure to read and proves that success can come to all who persevere.” —H Dayan, manufacturer, importer of fine jewelry and rare diamonds “If Diamonds and Scoundrels weren’t real, it would be a romp of a fiction novel! Rubin's revealing life in the jewelry biz is both an entertaining and informative narrative, from primer to master class on how to create a business, with a lexicon of pitfalls and successes. Adrienne clearly underscores that often we learn more from our failures and misjudgments of character than from our easy wins.” —Barbara Lazaroff, Designer, Restaurateur, and cofounder of the Wolfgang Puck brand “Steeped in women’s empowerment and behind-the-scenes candor, Diamonds and Scoundrels is an entertaining memoir about entrepreneurship. . . . Adrienne Rubin’s gutsy and arresting memoir . . . details her shift from a placid, 1960s homemaking life to an adventurous career, capturing thirty-five years of wisdom and growth.” —Foreword Clarion Reviews “Beautifully written memoir by a Los Angeles housewife who has it all . . . Her story involves working day and night in a man's world, evading robbers, fending off sexual advances, and traveling all over the world in search of uniquely designed handmade jewelry. All in all a great adventure that reads like fiction.” —Robert T. Altman, Superior Court Judge for California (ret.) “The book begins as a seemingly prosaic story—a bored housewife starts a small business as a way to enrich her placid life. But don’t be fooled. Soon you are on the journey and rooting for Adrienne as she encounters and overcomes her challenges. At every turn she is underestimated by competitors and potential partners. The book adeptly interweaves the human side with the business side, and it brims with lessons on entrepreneurship, trust, and how to defend your interests as a minority shareholder.” —Professor Marvin Lieberman, UCLA Anderson School of Management

Read more less

Book Synopsis• When Saigon fell in 1975 there were 125,000 US-sponsored Vietnamese refugees.• In 2017 more than 1.3 million Vietnamese reside in the US • Today the nail industry is worth $8 billion, and 80 percent of nail technicians in Southern California are Vietnamese (51 percent across the US).AUDIENCE:• Immigrant women• Vietnamese women and women of Vietnamese descent• Women who get mani/pedis• Children of refugees/immigrants• Readers interested in the Vietnam War

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the United States, more than 15 million women are parenting children on their own, either by circumstance or by choice. Too often these moms who do it all have been misrepresented and maligned. Not anymore. In We Got This, seventy-five solo mom writers tell the truth about their lives—their hopes and fears, their resilience and setbacks, their embarrassments and triumphs. Some of these writers’ names will sound familiar, like Amy Poehler, Anne Lamott, and Elizabeth Alexander, while others are about to become unforgettable. Bound together by their strength, pride, and—most of all— their dedication to their children, they broadcast a universal and empowering message: You are not alone, solo moms—and your tenacity, courage, and fierce love are worthy of celebration.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHillary Clinton’s name is on everyone’s lips as we head into the 2016 presidential election. But as we know from the 2008 presidential campaign, and its outcome, Clinton evokes extreme and varied emotions among voters in a way no other candidate in recent memory has. But why? Love Her, Love Her Not: The Hillary Paradox delves into the nuances of our complicated feelings about one of the most powerful women ever in American politics. In this timely collection, editor Joanne Bamberger gathers a unique and diverse group of writers of all ages, walks of life, and political affiliations, while also providing the narrative framework through which to view the history that’s led us to this moment in time—the moment when voters must decide whether they can forgive Hillary Clinton for not being the perfect candidate or the perfect woman and finally elect our first woman president. Timely and fresh, Love Her, Love Her Not will provoke new conversations and push political and cultural dialogue in the US to a new level.Trade Review“ . . . will most please those who share, in the words of Bamberger’s introduction, an 'endless fascination with all things Hillary.'” —Publishers Weekly “Whether Hillary Clinton's candidacy for president gives you a flitter of excitement or a pit of dread, these 28 essays in Love Her, Love Her Not are an election season must-read. Though each is unique in its point of view and assessment of her, together they remind us why 2016 is going to be a crucial year in our nation's political history. After reading Joanne Bamberger's expertly curated selection, you'll be ready to be a guest on Bill Maher, even if it's just from your couch.” —Angela Matusik, executive digital editor, InStyle “In Love Her, Love Her Not, Joanne Bamberger sets the stage for rethinking what we already know about Hillary Clinton. Bamberger examines the social and political dynamics that brought us to this historic electoral moment and then hands the stage to some of today's best women pundits and writers to answer our biggest question about the woman most of us refer to simply as 'Hillary': Why are we so conflicted about her as with no other politician?” —Lisa Belkin, Senior National Correspondent, Yahoo News “Each one of these entertaining and insightful essays made me think in a new way about Hillary Clinton. Love Her, Love Her Not is a must-read before the 2016 election.” —Leslie Sanchez, political analyst and author of You've Come a Long Way, Maybe: Sarah, Michelle, Hillary and the Shaping of the New American Woman “Think you know Hillary Clinton? Think again! Just in time for 2016, Love Her, Love Her Not is an indispensable guide to the woman who's already put 18 million cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling and may be poised to do a whole lot more.” —Krystal Ball, former MSNBC host and congressional candidate “Bamberger’s Love Her, Love Her Not is a book every American should read before casting a ballot in the 2016 Presidential election. With precision and skillful editing, Bamberger assembles an influential collection of diverse voices to give us a chorus of smart and sometimes controversial opinions about one of the most important political figures in history. Regardless of the outcome of the election, this book is a winner!” —Julie Burton, President of the Women's Media Center “Look no further than this collection of smart, witty, and provocative essays by some of today's most interesting women writers to refine what you think about a future Clinton presidency. Love Her, Love Her Not is definitely the book to prepare you for all conversations about Hillary as we head to 2016. Thanks, Joanne Bamberger, for bringing us these essential writings.” —Carol Jenkins, Emmy-winning journalist and executive producer of the award-winning documentary, What I Want My Words to Do to You “I didn’t know how many feelings women had about Hillary—hell, I didn’t know how many feelings *I* had about Hillary—until I read Joanne Bamberger’s anthology, which was far more hilarious and thought-provoking and surprising than it has any right to be, given that this is a woman who has been in the public eye for decades now. Instructive, and never reductive, for this upcoming election season.” —Elisa Camahort Page, SheKnows Media Senior Vice President and BlogHer Co-founder

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Cynthia Trenshaw, recently widowed, moves to Berkeley, she thinks the reason she has transplanted herself is to earn her master’s degree in theology. But when, step by unexpected step, she is drawn into the cultural borderlands where society’s “invisible people” reside, she encounters dispossessed and demanding teachers not listed on any academic roster—and becomes immersed in a heady curriculum of helplessness and joy, wisdom and pain. A book that encourages readers to receive the generosity and reciprocity of the margins, Meeting in the Margins offers guidance for how we can all, as individuals, begin to repair the rift between the margins and the mainstream of society—simply by being profoundly present.Trade Review2018 IPPY Gold Medal Winner in Current Events II (Social Issues/Humanitarian) “Meeting in the Margins is a dangerous book. It will move you, shake you, change you, and leave you with a profound sense that you have been in the presence of the holy. Cynthia Trenshaw’s intention is to do just that. She is a brilliant writer. Simply by telling the truth in stories that she herself has lived, she takes us into touching distance of those whom Rabindrinath Tagore called ‘the poorest, the lowliest, and lost.’” —Pat Schneider, author of Writing Alone and With Others, and How the Light Gets In: Writing as a Spiritual Practice, both from Oxford University Press “A beautifully written, challenging, and thought-provoking book, one that truly leads us to insights and recognitions that make it possible to contemplate a world that works for all. I haven’t seen anything like it. Trenshaw’s book contributes to helping us see the world at the margins with clarity.” —Margaret J. Wheatley, author of So Far From Home, Perseverance, Turning to One Another, and Leadership and the New Science “Cynthia Trenshaw is a gifted writer, massage therapist and pilgrim who has chosen to journey with those who are the most vulnerable in our society. As a writer she conveys in vivid and powerful prose the heart-wrenching details of life on the street. As a massage therapist she feels into the stories of those who live in the margins, and anoints their soul-wounds with compassion and courage. As a pilgrim she searches for meaning, her own and ours, with every encounter. This is a prayer-book as well as a text-book for those who choose to journey to the margins of society and be transformed.” —Mary Ann Finch, founder/director of Care Through Touch Institute, and author of Care Through Touch: Massage, the Art of Anointing “Cynthia Trenshaw gifts us with an extraordinary window into the soul of the marginalized among us. In exquisite detail of both inner and outer moments of meeting on the streets, the reality of presence she evokes communicates through her stories; it sparks our own celebration of that precious sense of presence. Prepare to be deeply touched. Prepare to remember what is truly important in our lives. This book is itself a gift from soul to soul. Through her open-hearted memories, Trenshaw offers us all a most generous and luxurious soul massage! ” —Rabbi Ted Falcon, PhD, author of A Journey of Awakening, co-author of Religion Gone Astray, Getting to the Heart of Interfaith, and Judaism For Dummies “This well-written, often moving account of Trenshaw’s experiences among the homeless and other forgotten individuals at society’s margins evokes a range of responses: apprehension, admiration, revulsion, recognition, and perhaps shame in anyone who’s ever avoided the sight of a street person. Trenshaw, a chaplain and massage practitioner with a degree in theology, shares her experiences seeking out these invisible men and women and offering them not only massage (relaxing for both body and mind) but the greater gift of affirming their 'realness' and 'worth.'” —Publishers Weekly

Read more less

Book SynopsisA sweeping exploration of beginnings and endings, loss and letting go, All the Ghosts Dance Free takes readers on a journey through author Terry Cameron Baldwin’s life: from her childhood in a privileged but unstable enclave on the coast of Southern California, through her adolescence in Palm Springs and coming of age in San Francisco at the height of the sixties psychedelic revolution, and ultimately to her life as an ex-pat in Mexico. Struggling to deal with the death of her parents, as well as questions about her own mortality, Baldwin embarks upon a pilgrimage to a small town in Morocco—where, she finds, all of the ghosts dance free.Trade Review"A striking, sensitive record of voyages and acceptance.” —Kirkus Reviews “Terry Cameron Baldwin has written the definitive memoir on coming of age in 1960s Southern California. It’s all here: growing up in an Eden on the beach, beautiful, rich parents, divorce, suicide, drugs, alcoholism, the Haight, private jets, cigarette boats, Volkswagen buses, furious arguments, and the constant lure of the road and the next big thing. ‘The free, fresh wind in her hair, life without care . . .’ drew Baldwin around the world. From the mountains of Mexico to the souks of Morocco, from laissez-faire Christianity to a Muslim ex-husband, she rings the changes of an impulsive, insatiable curiosity. This woman writes prose poetry.” —Stephen M. Joseph, author of Children in Fear and Meditations, and co-author of the Tony-nominated Broadway musical, The Me Nobody Knows “This is a wonderful read from a gifted writer. Baldwin paints vivid portraits of her characters and the world around them with a masterful use of language and syntax. It’s a captivating look not only at the colorful personalities that populate the author’s world but also the values, views, and quirks that distinguish them. In short, a fascinating glimpse at an extraordinary life of compelling relationships.” —Richard Daniel, book editor for the Beverly Hills Post “‘If you remember the sixties, you weren’t there,’ goes the joke. Terry Cameron Baldwin proves this canard radiantly wrong. We haven’t heard nearly enough from women about that era, a time when Baldwin says she was the freest she’s ever been. With a photographic memory, she introduces a cast of characters that glint in the imagination long after you close the book. And she evokes all the idealism, adventurousness, and self-denial of a generation too easily mocked and misunderstood. Muriel Rukeyser asked us what would happen if one woman told the truth about her life—the world would split open, she answered. Baldwin remembers how people in her world dressed and dreamed. She brings her ghosts back to life with exquisite prose as diamond sharp as the ring she donned in 1965.” —Lauren Coodley, author of Upton Sinclair California Socialist, Celebrity Intellectual, California: a Multicultural Documentary History, and Napa: the Transformation of an American Town “All the Ghosts Dance Free tells the fascinating story of a woman striding confidently through a swiftly fluctuating world and how she and the world shape each other.” —San Francisco Book Review

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe aviation world is a man’s world—it always has been, and it continues to be so today. In fact, women make up a mere 5 to 6 percent of the total pilot population worldwide. But from the first time Erin Seidemann experienced what it was like to see the world from a small plane’s perspective, she was hooked—and she’s spent much of her time since then fighting her way into becoming one of that 5 to 6 percent. Postcards from the Sky: Adventures of an Aviatrix tells of the struggles and adventures one encounters as a woman in the male-dominated space of aviation. With humor and equanimity, Seidemann recounts her varied experiences as a female pilot—from the chauvinistic flight instructor she makes the mistake of falling in love with to the many, many customs agents who insist she can’t possibly be her plane’s owner (“Where’s your boyfriend?”)—while at the same time giving insight about just what makes flying so incredible . . . and so very addictive. Frank, funny, and full of adventure, Postcards from the Sky is an entertaining foray into a world few women have dared enter.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSamantha Dunn used to live for the feeling of wind blowing in her hair and the powerful intoxication of her horse's steady gallop. A tug of Harley's leathery reins could instantly eradicate mounting bills, unfinished work, and the reality of a troubled marriage from her mind. But one day, as she was leading Harley across a stream in a picturesque California canyon, he panicked, knocked her to the ground, and trampled her—nearly severing her leg in the process. Dunn had always been “accident prone”—but in the aftermath of this incident, she began to analyze the details of her life and her propensity for accidents. Was she really just a klutz? Or could there be some underlying emotional reason she was always putting her life in danger? A blend of personal narrative and of research about what drives some people to have more accidents than others, Not by Accident is an insightful, incisive memoir that helps bridge the gap in understanding that exists on the concept of accident proneness.Trade Review“Dunn’s clear prose and lively recall of her calamities make for an effortless read.” —People “Witty, smart, droll, moving, and always entertaining, Dunn’s book is nothing short of a thoroughly enjoyable triumph . . .” —The Oregonian “I loved this book.” —Rosie O’Donnell “Samantha Dunn pulls no punches in this tough, witty, and deeply personal memoir of a brave woman’s moment of crisis as she examines the parts played by the elements or risk, identity, and the unexamined life in her own catastrophe, and the unexpected requirements of healing. A beautiful, necessary book.” —Janet Fitch “The book you hold in your hands is more than a moving example of art as healing; it’s a perfect triumph.” —Darin Strauss “Ms. Dunn is the storyteller we all one day want to be: a writer unafraid of the less flattering truths, a writer keen to know why the up is at times down, a writer undaunted by the mysteries peculiar to this planet, a writer for whom the easy answers are no answers at all.” —Lee K. Abbott

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs a young girl in the Midwest, Constance Hanstedt was consumed by fear—of her parents, especially her disapproving mother, Virginia; of social situations; and of people in general. Unable to connect with those around her, she embraced perfectionism as a substitute for love. Raising her own family eased some of Hanstedt’s self-doubt. But even as an adult she remained guarded around her mother, avoiding conflict at all costs. Still, when Virginia developed Alzheimer’s, Hanstedt did what the perfect daughter she’d always struggled to be would do: she returned to the Midwestern town where she was raised to help care for a mother who could no longer care for herself. In Don’t Leave Yet, Hanstedt recounts her journey toward facing her fears and rising above the past; her mother’s unrelenting bitterness regarding life, even as she loses memories of it; and her unexpected discovery of an emotion that reaches beyond familial duty: compassion.Trade Review“In this touching memoir, poet and writer Hanstedt tries to reconcile her suddenly vulnerable mother, who is slipping into Alzheimer's, with the strong-willed matriarch of her childhood. When it becomes evident that her mother, once so decisive and sure, is suffering from depression and memory loss, Hanstedt and her older sister decide to move her (under protest) to an assisted-living facility. The battles begin as their mother begs to go home and complains constantly. As Hanstedt and her sister inventory their childhood home for auction and sale, items remind the author of growing up in a family that was often torn by her parents' fights, her father's drinking, and her mother's demands. Although the children weren't neglected, there seem to be few moments of love and tenderness. Interweaving these memories with the logistics of dealing with a lifetime of possessions and heartbreaking health-care decisions, Hanstedt works to understand her mother, forgive her actions, and accept her. Anyone dealing with an aging parent will empathize with Hanstedt's struggles and find comfort in her honesty.” —Booklist “Don’t Leave Yet is a moving memoir of a woman maturing into her own independence, confidence, and connectedness as she cares for her mother who is losing her identity through Alzheimer’s. As her mother declines, Constance Hanstedt remembers back through her childhood, rendering these scenes with precise and often heartbreaking details. This is a story that is being lived out in all its variations in so many families today, and Don’t Leave Yet tells it with a clear and honest eye in a memoir that is graceful, vivid, and deeply human.” —Ellen Bass, author of Like a Beggar

Read more less

Book SynopsisWho would you be if you lost everything? Hollye Dexter and her husband Troy woke one night to find their house ablaze. To escape the fire, they had to jump from their second-story window with their toddler son—and then watch their house and home-based businesses burn to the ground. Over the next two years, the family went bankrupt, lost their cars and another home, and got dropped by their best friends. As the outer layers of her life were stripped away, Dexter began to unravel emotionally; but then she found herself on the brink of losing her marriage, and she realized that if she was going to save her family, she would have to pull herself back together somehow. As she fought to reassemble the pieces of the life she’d had, Dexter discovered that a shattered heart has the ability to regenerate in a mighty way; that even in the midst of disaster, you can find your place; and that when everything you identify with is gone, you are free to discover who you really are. Poignant and inspiring, Fire Season is a story for anyone who has ever lost hope—and found it again.Trade Review“Hollye Dexter’s book made me cry and laugh—sometimes all within one paragraph. She tells her story with power and punch, and a truth that is unsettling and astonishing and ultimately uplifting. There isn't a soul who can't relate to her memoir. It is filled with revelations, humanity, poignancy, balls-out courage, and humor. She is a role model extraordinaire.” —Amy Ferris, screenwriter (Mr. Wonderful, Funny Valentines), playwright, and author of Marrying George Clooney “In Fire Season, Hollye Dexter gives me no choice but to experience fully and passionately the horrors of a house on fire, and to remember that how we face tragedy often defines who we are. As I read about a childhood fraught with loneliness and pain, and how she fought with valor to attain the love and trust she deserved, I was reminded of the phoenix. Dexter did what so many of us can only imagine: literally rising from the ashes and beginning anew. This memoir is a reminder that the joys of life are based not on what we possess, but what we appreciate." —Victoria Zackheim, author of The Bone Weaver and Exit Laughing “Fire Season will take your breath away and singe your fingertips from turning the pages so quickly. Like Dexter, you’ll fall madly in love with her husband, Troy, who could “rock the world off its axis” and right it again. Musician that she is, Dexter's prose sings in this beautiful and complicated love story, a story that inspires both tenderness and courage, and a deep belief that we can all, like the phoenix and the author, rise from the ashes." —Amy Friedman, author of Desperado’s Wife: A Memoir

Read more less