Book Description
The relationship between a mother and daughter is often fraught-but never so much as during the preparations for a daughter's wedding. Who better to offer a fresh perspective on weddings than the mother of the bride? And who better to describe it -- the agony and the ecstasy -- than Ilene "Gingy" Beckerman, who's married off three daughters and remembers it all very clearly.
--The high cost of wedding cakes: "I could have had a lifetime supply of Entenmann's chocolate doughnuts!"
--Bridesmaid dresses: "What do five girls-one short, one tall, one buxom, one flat, one who gave birth a month ago-have in common? A bridesmaid's dress they hate."
--Mother-of-the-bride dresses: "I tried on green velvet. A Rodney Dangerfield line came to me: 'If that dress had pockets, you'd look like a pool table.' The dress had pockets."
--And, finally, the sight of her daughter walking down the aisle: "My daughter was Cinderella, Snow White, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, and Jacqueline Kennedy. But better."
Gingy looks at the bride-to-be and sees the teenager who wanted Bo Derek braids, the little girl she taught to dance to the tune of "Me and My Shadow," the beautiful baby, the miracle she gave birth to decades earlier. And now, en route to the aisle, their relationship is tested in ways Gingy never imagined.
Beckerman simply and brilliantly describes the highs and lows of life with an adult daughter. What emerges is a poignant and telling story.
Customer Reviews:
humor for mother of the bride.......2007-07-23
I got this book for my mom. The title caught my eye because she had a horrible time finding a dress for my brother's wedding and now she has to look once again for my wedding! She loved it and found it very humorous, basically read it in one night. The only thing I wished is that it would have had a checklist or something like that for the mother of the bride. Overall, great book!
Mother of the Bride: The Dream, the Reality, the Search for a Perfect Dress.......2007-07-05
What a great book to give the 1st time mother of the bride at the bridal shower. It puts things in perspective! I recommend they read it a couple of days before the wedding.
Survival guide for M.O.B!!.......2005-05-20
This book was great. It is written with humor and insight, and I probably would not have appreciated it before this adventure we call "being the M.O.B". It is definately worth every penny.
You'll laugh, you'll cry -- you know the drill =).......2003-06-18
This is basically an autobiographical comic short story, with wacky illustrations to add to the fun. I bought it as a Mother's Day present for my mom right after I got engaged, and we read it aloud together in our favorite spot on the front porch, passing the book when one of us was overcome with laughter -- or tears. Ilene Beckerman can really write, and she does it with devastating humor and tear-jerking poignancy as she explores -- from the front row view of the mother of the bride -- the fun, the fights, the work, the tears, the trials, and often the complete insanity that all contribute to the creation of a beautiful wedding. At the same time, she critically (and beautifully) examines the complex relationship between a mother and her daughter. This short little gem will help you remember the things you appreciate most about your mother, your daughter...or both.
A Great Gift.......2000-10-12
When my daughter became engaged, I got three copies of this book as gifts. I loved it so much that I have given away the two extra copies that I received to friends who will soon be MOBs!
The book is so real, so funny, so poignant. It succinctly summed up the relationship between mothers and daughters as it detailed the intricate and involved planning process for today's weddings. I loved the way Beckerman gave us glimpses of her daughter's growing-up years.
I felt every feeling the author was feeling --- I laughed, I cried, and I called my daughter to read portions to her.
And today....I found the perfect dress!!!
Book Description
In a compelling exploration of all things female, Mother, Daughter, Sister, Bride celebrates the defining connections among women and honors their differences. Each chapter reveals the actions through which a woman connects with herself, with her family, with members of her community, and with other women—from quinceañera parties commemorating a Hispanic girl turning 15, to pre-wedding henna ceremonies in the Middle East, where the hands and feet of the bride and her party are lavishly painted for her special day. Readers also will learn about such American traditions as the debutante ball, as well as the coming of age rituals of Mende girls in Sierra Leone. Gorgeous photographs from the National Geographic archive portray these women and their customs across time and around the world.
Remarkable stories and anecdotes from anthropologist Joanne Eicher complement the profiles written by Lisa Ling, who as host of the weekly television program National Geographic Explorer, has traveled the world, observing and documenting rituals both ancient and emerging, from her exceptional perspective as a journalist.
Together these accomplished authors provide a fascinating look at the historical, cultural, emotional, and personal impact of women's rituals and ritual practices. Provoking a range of emotions—reverence, sadness, joy, and shock—Mother, Daughter, Sister, Bride puts women in perspective in the modern world, in multiple situations and on all levels.
Customer Reviews:
Anthropology vs. insight.......2007-07-24
This is more of a pretty anthropological book than an essay on the power or inner meaning of world rituals of womanhood.
Interesting look at women around the world.......2006-12-12
I wanted this book for years because it was right up my alley-- I'd loved both the "Material World" books and "Hungry Planet" and anything full of photos that relates to cultural anthropology. I bought it used from an Amazon seller, and definitely enjoyed it. However, I have to say, I ended up glad I didn't pay $23 for it (the Amazon list price for a new copy). It's smaller than the other culture/photo books I own, and less meaty in terms of content. A lot of the photo portraits have quotes superimposed on them that detract from the images, to me. For example, there is a portrait of a Japanese bride sitting in a small room, being viewed by the villagers through a window, with the quote, "A pedestal is as much a prison as any small, confined space. -- Gloria Steinem." So unlike Annie Leibovitz's "Women," in which the photos are presented without comment, in this book many of the photos are literally stamped with someone else's views on the politics of gender. Coming from National Geographic, that surprised me. It also made me wonder how thoughtfully the quotes were chosen when they actually include the anonymous quote, "Chance made us sisters, hearts made us friends." That's the sort of thing you stamp on a magnet in Girl Scouts.
On the upside, though, there are many unique images in this book-- lots of photos that create insights into other cultures, which you would otherwise never see. To me, the book is worth owning just for those gorgeous and interesting photos. If you're looking for depth of content about "rituals of womanhood," however, you may want to look elsewhere. The text glosses over the subject, covering rituals that sound fascinating in two or three sentences, then moving on. Basically it's a long general essay. There's more depth to "Women in the Material World" by d'Aluisio, and less judgment in "Women" by Leibovitz. But if you're a fan of this type of book, this one makes for good general reading.
I thought they were new...........2006-11-11
The covers were shop worn and some of the pages were bent, worn and creased where people had flipped through the pages...they were supposed to be gifts....completely unaacceptable - had to buy substitutes.
Mother, Daughter, Sister, Bride: Rituals of Womanhood.......2006-01-15
I bought this book as a gift for my new daughter-in-law so I didn't read the whole book before sending if off for Christmas. But, I did look through it and thought it was beautifully arranged and very thoughtfully conceived. It certainly reflected the many ways women are connected throughout this world.
Book Description
Congratulations! Your little girl is getting married! Once the initial excitement of the announcement wears off, it becomes clear that Mother of the Bride is not just a title. It's a role, with responsibilities and do's and don'ts.
The Mother-of-the-Bride Book explains that role and how it has changed over time. It details the exact responsibilities of the Mother of the Bride (MOB) from the earliest planning stages right up to waving good-bye as the newlyweds depart for their honeymoon--and even after that. The MOB may be involved in or completely responsible for: Putting together the guest list and designing a seating chart; Helping the bride and groom choose a date and location; Throwing an engagement party; Arranging lodging for out-of-town guests; Booking a band, hiring a caterer, buying favors; Countless other details that can't be overlooked.
Chock full of ideas and advice, The Mother-of-the-Bride Book is an invaluable tool for the second busiest and (admit it) second most important woman in any wedding.
Customer Reviews:
This book makes the planning FUN for the Mother of the Bride.......2007-03-13
As the mother of the bride, I really enjoyed the details in this book, especially the warnings about some common mistakes made by mothers of the bride. It also gave me great planning details for the things I'll be helping with (since I don't have time to look at 10,000 bridal websites to get info, this book saved me time!), like the cake, the invitations, the flowers. Using this book makes the process fun, which my daughter loves, and it keeps me organized. I absolutely love it, and I love that Sharon Naylor focuses on the fact that this planning time is not just about the wedding, but about the relationships between mother and daughter (and son-in-law) in the future. That really gave me a lot to think about, and it helped me come up with great ways to welcome my son-in-law into the family. Another great book by Ms. Naylor!
The Mother of the Bride Book, by Sharon Naylor.......2001-05-24
I highly recommend this book to any hostess or mother of the bride. I am going up to West Point Military Academy this weekend to finalize preparations for my daughter's party. Details I never would have thought to ask, but certainly appear to be most important, were brought to my attention. There are also areas to document deposits and conversations with various vendors who will be hired for the party. I suggest that you write in pencil, because changes can always be erased. This is a remarkable guide to effectly carry out plans in a timely, correct fashion. I have browsed through books over the last few months. This has given me everything I need.
Great job, Sharon Naylor.
Candice Pantano
Book Description
From the day she first started walking and wearing dresses, you've imagined your daughter heading down the aisle toward the man she loves. Now that the time has come, you have a lot of work to do!
The Everything Mother of the Bride Book gets you through the big day with half the stress. This easy-to-follow resource guides you on everything from welcoming your future son-in-law into the family and planning the engagement party to budgeting expenses and staying involved without getting in the way.
Author Shelly Hagen offers expert tips on how to:
Save money where it counts
Help find a photographer, caterer, and florist
Throw a memorable bridal shower
Sort through the guest list
Offer sage advice to your daughter-but only when it's welcome
The Everything Mother of the Bride Book won't stop you from crying during the ceremony, but it will prevent emotional anguish before-and even after-the special day!
Product Description
Historical Romance: Even after overcoming social stigmas, prejudices, and presumptions, three people of the early 1800s are most threatened when they nearly sabotage their romances from within. Lord Nicholas is determined to cut himself off from the world when he catches love literally falling from a tree; Katherine Montbatten's decision that vengeance is hers and not the Lord's almost costs her true love; and when Helen Nichols deceives a duke, she will need to tell the truth, for love's sake. But their stories prove that human folly is no match for God's plan.
Customer Reviews:
VERY WELL DONE!!.......2007-08-13
I read this book in its entirety and all three stories were worthwhile.
They were very well written and I was immediately swept into a different era. The themes and characters were well developed and I was sad when I had finished... I wish the stories would continue. All THREE.
While I agree that the character of the third story acted juvenile, she does learn her lesson and feels guilt throughout the tale. (One might argue that to judge a book without reading it is also juvenile.) Everyone makes mistakes, nobody is sinless, guilt will eat at you until you seek forgiveness and that is the point of the story.
This book was full of Christian themes and wonderful stories of romance. I would also recommend the book Castles, by Tracie Peterson.
Two out of the three are keepers.......2007-03-20
The first two stories were well written and enjoyable, both of these stories illustrated the power of God to transform and make positive changes in a persons life. It was nice to read about people with faith and a romance story with out explicit sexual activity was good also. this is not just appropriate for young people, but older adults will enjoy it too.
However, given the overall thesis of the book I was disappointed by the premise of the last story. After reading the introduction and description, I refused to read the last story. After reading the first two stories I could not subject myself to such total idiocy.
If the stories are to show us that God will reward our efforts if we have faith and believe in His power in our lives, I do not understand why He would reward a liar and deceiver by gifting her with a Duke.
Why should she end up out ranking the vicar's daughter in the first story?
To deceive a person and lie to them and maintain that you love them is so juvenile. Why should he trust her to be honest with her and act in his best interests if she would lie to him? If the third story was a single book, I would not have purchased it. The first two stories were worth reading. Maybe someone will review the third story and not have a problem with it. I bought this book from a discount store and it was half price. I would not have bought it at full price because of the third story.
Average customer rating:
- Really very good
- Powerful story, rich characters!
- A Joyous Read
- An Inspiring Christian Romance
- Powerful, Realistic, Needed in Inspritaional Fiction
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Daughter of Joy (Brides of Culdee Creek, Book 1)
Kathleen Morgan
Manufacturer: Revell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Woman of Grace (Brides of Culdee Creek, Book 2)
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Lady of Light (Brides of Culdee Creek, Book 3)
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Child of Promise (Brides of Culdee Creek, Book 4)
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Wings of Morning (These Highland Hills, Book 2)
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Child of the Mist (These Highland Hills, Book 1)
ASIN: 0800757181
Release Date: 1999-08-01 |
Book Description
After the death of her husband and son, Abigail Stanton becomes housekeeper for rugged Conor McKay-a man harboring his own pain. Brides of Culdee Creek book 1.
Customer Reviews:
Really very good.......2006-01-31
Daughter of Joy was a joy to read. Meaty and substantial, the story is powerful and driven by strong characters. It makes you realize how flat and monotone the characters in some other christian books are. It is so refreshing to read about believable characters whose struggles, emotions and reactions seem natural instead of forced. The last quarter of the book drags a bit and for me there was not enough of an emotional payoff after the considerable build up between the two main characters, but Abby remains one of my favorite fictional characters. Very well written and enjoyable.
Powerful story, rich characters!.......2005-01-25
This is book is excellent. The characters are complex and believable. The basic storyline may have been spun hundreds of times but this by far outshines all the ones I've read, and I've read a lot. When you get to a book like this you realize this is "Fine dining"! Ms Morgan obviously incorporated and instilled her own suffering into a beautiful book.
A Joyous Read.......2002-07-31
I truly enjoyed this book. Ms. Morgan brought out all aspects of a relationship in this book. Sometimes, the Christian/Inspirational fiction books are stiff and lack a depth to the characters. I was happy to see that this book didn't.
Abby comes to Culdee Creek to be a housekeeper to Conor MacKay and to give lessons to his daughter Beth. This experiences teaches both of them the value of friendship, a kind word, trust and love. There were times the writing brought tears to my eyes because of the vividness of the descriptions.
A wonderful book, and I will be sure to find book 2.
An Inspiring Christian Romance.......2002-07-02
I've been a fan of Ms. Morgan's for many years. I loved all her futuristic and fantasy novels. It was a wonderful surprise to find out that she wrote Christian romance novels too and I didn't hesitate in buying this book.
I've never been more pleased. She writes with her heart and I believe its because she's been through the grief and is narrating from experience. I cried along with the heroine and cheered with her when she finally overcame her sorrow. I'd give this book to someone who has lost a loved one and is in need of inspiration and God's love.
Powerful, Realistic, Needed in Inspritaional Fiction.......2002-06-05
I haven't read any of Kathleen Morgan's previous books, but she has brought inspirational fiction a gift. The reference to intimacy (physical, emotional and spiritual) is realistic and powerful, although not graphic. Imagination has it's own rewards. The story line is great! The characters seem alive! Keep writing inspirational fiction, Kathleen!
Average customer rating:
- A rich and complex work
- Compelling and beautifully written
- This book is a "must read" for any mother or daughter.
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Life's Daughter/Death's Bride
Kathie Carlson
Manufacturer: Shambhala
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Similar Items:
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The Homeric Hymn to Demeter
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Eleusis: Archetypal Image of Mother and Daughter
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In Her Image
ASIN: 087773903X
Release Date: 1997-09-08 |
Book Description
While picking flowers, a young woman is abducted away from the familiar world of her mother to the ghostly underworld of Hades. This splitting of Mother and Daughter is the crux of the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone, a tale that holds as much meaning for us today as it did in ancient times. The story of how Demeter's daughter becomes Persephone, Queen of the Dead, and is ransomed back from death by her mother depicts profound psychological transformations. Writing from the perspectives of Jungian psychology and goddess spirituality, Kathie Carlson examines the deep reverberations of this myth in both ancient religion and the inner lives and relationships of contemporary men and women. Included in her discussion are: The Mother-Daughter archetype as feminine self Hades as shadow in men and animus in women The plight of women who "live the myth backwards" The Mystery path of Demeter Richly illustrated with dreams, insights, and relational dynamics drawn from psychotherapy clients, this book will appeal to both layperson and professional, and to anyone interested in myth, goddess-centered religion, or Jungian psychology.
Customer Reviews:
A rich and complex work.......2000-03-14
The myth of Demeter and Persephone is one of the most profound and important myths to all of us today who have an interest in Jungian psychology or the appearance of myths in contemporary lives. Not only it is one of the few surviving myths that celebrate the bonds between mother and daughter (instead of those between mother and son or father and son), it is also the sacred story that gives us hope for life after death, as it did for our ancestors who celebrated the Eleusinian Mysteries.
Kathie Carlson's book "Life's Daughter/Death's Bride" is a rich and complex work that deserves more than one careful reading. In the first chapter, she examines ways to approach the myth, most specifically the 'patriarchal accent' and the 'matriarchal accent'. I love the chart that lists the contrasts in these interpretations. For example, in the matriarchal view, Demeter is 'positive, benevolent, preserving, and reclaiming, becomes negative only when violated." In the patriarchal view, she is "negative, binding, possessive, overreacting, opposes the usurping Masculine." Which "accent" feels right to you?
Carlson places her own interpretation clearly in the feminist camp, but is very aware of the evidence for other views and presents those as well. I have not found such a detailed retelling of the Demeter/Persephone/Hades story in any other source. She includes every variation on the myth, including rich material on my own favortie, though minor, characters of Baubo, Triptolemus and Brimos the Divine Child. (I also love the obscure Greek folktale of Saint Demetra!). Until I read this book, I was unaware of the role of Triptolemus, the young man to whom Demeter gives the gift of teaching the people both the arts of agriculture and her Mysteries. According to Carlson, Triptolemus was the "thrice-fold warrior" who became the "thrice-fold ploughman" after his initiation into Demeter's mysteries. "The aggressor-turned-planter," she writes, " is a vivid representation....... of the death-dealing Masculine no longer at odds with the Goddess and life but relinked to her cycle and bent back to her service."
The first two chapters of this book are almost enough to satisfy my soul! But there's more. The heart of the book is a look at the archetypes of Demeter, Kore/Persephone and Hades, and how they manifest in our lives today, as illustrated through case studies from Kathie's practice as a psychotherapist. You may find yourself, your mother, your significant other or your best friend in these pages.
In the preface, Kathie Carlson writes that Life's Daughter/Death's Bride aims to be an accessible and multi-layered treatment of the Demeter-Persephone myth." In this, she has most definitely succeeded!
Compelling and beautifully written.......1999-12-17
Kathie Carlson offers up a passionate plea for women to reconnect with and be revitalized by the power of the transpersonal Feminine; and, she uses the ancient Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone to demonstrate just how this might be done.
Carlson spends the first two chapters analyzing and interpreting the fullness of the myth in which Persephone, daughter of the grain goddess Demeter, is snatched away to the underworld by Hades, the Lord of Death. She suggests that we discard any notions of Greek gods and goddesses as one-dimensional and quarrelsome creatures. Instead, she invites us to enter the mindset of ancient Greeks, that of a fluid, paradoxical and cyclical bent. "Pagan spirituality, as we know it in the present and can reconstruct from the past," she writes, "was centered in a profound relationship with Nature . . . Nature was seen as infused with Spirit; Spirit was found in and through Nature rathern than being outside and above it."
Women, according to Carlson, respond and react to the powerful connection in the myth between mother and daughter, and Demeter's unadulterated rage over the treatment of Kore/Persephone resonates. "We all want someone to protect us with that passion," Carlson says. "Demeter is unambivalently on the side of her daughter, and she isn't a mother who would blame the victim or would put a man ahead of the child."
In Chapter 7, entitled Relational Dynamics, Carlson points how modern women must learn the myth backwards. In other words, coming from a patriarchal society, we must imagine a world where the feminine aspect is powerful and valued in a central way. "Even those of us with good mothers," Carlson says, "might resist being powerful. We have pictured power as masculine, and we don't see that it's possible to be a powerful and feminine person."
Carlson believes that, if a woman from Ancient Greece could visit the world of today, she would grieve. "We think that the present is superior to the past," Carlson says, "and that we've kept improving. But, for a woman who lived when the world-view was spiritually female centered, our world would cause great emotional pain."
In therapy, Carlson often sees women suffering because they define themselves in patriarchal terms, seeing their essence how a father, brother or lover might. She believes, however, that "deep friendships, love relationships or therapy with other women may dissolve the 'false self' identity and plunge a woman into participation in women's mysteries, especially death and rebirth."
When a woman dives deeply enough into the female-to-female experience that Carlson describes, she believes that this woman might meet up with the feminine Divine. "This may lead to problematic relationships if neither woman understands that something beyond human dimensions is being carried by the relationship, but it may also be utterly transformative for one or both women."
Carlson hopes that her book allows women to connect to the relevance of ancient myths. "Our lives aren't really separate from ancient images," she says, "and they can bring us healing and expand awareness." She'd also like men who suffer with the shadow side of patriarchal power -- that represented by Hades -- to read this book.
"We need balance again," she says,"and the feminine hasn't had enough of a place in our lives for a long, long time. We can't recreate the past but need to take the best of what it had to offer and 'dream it forward,' and integrate its wisdom into the present."
This book is a "must read" for any mother or daughter........1999-01-06
In "Life's Daughter, Death's Bride" the Myth of Persephone and Demeter is beautifully explained and applied to current life-situations. The depth of the myth's profound message about the nature of Mother/daughter relationships is clearly, concisely and thoughtfully interpreted in both Jungian and general terms. It is not necesssary to be trained in psychology to find this book both timely and useful in everyday life.
The book speaks from the feminine point of view, and offers an affirmation of women's worth and integration in the 'web of life'. It is not wordy or trite, but is beautifully phrased and inspiring. The complicated structure of the myth is carefully deconstructed, so that the intrinsic value of the age-old story is laid out for all to see. I found myself internalizing many of Ms.Carlson's concepts, and have only one very mild criticism: It might have been interesting to have had Ms. Carslon's comparison of the Classic Greek myth (which she used in this book) to the Persephone that Charlene Spretnak describes in "Lost Goddesses of Early Greece: A Collection of Pre-Hellenic Myths" (Beacon Press, Boston. 1998). Ms. Spretnak's investigation and uncovering of the Myth BEFORE Homer, Hesiod and Herotodus re-wrote it, indicates a previous version of the myth that describes a very different motivation for Persephone's actions while in Hades and a NON-RAPE version of how she got there. The two books, in-concert, provide a balanced and homogenous telling of an archetypal cycle. To get a clear picture of this potent and profound myth, I recommend reading both of these books. You will never regret the time spent in doing so.
Book Description
A dazzling debut novel about a woman watching her mother get hitched while her own finger is still decidedly bare.
When her mom calls to say she's getting married, Daniella is both thrilled and devastated. Mom, who's pushing sixty, is about to walk down the aisle for the second time, and Daniella, at twenty-nine, hasn't come close to saying "I do" once. Even worse, Mom insists Daniella help plan the big bash: white gown, band, caterer, the works.
Between cake tastings, dress fittings, and ring shopping, Daniella struggles to make sense of her own frustrating love life-all while juggling her high-pressure TV job and hectic dating adventures. And it isn't long before she realizes she's going to have to make some changes in her own life-or never walk down the aisle herself.
Customer Reviews:
Don't miss this well crafted book........2007-03-25
I started reading this book and then misplaced it. I was restless and nearly ordered another copy when it somehow just turned up yesterday. I read the remaining pages in one session. I enjoyed the elegant and subtle humour running through; never at anyone's expense thought often with the characteristically Jewish willingness to laugh about oneself. It is furhter an exhautive study of a certain segment of New York society. At that, it is honest, probing and therefore successful in analysing without ever hiding behind baroque texts. In fact, the language flows apparently effortlessly and so well. I am sure all those reading the book will find out a little more than they need to know about organizing a West Coast, Jewish, XXIst century wedding.I, however, who was trained in anthropology, was fascinated by the rich and detailed information giving a vivid picture of custom and culture.
I found life in New York, as was featured in Daughter of the Bride even more interesting. A regular visitor to that city for about 37 years now my love of it was here gratified.
I look forward to the film but doubt it can ever live up to the book.
Yes, don't miss this book.
Cold and Hot, Hit and Miss.......2006-07-31
I purchased this book because the author is a part of Nano (fellow participants will get the reference) and I wanted to support the cause, so to speak. I know I would want someone to do the same for me. However, that's where the loyalties pretty much end. I cannot rave about this book because the author's origins. Not that Ms. Sergre should not be comended for finishing a novel and finding a publisher. It's hard work. But when I pay ten bucks for a book, that's hardly enough. The book needs to stand on its own. And it falls a bit short.
There are moments of pure genius in Daughter of the Bride. Segre can be, and is on occasion, hillarious. It's wonderfully subtle and takes you by surprise.
However, I struggled with the main premise that it's just so odd to be the daughter of the bride. With a 50% divorce rate, you would not think it atypical. Some of the dialogue is pretty forced (the mock mom's dates show is horrid). Characters come in and out of play at a dizzying rate. I dare you to keep it all straight. Worse yet, many of the characters have very similar names, which is a big novel no-no.
Daniella, our protagonist, seems very disjointed and strikes me as very immature. How is it that a 30-year-old woman is still wistfully pining away for prince charming? And has no clue what she wants in partner, but wants to be married? How does she date that many men over the course of nine months, ditch them all for a variety of semi-shallow reasons, and wonder about the root behind her singleton status?
For the first hundred pages, Daughter of the Bride is a charming, entertaining story of a woman dealing with her mother getting married while she's still single. Daniella's memories of her father are very touching. But after a time, the interest starts to wane. The book becomes little more than a chronological account of all her dating activities sprinkled with a few moments of wedding-planning stress.
Bottom line: it's boring. Mind-numbing, clock-watching boring a good 40% of the time. And the lukewarm conclusion left me unsatisfied.
When it's good, it's great. But there's something missing. There's no magic, no spark, here. And very regretfully, no compelling reason for you to pick up this book and read it.
Wedding Role Reversal.......2006-06-02
With her engaging and breezy style, Francesca Segre captures the odd experience of having your mother plan a fancy wedding before you do. The organic humor of the role reversal in DAUGHTER OF THE BRIDE is only heightened by the author's wit and candor. It's a new and welcome take on the "where's my husband?" genre. A pleasure and thoroughly recommended.
Just in case..........2006-04-13
Three reviews already written about this book and they are all 5 stars. Interesting. I guess a few others loved it and maybe a few might not. I'm one of the latter few. I really hoped I'd like this book but for some reason after reading 100 pages I still wasn't getting into it. I was bored by it.
It may not be fair I wrote a 'review' afetr not finishing it but I think some people might like to know that not everyone likes this book so far.
chick lit takes Wall St........2006-04-04
Twenty-nine years old financial news broadcaster Daniella enjoys her work covering the testosterone New York Stock Exchange, loves her family, and has close supportive friends. However, when it comes to men, Daniella lacks the confidence that shines through her professional efforts and every other aspect of her personal life.
As Daniella's mom Maya nears her sixtieth birthday she calls her to inform her that she is engaged to be married to Stanley and would like her daughter to help her with her wedding plans. Daniella is stunned that she will be giving her mom away instead of visa versa, but though already over-worked will make time for her beloved mother. Still she wonders if any of her current men might come close to meeting the criteria of her imaginary boyfriend though the standard of her I.B. is stratospheric quality.
Readers will appreciate the insight to the single ambitious woman achieving success in a male dominated arena at perhaps the sacrifice of her personal life, but not because she fails to meet men. Instead Daniella applies her high quality criteria she thrives for on the job to men and so far they seem lacking. This chick lit takes Wall St. is a fine character study of a strong woman who in spite of her mother remarrying causing her doubts refuses to lower her standards.
Harriet Klausner
Book Description
Recently widowed Rebecca McKenzie, a successful Vancouver businesswoman, returns to small-town Hope River after an absence of 30 years to attend her mother's funeral. Estranged from her father and two older siblings, she's left a brutal childhood and a psychopathic grandfather behind. She expects her visit home to be short. but then she discovers the diaries written by her mother, a British war bride with a young baby who came to Canada to join a husband she scarcely knew. Rebecca (and the reader) find her heart wrung by her mother's story.
Meanwhile, a young girl has gone missing, and the suspicions of the townspeople fall on Rebecca's handsome, charming brother Jimmy. Before long, violence threatens and Rebecca must put aside some long-held grievances to protect Jimmy and find the real killer.
This debut novel will appeal to readers of Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs and Pip Granger's Not All Tarts Are Apple and its sequels, evoking admiration, respect, and sympathy for members of The Greatest Generation, both English and Canadian.
Customer Reviews:
fabulous Canadian family drama .......2005-03-23
Vancouver bank executive and widow Rebecca McKenzie swore she would never return to her home town of Hope River. However, the only person who could ever possibly get Rebecca to return, her beloved mom, died so she has come home for the funeral. Her father welcomes her as if she was never away; her older sister Shirley resents her; her older brother Jimmy wants her to forgive him for his behavior as a teen towards her when he emulated their sociopathic grandfather with Rebecca being an abused victim.
Her dad gives her diaries that her mom kept especially during World War II when she a Brit, married a Canadian soldier and relocated to Canada where she met "It" her terrorizing father-in-law. In town, she is accosted by two angry men who blame Jimmy as a former convict for the disappearance of a popular high school student, Jennifer Taylor. As Rebecca meets her nieces, nephews and other relatives for the first time and reads the diaries she begins to feel for her father and her siblings. As the trio reconciles Rebecca investigates what happened to Jennifer since she no longer believes the reformed Jimmy did anything.
SCARE THE NIGHT AWAY is a fabulous Canadian family drama with the suspense that comes in the latter half of the tale serving as the catalyst towards bringing an estrange family together. The story line is character driven mostly by Rebecca and how she relates with her father, her siblings, their spouses, children, and grandchildren. The diary serves as a solid subplot describing Rebecca's sociopath grandfather terrorizing her parents. Readers will enjoy the cell phone ending to a strong character study.
Harriet Klausner
Book Description
This study examines cases of fornication, bastardy, and paternity cases brought before the courts in Essex County, Massachusetts between 1640 and 1692. Prosecution and conviction rates, sentencing patterns, and socio-economic data, as well as attitudes, were analyzed to determine that women who bore illegitimate children were punished more severely than their male partners, and regarded with contempt by the majority of women. Couples who married following out-of-wedlock sex faced less opprobrium and were reintegrated into the community following a series of humiliating shame rituals.
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