Ready or Not: An All-American Girl Novel

Book Description

Top ten things Samantha Madison isn't ready for:

10. Spending Thanksgiving at Camp David

9. With her boyfriend, the president's son

8. Who appears to want to take their relationship to the Next Level

7. Which Sam inadvertently and shockingly announces live on MTV

6. While appearing to support the president's dubious policies on families, morals, and yes, sex

5. Juggling her new after-school job at Potomac Video

4. Even though she already has a job as teen ambassador to the UN (that she doesn't get paid for)

3. Riding the Metro and getting accosted because she's "the redheaded girl who saved the president's life," in spite of her new, semipermanent Midnight Ebony tresses

2. Experiencing total role reversal with her popular sister Lucy, who for once can't get the guy she wants and the number-one thing Sam isn't ready for?

1. Finding out the hard way that in art class, "life drawing" means "naked people."

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Top ten things Samantha Madison isn't ready for:

10. Spending Thanksgiving at Camp David

9. With her boyfriend, the president's son

8. Who appears to want to take their relationship to the Next Level

7. Which Sam inadvertently and shockingly announces live on MTV

6. While appearing to support the president's dubious policies on families, morals, and yes, sex

5. Juggling her new after-school job at Potomac Video

4. Even though she already has a job as teen ambassador to the UN (that she doesn't get paid for)

3. Riding the Metro and getting accosted because she's ""the redheaded girl who saved the president's life,"" in spite of her new, semipermanent Midnight Ebony tresses

2. Experiencing total role reversal with her popular sister Lucy, who for once can't get the guy she wants

and the number-one thing Sam isn't ready for?

1. Finding out the hard way that in art class, ""life drawing"" means ""naked people."""

Customer Reviews:

loved this book!!.......2007-09-02

This book is simply amazing! I loved it loved it loved it! If you even LIKE Meg Cabot you are going to fall in love with her writing in this one! It is simply amazing and just fantastic! I definitely did not expect it to be this great but it was!! Buy with confidence- you are going to love this book!!I've read it at least eight times! The sequel to All-American Girl; you will not be disappointed!

Not nearly as good as the first one.......2007-03-25

There's not much to say that hasn't already been said plenty by other people, but I'll contribute:

The last book had a plot about how Samantha Madison saved the life of the president of the Unites States.
This book is has a plot about how the same(?) Samantha Madison may or may not be ready to play "Parcheesi" with her boyfriend.

What with the Princess Diaries series lately, I'm beginning to think that Meg Cabot might have a problem. It's one thing to include it in her books--it is, after all, a normal issue teens face growing up--it's another thing to create whole plots about nothing but this subject. And what really killed me was that, just when you thought she'd stay true to herself by sticking with her desicion to say "no" she goes ahead and does it.

The thing is, in this book, Sam is no longer somebody you can really identify with. She's like a whole 'nother person in this book. Stick with the first one, and decide for yourself what happens in Sam's junior year.

Why Meg Cabot Isn't Ready... (contains spoilers, guys!).......2007-03-24

I am so glad I borrowed this book from the library instead of shelling out my precious dollars for it. What was wrong? Glad you asked.
Reasons Cabot was NOT ready (and should have spent a LOT more time writing):
10) Sam thinks her life stinks again. Really. I thought we had fixed that in the last book.
9) No character development. We get nifty new characters, or they could be nifty. We don't know. She didn't tell us!
8) 250 pages of: Should I have sex or not? Gets really boring really fast.
7) View of sex is one-sided. Sex changes nothing. As long as you use birth control it's okay. All for readers who haven't hit the legal age of consent (remember, it's aimed at 14/15 year olds, too).
6) The faucet discussion. (Those of you who've read it know what I'm talking about; those of you who haven't: be grateful!)
5) A cafeteria full of teens screaming "I'm a slut!" Not real. Wouldn't happen. In any high school. Ever.
4) A girl who wasn't ready for sex decides she's ready. On a whim. Spur of the moment. Without any explanation why. Yep.
3) Completely slams our current administration. Again- yep. Are high schoolers even that political?
2) Sam stresses over what people think about her. For pages. Not even the same girl from the last book.
And the number one reason why Meg Cabot isn't ready:
1) Three words: Sex and Naked Men. That's the heart of this novel.

Do yourself a favor and don't ruin your love for Sam. Stick to the first book. If you must read about sexuality among teens, check out the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. It's handled MUCH better there and it's not the WHOLE PLOT!

Appalling American Girl.......2007-02-25

Reader beware! In spite of what the front flap indicates, this book is primarily about a teenage girl obsessing about having sex with her boyfriend. How irresponsible of the author and publisher to call this All American Girl! I picked up a copy of this as an audio book, thinking that it would be a fun book to listen to with my early teenage kids. I figured that if she wrote the books used as the inspiration for the movie Princess Diaries, it would probably be OK. The audiobook back cover even recommended it for ages 12 to something. I'm glad I listened to it first! The impression the front flap of the book gives is that having sex with her boyfriend is only one of a list of 10 things she is not ready for(and not even #1), but this is quite misleading. By the end of the book, she decides she's ready for a whole lot more than she thought she was at the beginning. Apparently the author and publisher think masturbation and teenage sex (though not graphic) and how much fun those activities are is acceptable reading for young teenagers. A word I would not be allowed to use in this review is printed over and over in this book and used as sort of a rallying cry toward the end. The author appears to be trying to make a political and amoral point with this story. There seem to be no lasting consequences for the main character as a result of her decisions, either. In fact, she ends up as rather a hero. The only redeeming feature I could find in the whole book was a developing relationship between two other characters, who learn not to judge each other based on appearances. I will not be buying any other books from this author!

One big step downhill; Watch your step........2007-02-04

In my opinion, Meg Cabot is a good author.
No, NOT because they teach you something important. (Not that there is no moral behind any of her books, it's just mainly stuff YOU already know. But maybe you need a reminder?)
No, NOT because they raise mind-boggling questions and make you look at your life and the people around you from a different perspective.

No-sir-ee.

I think Meg Cabot is a good author because although she's an adult, her books truly sound like they're coming from the average teenager's perspective.
I've seen the Princess Diaries, I've read All-American Girl & Teen Idol, and it's almost hard to believe that it's fiction.
The plotlines themselves aren't exactly beliveable (Girl saves president. Girl becomes popular, thought she doesn't really care about that. All she cares about it guy. She forgets guy. She gets with another guy. Everyone lives happily ever-after.), the characters certainly are. Really.
Even if you're not in high school (I'm certainly not), you either know the character, or you are the character. Ironic, no?

Yes. I could just go on and on about All-American Girl & Teen Idol and how honest the story is, how perfectly it captures teenagers, and how clever it is.

...but, sadly, I can't do that. Or at least, I shouldn't.

Why? Cuz'. This is "Ready or Not."

NOT Teen Idol.

And NOT All-American Girl. No. This certainly is no All-American Girl.

Like I said, what amazes me about Meg Cabot's books is how 'real' everything is; She captures teeangers perfectly.

I really liked Samantha in All-American Girl, and I was looking forward to getting to travel inside her head again in Ready Or Not.

Sadly, the Samantha in Ready or Not is not the type of character whose head you'd want to be in, considering the fact she is suddenly faced with an alarming amount of sexual situations at once, and that irks me.

No, NOT because I am a prudish little kid who can't handle the mention of sex, but because All-American Girl was, in a word, clean.

Was All-American girl the most squeaky-clean book in the history of books? No. There was snubbing, teen partying (achohol, kissing, the works), and just plain teenagers.

But the thing is, in Ready or Not everything is suddenly all about sex, when the last novel didn't really go into sex at all. Samantha seemed to have no interest in sex whatsoever last time, and now, taking place only a year after All-American Girl, Samantha spends the ENTIRE novel talking about sex, or thinking about sex, or feeling embarassed about sex, or wondering what it would be like to have sex, or wheather she should have sex, or...well...you get the point. She's a real sex-maniac.

But wait! It isn't HER falt she's becoming some creepy cross between a worried pervert and a whiny slut! If you want to be techincal about it, it's all Meg Cabots falt for introducing so much sex into the book when Samantha clearly has no expierience with it at all.

The art teacher wants her to stare at naked men, then draw them. The boyfriend hints at sex, which makes her go crazy, the friend has suddenly become interested in sex (And, once again, this is the SAME friend from All-American Girl, who showed no interest in sex in that one), the president wants to discuss sex, her eleven-year-old sister aparently watches TV shows that have to do with sex...sex, sex, sex and more sex.

This book is, after all, Young Adult. If the author wants to delve into more mature topics, then fine. That's one thing. But to make every single frickin' character interested in sex and have the just about the entire novel based on that is quite another. Even diehard fans of All-American Girl might want to stay away.

The teenage perspective? Fine. Samantha's perspective? Not so fine. It's been a year since the last novel, which had almost no sexual content, and this entire book centers around weather or not she's ready to have sex OMG! THE TITLE HAS A MEANING!) with some boy who hardly appears in the book, even though he was something of a main character last time. How old is she? Around seventeen.

Moral of the story: Seventeen is a scary age, where you will suddenly cross a magical bridge into sex-land.

Boy am I glad I won't be seventeen for a while!

Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me?

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JEN ROCKS
Fantastic
So FUNNY it makes being bad look good!
Jen Lancaster's world
HILARIOUS!

Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me?
Jen Lancaster
Manufacturer: NAL Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451221257

Book Description

Jen Lancaster hates to burst your happy little bubble, but life in the big city isn't all it's cracked up to be. Contrary to what you see on TV and in the movies, most urbanites aren't party-hopping in slinky dresses and strappy stilettos. But lucky for us, Lancaster knows how to make the life of the lower crust mercilessly funny and infinitely entertaining.

Whether she's reporting rude neighbors to Homeland Security, harboring a crush on her grocery store clerk, or fighting-and losing-the Battle of the Stairmaster- Lancaster explores how silly, strange, and not-so-fabulous real city living can be. And if anyone doesn't like it, they can kiss her big, fat, pink, puffy down parka.

Customer Reviews:

JEN ROCKS.......2007-10-10

This is one of the funniest books I have ever read, and I read a lot! It made me laugh out loud. Everyone should read Bright Lights. I have bought this book for my friends because I don't want to lose my copy of it. I look forward to Jen 's next book.

Fantastic.......2007-10-09

It was embarrassing to read this book in public as I could not control my laughter.Jen Lancaster is witty, brilliant and beautifully honest, right up there with Burroughs and Sedaris.

So FUNNY it makes being bad look good!.......2007-10-03

Jen takes on temp jobs while waiting for her advance check from selling her first book. To fill the extra hours, she has written a hilarious memoir about her ordinary life experiences. Cross her and you may be the lucky recipient of one of her crafty letters that you wouldn't believe someone would have the nerve to write. (And what a great tool for releasing anger) If your one of her stay at home friends, you may be on the recieving end of funny daily scoops that rival a soap opera drama, and much more interesting by far. -The thing is you never read any e-mails from them, so their lives must be dreadfully boring in comparison.

I've never had a book make me laugh out loud (even in public) like this one did! This girl has lightning quick wit and humor. Actually, reading this made me feel a little more sane. (Thanks Jen:) I thought I had an overactive mind, she's definately got me beat, and her thoughts are way funnier than mine could ever be! Her behavior and mouth are so excusable because she's just hilarious. She really does make being bad look good.

This is a keeper. When I'm feeling low and needing a good laugh, I'll be reaching for this. Reading this will make passing the time (in line or Dr's office or anywhere) much more pleasant. Just know that it is very likely to make you bust out laughing in front of everyone!

Jen Lancaster's world.......2007-09-27

Bitter is the New Black, Jen's first book, was wonderful. This second book is great, but I feel it falls a little short of the fullness of BINB. Not as much of an actual story line, just tons of funny scenarios and banter - which are all great, but I'm not as anxious to find out what happens next (when does Jen find a job, how will they survive the next month, etc). It definitely still keeps me chuckling page after page though. Since there is not much drama in this book, I am enjoying getting to know Fletch a little more.

HILARIOUS!.......2007-09-10

I couldn't put this down, it is so funny! I was laughing and chuckling so hard that I even annoyed my husband (who is not nearly as patient as Jen's husband, Fletch). She writes what the rest of us are thinking, but are now too politically correct to say out loud. Awesome. I check www.Jennsylvania.com every morning in my little cube farm for a chuckle. I can't wait for the next one.

A Smart Girl's Guide to Money: How to Make It, Save It, And Spend It (American Girl Library)

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Smart Girl's Guide Review
Another great American Girl book!
Every girl should have this book!
Extremely educational, extremely fun!

A Smart Girl's Guide to Money: How to Make It, Save It, And Spend It (American Girl Library)
Nancy Holyoke
Manufacturer: American Girl
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1593691033

Book Description

This addition to the popular Smart Girl's Guide series helps girls gain money smarts. Quizzes, tips, and quotes from girls make learning about money management fun. The book includes a special section with 101 moneymaking ideas. A link at americangirl.com offers girls the opportunity to print business cards, flyers, and other materials to get their moneymaking ideas up and running with style.

Customer Reviews:

Smart Girl's Guide Review.......2007-05-14

My daughter's love this book. Although it doesn't give a "how to" on budgeting, it does give a solid understanding of how to make and save money by being careful on what to spend their money on.

Another great American Girl book!.......2007-05-09

The quality of the A.G. books are always great! Age appropriate and full of different information to help the child learn about that subject- hoping for a daughter that loves to save money after reading this book....wish me luck!

Every girl should have this book!.......2006-10-02

This book was awesome! It talked about saving, spending wisely, credit cards, starting a business and much more! I got this book and it helped me so much! I also use it as a reference book. I think every girl should have it. Go American Girl!

Extremely educational, extremely fun!.......2006-08-07

"A Smart Girl's Guide To Money" is an inspiring book and really teaches girls- or any person- to save money. It also explains about bank accounts, interest, and other important things needed for life. Everyone should read this educational, wise, and fascinating guide.

It also introduces girls to having a job, keeping track of money, and just plain being responsible. That, I think, is a wonderful thing to promote. I loved "A Smart Girl's Guide To Money" the first time I looked into it. Every girl should read it; it's really a remarkable book!

Average customer rating:

sweet, small, doll
Cute Mini Doll

Kit Mini Doll (American Girl)
Na
Manufacturer: American Girl
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Activities & Toys | Sports & Activities | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1584854707

Customer Reviews:

sweet, small, doll.......2007-10-17

This is a great deal on the American Girl Mini-dolls.
My granddaughters love them and play with them for hours.
A darling gift for a great price. A child can undress
and redress them and play make believe. Love these mini-dolls.

Cute Mini Doll.......2007-01-04

We love this doll! She is so cute and mini! She is a quality doll with soft hair that feels "real" Her mini book is high-quality hardback too! Well-priced and well-loved!

Average customer rating:

Presidential Terror
All American Girl
The Save of a Lifetime
All-American Girl
Too Much Fun!!!

All-American Girl
Meg Cabot
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0064472779
Release Date: 2003-07-22

Book Description

Top Ten Reasons Samantha Madison is in Deep Trouble

10. Her big sister is the most popular girl in school

9. Her little sister is a certified genius

8. She's in love with her big sister's boyfriend

7. She got caught selling celebrity portraits in school

6. And now she's being forced to take art classes

5. She's just saved the president of the United States from an assassination attempt

4. So the whole world thinks she is a hero

3. Even though Sam knows she is far, far from being a hero

2. And now she's been appointed teen ambassador to the UN

And the number-one reason Sam's life is over?

1. The president's son just might be in love with her

Download Description

"TOP TEN REASONS Samantha Madison IS IN DEEP TROUBLE 10. Her big sister is the most popular girl in school 9. Her little sister is a certified genius 8. She's in love with her big sister's boyfriend 7. She got caught selling celebrity portraits in school 6. And now she's being forced to take art classes 5. She's just saved the president of the United States from an assassination attempt 4. So the whole world thinks she is a hero 3. Even though Sam knows she is far, far from being a hero 2. And now she's been appointed teen ambassador to the UN AND THE NUMBER-ONE REASON Sam's LIFE IS OVER? 1.The president's son just might be in love with her"

Customer Reviews:

Presidential Terror.......2007-05-25

What happens when a girl saves the President by attacking a guy with a gun? She falls, breaks her arm, and becomes a national hero. Life was normal for Sam until one day she finds herself saving the President's life. Now she's on her way to the hospital.
After she gets out of the hospital she finds paparazzi and news reporters outside of her home and an answering machine message with the most popular girl in school asking her to come to her party. Sam feels pressured and confuse by all the changes. When the President asks her family to have dinner at the White House Sam meets the President's son, David. As the story goes on they get to know each other more by going on dates and going their art classes. Then one night at a party David finds out that Sam likes someone else and he gets upset and leaves.
Will he forgive her or will they stop being friends. To find out all the questions read All American Girl by Meg Cabot.

All American Girl.......2007-05-24

All American Girl
By: Meg Cabot

In All American Girl by Meg Cabot, Samantha Madison is lost between her older, very popular sister and her younger sister who is a certified genius. Sam's life goes downhill when she is caught selling celebrity photos at her school and is forced to attend Susan Bonne's art class. The day she skipped changed her life forever. Sam ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time when a assassin pulled out his gun and almost killed the president, but Sam stopped the assassin and became a world wide hero. As Sam's life is changed she just could think that the presidents son could like her! In Sam's art class she is just beginning to see what she draws and not assume what it looks like. But she is blind to what is right in front of her. Being the Teen Ambassador of the UN and a world wide legend, Samantha Madison finally sees. Will David and Sam fall in love or will Sam's blindness ruin it all?

I loved this book because it was just about a normal girl and how no one is unimportant. It just takes the right person to show you what you are truly made of! I recommend this book to people of all ages.
ENJOY!!!

The Save of a Lifetime.......2007-04-23

Samantha Madison's life is like a zoo. With so many things going on in her high school life, it's hard to relax. She has a genius little sister, a perfect older sister, and she is in love with her older sister's boyfriend. In the realistic fiction novel All American Girl by Meg Cabot, Sam performs some pretty outrageous stunts. Once Sam saves the life of the President of the United States, her life changes in ways that many people have never experienced.
After this crazy stunt occurs, the whole world knows who Miss Samantha Madison is; the newest US celebrity. She is furthermore invited to the White House for dinner, paparazzi and reporters follow her and her family everywhere, and she is then invited to parties of girls who have hated her for the last 5 years. She also becomes friends with the President's son, David, and in addition, she is assigned the job of the US teen ambassador to the UN. Everything in Sam's life is great, or is it? Sam's life is also changing in negative ways. Is she really still in love with her true love or is she falling for someone new? Is her best friend still her real best friend?
I would recommend this book to girls ages 12-15 who enjoy reading books that may be far-fetched, but could possibly be realistic. I enjoyed this book because it is the type of story where you have to connect the pieces to understand the concept of it. If you want to find out what happens to Sam after she saves the life of the President, read All American Girl.

All-American Girl.......2007-04-23

All-American Girl

This book is about a girl who saved the president. Sam( who lived in Washington D.C) is a regular artsy girl; one day she decided she didn't want to go to the lessons that he mom signed her up for. When she was skipping her class, she saw a person that looked weird, when she was waiting for her ride to get there, the president went into the bakery that she was standing next to. The person that looked weird pulled a gun out from under his coat and as the president walked out of the bakery, he pointed it at him. Sam jumped on the gunman's back to stop him from shooting the president. The person falls on her and breaks her arm. All the secret serves men come running to get the person's gun away. They ask her some questions and call her parents. The morning after she gets up and is in a hospital bed, she looks out the window and sees everyone with posters with her name on them.
I like this book because it is also a love story. Sam and the president's son, David, start to like each other; they already knew each other from the art class. Then Sam and David get in a fight and they don't talk to each other for a while, they forgive each other and at the end of the book they go out.
I also like this book because it has a lot of drama. I recommend this book to and one who like love book or books having to do with love triangles.
j.stadt

Too Much Fun!!!.......2007-04-22

This book was hilariously entertaining. Meg Cabot really is too much fun. I have read a handful of her books, and they are all infused with a wonderful sense of humor and maybe even a little hyperactivity disorder, which turns out to be a great combination. All-American Girl is no different. It's about Samantha, a high school sophomore, who is forced to take art classes because she is getting a C- in German. While skipping art class because she felt her creativity was being stifled due to the appearance of a pineapple in her drawing, she manages to save the president from a deranged Christie Brinkley fan. Yes, as absurd as the premise sounds, Meg Cabot manages to draw the reader in anyway. Throughout the story, Sam struggles with her new popularity and figuring out which guy she is really crushing on, the president's son or her older sister's boyfriend. I think anyone who remembers the insecurities that went along with going to high school and who would enjoy a good laugh would love this book.

Naked: Black Women Bare All About Their Skin, Hair, Hips, Lips, and Other Parts

Average customer rating:

The Urban Book Source
The Truth
Illl finish by saying I am SORRY
naked.......
Could not put this down! Highly recommended

Naked: Black Women Bare All About Their Skin, Hair, Hips, Lips, and Other Parts

Manufacturer: Perigee Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0399531637

Book Description

Provocative essays on body image by black women.

Candid, witty, and insightful, Naked is a compelling collection of essays that captures what today's black women think about their bodies-from head to toe.

Tackling such issues as hair texture, skin color, weight, and sexuality, it follows women on their paths to acceptance-and enjoyment -of their unique features...to a place where it doesn't matter how big the breasts or how long the legs, only what is in the heart.

Includes contributions from women of all ages and walks of life, including such notables as:

- Iyanla Vanzant
- Jill Scott
- Kelis
- Tracee Ellis Ross
- Jill Nelson
- Hilda Hutcherson
- asha bandele
- Melyssa Ford

Edited by Ayana Byrd and Akiba Solomon
Foreword by Sonia Sanchez

Customer Reviews:

The Urban Book Source.......2007-08-13

Naked strips away all the mystery surrounding the thoughts held by black women about their bodies. Often raised in a subculture that is not tolerant of a woman sharing their fears, reservations and insecurities about their bodies African American ladies have had to long keep their thoughts to themselves, at least until now. Often over-sexualized in music and videos, Naked sheds a rainbow of light on the way black women from all walks of life, view their bodies, from Melyssa Ford and Jill Scott to a former prostitute and a house wife, this anthology has it all. With short essays like "My Tush" and "Ho Gear", this promises to be a quick enjoyable read for anyone.
1. What did you like best about this book?
I absolutely loved that this book was written by women, for other women. Some of the stories in here express thoughts and feelings that are often not talked about and mostly not accepted. It was very refreshing to see the stories of our women in print.

2. What did you dislike about this book?
I felt that the editors did a great job in being selective about what they put in the book but I still feel a few stories could have been left out.

3. How can the author improve this book?
I think the book would be even better if the editors could somehow swap out a few stories.

The Truth.......2007-08-12

I thought the majority of these essays we so true. Sadly, the truth provided me with some comfort because I was able to think, "Thank God I'm not the only one who feels this way!" I identified with a lot of these storied and it's given me hope that one day I can overcome my issues with my self and body image.

Illl finish by saying I am SORRY.......2007-06-19

I am a black man. Five days ago I received a copy of this book from by cousin. I've only reached half way but I HAD to stop.
There were some passage about how BLACK WOMEN felt hurt and unwanted by verbal abuse of men when they were walking in the streets and I felt bad, because I am one of those guys cussing when a women doesn't give in to my advances. I walk around with friends and I often cuss just as to show off to my friends that "hey that B*** didn't hurt me with her stupid attitude".
The thing I never thought about is how they felt when I cuss them out. Even if my intention was not to add yet another blow to her lowself-esteem. I might sound green by now to some readers but I first off come from the carribean. And there the inferiority complex is not that extreme over there since the majority of the population and business owners are black. But I must add, ormaybe confess I would be more likely to cuss a black women then any other race. And that alone shows that I am part of the problem.
For those who need more convincing argument of the dilemma which Naked exposes, BLACK SKIN WHITE MASK, by Fanon is a support to this book.
But I have to agree with some essay where they says the media, hell society has a fix definition of what beauty is and should look like. Even disney movies like Cinderella, snow white, etc..... brings to our children mind what is expect of their physical appearance to be considered attractive.
I'll try to mustard courage to finish this book AND I'll finsih by saying I am SORRY to all those women I hurt with my foul words. A change is definitely needed '

naked..............2007-04-03

I also finished most of the essays in Naked, soon after purchasing it. The various thoughts, and emotions that the women in this collection have gone through are both shocking, and yet not surpising at all. Having dealt with my fair share of black women, I've come to almost accept their multitued of "lets say" spiritual ailments. Far too often, we allow the outside world to dictate who we are, and what beauty is...I'd definitly suggest everyone to pick up this book. As a man, I can honesetly say that I have more appreciation for the sane sista's that I've come across after reading Naked.

Could not put this down! Highly recommended.......2007-02-28

I picked this up on a whim at my library. This book offered way more than I originally expected.

The various narrations revealed a glimpse into the many insecurities many women of all nationalities face each and everyday. Particularly the plight of the African American woman. Who is often perceived as strong willed and to have a "don't take no mess" attitude. We suffer from the same insecurities, eating disorders, mental illnesses and sense of inferiority that our White sisters often are more vocal about.

Its a double edged sword being a woman in a man's world as well being Black in a White world.

This book upon reading it gave me a significant boost in my self esteem (I'm a Mom to a two year old and still have yet to lose the "baby" weight).

As women, we are sometimes our worst critic and sometimes you just have to be reminded that you are beautiful no matter what others outside your world believe.

Average customer rating:

So small
Adorable AG doll
All Things American Girl

Addy Mini Doll (American Girl)
Na
Manufacturer: American Girl
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1584854685

Customer Reviews:

So small.......2007-07-29

Maybe I didn't read the description well enough but I was very disappointed that the doll is so tiny.

Adorable AG doll.......2007-05-12

My niece loved this. It arrived promptly and in perfect condition.

All Things American Girl.......2007-03-18

Added to my American Girl Collection of mini dolls. Great series/price.
I love the detail on all of these dolls and the books are really interesting to read for me and my daughter.

Felicity's Story Collection (American Girls Collection)

Average customer rating:

A good cheesy feel good story for anyone who feel nostalgic for beginning of the great American story
Warm and wonderful introduction to US history
enjoyable fiction for girls
Perfect Books for Girls Of All Ages
graeter than ever

Felicity's Story Collection (American Girls Collection)
Valerie Tripp
Manufacturer: American Girl
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1593690479

Customer Reviews:

A good cheesy feel good story for anyone who feel nostalgic for beginning of the great American story.......2007-08-05

I got this book as a present for my mom. It's pretty nice. The edges of the book are like plated with something that looks like gold. I'm sure it's like fool's gold though. The book has all the covers of the six books in the series too. It has a ownership page in the front that let's you write who the book belongs to, which is just like a Bible.

I got the book because I have the audiobook for the series too. I picked the Felicity series because there is some romantic about a story about a little girl at the dawn of our nation. There isn't really anything about the revolutionary war though. I wouldn't expect there to be any stories about the British Redcoats torturing American prisoners of war since this IS a children's book. :)

If you get the audiobook CDs, this book is definitely a nice thing to have. You can like turn the audiobook on instead of reading to your kids if you're lazy or something. :-D Just kidding.

It's a good book to have, and it's pretty cheap too.

Warm and wonderful introduction to US history.......2007-06-24

I stumbled across this series when trying to prepare my daughters for a trip to Williamsburg, VA. Aware of the dolls, I assumed that the writing would be bland, long advertisement for the dolls, but I was mistaken. Ms.Tripp does an admirable job creating a charming character in a world rich with interesting detail that captured and held the interest of my 8 and 10 year old girls, while interesting them into the culture that existed at the time. My girls were thrilled to tour Williamsburg after reading about it. It made the experience real for them. My only hesitation is that in several of the stories, Felicity sneaks out and runs away from home for various reasons, and I am wary of that dangerous example for my daughters. I recommend that you read and discuss with your daughters.

enjoyable fiction for girls.......2006-07-20

I bought this book for my 7 year old daughter. She loved reading it and didn't want to put it down. I like it because it was easy for her to read, but not too easy, and it included some character lessons and a little history.

Perfect Books for Girls Of All Ages.......2005-12-15

The Felcity book series is very interesting and fun. In this book Felcity Merriman is a spunky and independant girl growing up in the 1770`s. In the first book Felcity must rescue a copper colored mare named Penny who is being badly abused by her owner Jiggy Nye. In the second book Felcity`s parents send her to manner lessons where she must learn to be a proper lady even though she would rather be riding side saddle atop a horse. In the 3rd book Felcity`s mother is ill and Felcity is invited to a fancy ball. It is also Christmas time and everyone if hoping for a Christmas miracle for Felcity`s mother to live. In the 4th book it`s time for Felcity`s birthday and her grandfather comes to visit and gives her a beautiful guitar and a sweet lamb named Posie. Then the guitar is ruined because Felcity left it in the rain for sure everyone will be mad. She hopes her grandfather will still trust her though. Will he or will he not? In the fifth bookw hich is my favorate Felcity`s father`s apperentice "Ben" has run away to join the army which breaks the contract between Felcity`s Father.When Felcity finds Ben he`s injured and Felcity must do what`s right to help. In the last book which is the sixth Felicity`s has her horse Penny back now and now Penny is pregnant with a foal then Penny`s labor turns for the worst. In the end Felcity must consult her old enemy,Jiggy Nye to help save her.You`ll really enjoy this series so please check it out!

graeter than ever.......2003-01-30

This is the greatest books i have ever read .They are everything you would want in a book !They'r so good I have my own collection and i think if you like to read and love you would love these books!BEST BOOKS!!!

Hana-Kimi, Volume 7: American Girl (Hana-Kimi)

Average customer rating:

Mindless misogyny.
What The Back Says
Worth continuing with...
Wow!
Hisaya Nakajo: one of my faves

Hana-Kimi, Volume 7: American Girl (Hana-Kimi)

Manufacturer: VIZ Media LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1591164990

Book Description

Japanese-American track-and-field star Mizuki is transferring to a high school in Japan...but not just any high school! To be close to her idol, high jumper Izumi Sano, she's going to an all-guys' high school...and disguising herself as a boy! But as fate would have it, they're more than classmates...they're roommates! Now, Mizuki must keep her secret in the classroom, the locker room, and her own bedroom. And her classmates, and the weird school nurse, must react to the new transfer student who looks like a very pretty boy...

Customer Reviews:

Mindless misogyny. .......2007-08-18

Eyes wide and glazed-over, brain hermetically sealed against anything remotely resembling a clue, cross-dressing "heroine" Mizuki barrels her way through the interminable volumes of this series without formulating anything like a thought in her head. This is NOT a sports shojo, as she cares nothing for her sport, only for her good looking fellow track star. You could call it a romance shojo, but she doesn't devote any part of her brain to her relationship with this boy either. It is pure swooning infatuation of the sort that would be ruined by actually getting to know him. So she settles for obsessing over him by day, and then "unconsciously" falling into bed with him and rubbing her breasts against him by night.

Naturally he knows she is a girl. He knows because the first time she showers in their shared bathroom, she leaves the door unlocked AND the shower curtain drawn back. Yet after he walks in on her, he simply pretends he still thinks she is a boy, and she believes his act. Mizuki is that breed of heroine whose cluelessness is supposed to be endearing, but comes across passive aggressive. She never grows or changes or needs to, as her idiocy comes in handy forcing others to run around taking care of her. Her girlfriend shows up for a spot of this thankless job, finds out Izumi has it covered, and then quickly leaves, because real female friends are as taboo here as real conversation with boys. This sort of heroine HAS to be the center of male attention, while avoiding anything like real male friendship and emotional connection. Honestly, I don't see the point.

Of course, the mangaka's idea of heterosexual relationships for ordinary girls is pretty horrific. A co-worker suspects our heroine is a girl and tries to rape her. Then he is fired because "You can chase the girls as much as you like, but not the boys." Gee, thanks boss! One bonus "romance" features a hero who blackmails his cousin into submitting to his advances by threatening to seduce her little sisters. Another "romance" features a boy who seduces a girl to get revenge on her father. A supporting character in HANA KIMI vents his insecurity by hurting his girlfriend during sex. With this view of heterosexual relationships, being a lobotomized cross-dresser does sound like a better alternative. Since most of the story revolves around the tortured passion of two boys for "clueless" Mizuki, maybe this isn't so much a romance as a passive-aggressive female revenge fantasy.

This is a long series - but not because it has a lot of story to get through. Each episode treads water around some pointless time-killer, only to leave everyone back where they started. The only subject presumed to be of interest is Who-Likes-Who, which develops a certain intricacy, but never any heart. Shrimp-like Mizuki is treated as an honorary girl/pet by all the other boys, so she scarcely needs to strain herself attempting masculinity, but instead happily coos over cosmetics in front of Izumi. Since he knows she is a girl, and she is too dumb to properly pretend otherwise, this is scarcely even a gender bender. The art is an endless parade of talking heads and identical school uniforms.

The one character with half-a-brain is Umeda, the school doctor. He instantly figures out our heroine's true gender, and throughout the series serves as confidante and voice of "wisdom" (actually cynicism) to her "naivete" (actually narcissism). He can usually be found inflicting sarcastic abuse on somebody who deserves it. After Volume 10, I skimmed and read only the Umeda bits. He has a lengthy back-story in the second half of Volume 14.

Besides Umeda, I have no idea what anyone sees in this manga. I got this from my library, and suggest you do the same. Sports shojo CRIMSON HERO and girl-stalker comedy-drama SKIP BEAT are infinitely better. If you want something lighthearted, but could do without the misogyny and the brainless heroine, then BEAUTY POP is pretty cool too.

What The Back Says.......2007-08-15

I noticed they didn't have what the back says so i'm writing it as my review.

MEN AT WORK
Izumi, his friend Nakatsu and our crossdressing heroine Mizuki are hired to work at a beach chalet run by the family of weird school nurse Dr. Umeda! But when Kagurazaka- Izumi's high-jumo rival- shows up with his two younger sisters in tow, the job gets personal! Kagurazaka's attractive sister Tamami has a crush on Izumi too, and she sees Izumi's classmate Mizuki as a way to find out about the object of her affections. And then someone realizes that Mizuki's actually a girl...

Worth continuing with..........2007-06-12

I have this volume and it's got enough humor in it that I will continue with this series. My 4 stars apply to Hana-Kimi as a story. But the text of this review is mainly to address the short piece at the end entitled "The Cage of Summer."

This is a very disturbing short story about a manipulative teenage boy and his older female cousin. She catches him sleazing around at a bar; he is shameless about it, and continues to play a dual role of 'angel boy' when he's with her family and manipulative seducer when they are alone together. As the story progresses he convinces the cousin that he loves her (using various typical lines). Then they sleep together, and when the girl awakens, the boy is gone. Two years pass during which she carries a torch for him, and he eventually swans back into her life and tells her he's been trying to transfer to her high school for 2 years because he loves her. End of story.

Well, his lines seemed just that - pickup lines fed to a woman he wanted to seduce. The fact that he disappeared that morning seemed to confirm this - that he had been playing her all along and skipped out to avoid the emotional aftermath. The fact that he doesn't resurface for two years also seemed to confirm this - that he simply didn't care about her once he'd conquered. When he is introduced to her as a transfer student he immediately embraces her and they seem to be in love. But even now, his lines don't ring true. Even on a second/third reading, he still comes across as a weasel.

Also, the girl is portrayed as a bit of a sap; throughout the story, as he manipulates her, she is completely trusting and believing of all he says, and she doesn't get angry about his skipping out, or anything. She just meanders on about her life. This is supposed to be a love story but it's more like a creepy exploitation story, and makes you just want to slap some sense into the female character.

Some people complain that my reviews are too picky and I read too much into things, but this story jarred me. I also noticed this same theme in the Love Egoist stories at the back of Ouran High School Host Club. The man is manipulative and the girl is a sap. Is this really a theme people like to read about?

Wow!.......2007-04-04

I bought this at Barnes and Noble because I wanted to start a new series, and saw that it was a large series. I was so hooked I read it straight through. (I usually try to do half and half.)
My only regret was that I ended it so quickly! It was slightly easy to read. But it's such a hooking series that I can't wait to go buy some more.

Hisaya Nakajo: one of my faves.......2007-02-28

I love Hisaya Nakajo's art. I could compare her attetion to detail to Hayao Miazaki's and Yu Watase's (she draws almost all of her own backrounds ^^). I love the storyline. These books are always filled with laughs and extremely colorful characters.

Kaya Mini Doll (American Girl) (Mini hardcover)

Average customer rating:

warning: very small doll & MINIATURE book
Lovely Historical Doll
Gift item

Kaya Mini Doll (American Girl) (Mini hardcover)
American Girl
Manufacturer: American Girl
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1593690274

Customer Reviews:

warning: very small doll & MINIATURE book.......2007-01-18

it's very very little; when I saw "softback" as part of description, I was under the impression doll came with book. It does, but the the book is somewhere between postage stamp and credit card size. Just wanted you to know.

Lovely Historical Doll.......2007-01-06

She is a lovely little doll and my daughter loves her. She has a soft body and unbreakable legs, arms and head with extra quality (none frizzing) hair. Her costume is so delicately and finely sewn it shows she has quality workmanship - an excellent price for a lovely "little" American Girl doll. We are collecting the set of American girl mini dolls and she is a great addition!
When you get Kaya's book to go along with her, the educational play value is enhanced as the book lets you in on this lovely historical characters adventures.

Gift item.......2006-12-30

I bought this as a gift for a seven year old. She has the large Kaya doll. I think the quality is great. The mini book included only has the first chapter or so... but this product is exactly the same as the ones at the bookstores, only half the cost. I would recommend getting the American girls series to most readers, (even reluctant female readers, up to 5th grade)

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