Bookworm's Picks

And for my first Bookworm's Picks....

 

I have 2 books I've been reading from. 

Yes I know, 2 books?! I usually have several books on the go. I can't just read 1 book at a time. I don't know if it's ADD or the fact that I am a Gemini and can't stick to 1 thing at a time... but either way, I read more than 1 book at a time!

  The first book I've been reading is called: 

Odd Girl Out; The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls by Rachel Simmons. This is the revised and updated 2011 edition.

Here is an excerpt from the first chapter in the book:

[ "What are some of the differences between the ways guys and girls are mean?"   From periods one through eight, I heard the same responses. Girls can turn on you for anything," said one. "Girls whisper," said another. "They glare at you." With growing certainty, they fired out answers:   "Girls are secretive."   "They destroy you from the inside."   "Girls are manipulative."   "There's an aspect of evil in girls that there isn't in boys."   "Girls target you where they know you're weakest."   "Girls do a lot behind each other's backs."   "Girls plan and premeditate."   "With guys you know where you stand."   "I feel a lot safer with guys."   In bold, matter-of-fact voices, girls described themselves to me as disloyal, untrustworthy, and sneaky. They claimed girls use intimacy to manipulate and overpower others. They said girls are fake, using each other to move up the social hierarchy. They described girls as unforgiving and crafty, lying in wait for a moment of revenge that will catch the unwitting target off guard and, with an almost savage eye-for-an-eye mentality, "make her feel the way I felt."   The girls' stories about their conflicts were casual and at times filled with self-hatred. In almost every group session I held, someone volunteered her wish to have been born a boy because boys can "fight and have it be over with." ]

This book was recommended by my best friend, a retired grade school teacher. Until I read this, I never realized that as a child, what I was the victim of was that exact behaviour from the girls in my class. The only difference is, I never got the chance to do the 'payback' aspect. Somehow though, I feel better. Now I know that it wasn't me, I was the victim or the proverbial punching bag.

For anyone whose been on the receiving end, you know exactly what I mean and you can take heart in knowing that you are not alone. 

I highly recommend this book for parents to read while raising a daughter. Society has conditioned us to raise our girls in a certain way. Maybe it's time we changed those attitudes and thought patterns and started calling our daughters on their behaviours beginning at an early age. And for those of us with teenage daughters, this book will help you understand the rebellion, the tears, screams and escapades.

The second book I've been reading is by a well-loved author; Anne McCaffrey entitled Changelings, Book 1 of the trilogy: The Twins of Petaybee.

Petaybee is a sentient planet, awakened by terraforming, it struggles to understand the changes occurring within and also struggles to understand all that is happening on her surface. Twins are born, protected by their sentient snow leopards, the children grow up discovering their environment, eluding capture as they were born with a very special skill; they change into seals when they enter water. An off-planet scientist sees them, determines to capture them for study which means the twins must disappear...

I'm really enjoying this book. There is quite a bit of humour in it. It is also packed with a mix of Inuit and native culture and south seas mythology. The added fact that a sentient planet is trying to grow to help it's settlers only makes it the more interesting. This is another winner as most of Ms. McCaffrey's books are and will more than likely end up on my favourites bookshelf.  

Next time I'll review one or 2 books related to knitting and/or crochet just to change lanes. 

What are you reading this week??!?  Share your favourite book or author in the Comments! I love hearing about new books and/or authors.