A Trip Into the Minds of Seven Women
357187
I enjoy books that not only tell a good story but take us deep into the minds, thoughts and lives of the characters in the story.  A Commune of Women takes us on that journey.  Seven women who could not be any different are tossed together under extremely dire circumstances and must find a way to endure by working together to survive.  Can you imagine being locked in a fairly small room with six other strangers, sharing food, water, trying to help the woman who is injured and not think about the chaos and death that is going on outside that door?  I sure can't.

I admired every one of these women for different reasons.  I have to say my favorite was Sophia.  I would love to be as able and calm as she was in such a high stress time.  She never panicked and seem to be very confident as to how to go about things.  I couldn't wait to find out more about her.  I hung on her every word imagining myself in her shoes.

Pearl, the street lady was my least favorite.  I very much wanted to like her but I had a very hard time reading her.  The author wrote her using the back woods talk that is very real but was hard for me to understand.  When her narratives came around the story stopped the smooth flow because I had to read very slowly and re-read a lot of her conversations.  BUT, I think she had the most common sense and the brightest way of looking at things.  Pearl's cup was always half full!

The plot is really right out of the news with a terrorist attack at an airport.  It was scary in many places because it could happen, has happened.  I don't know if I could be as brave as these women.

Get ready for be in for the long haul once you open the cover.  The story takes off with a bang and never slows down until the end.

(this book was received free of charge from Pump Up Your Book for review consideration)
1661416
The lives of four women  a single mom with cancer, her fifteen-year-old daughter, an oncology nurse, and a hospital social worker  intertwine in unexpected ways in this complex tale exploring family, friendships, marriage, and motherhood.

Alice has stage three ovarian cancer, and she fears for her daughter, Zoe, who suffers from crippling social anxiety disorder that renders her almost helpless without Alice as her safety net. Zoes father has never been part of her life, and she has no relatives other than a totally unreliable alcoholic uncle. Kate and Sonja, Alices nurse and social worker, respectively, seek to help. But their own lives are beginning to fall apart for personal reasons, and as the story unfolds, each woman learns things about herself and others that will change her life and her relationships forever.

The story is narrated from the points of view of each woman, and we get to know them intimately. We experience Zoes paralyzing fear of everyday things, we share Alices losses, we ache with Kate and feel her longing, and we begin to understand Sonjas inability to make a decision that may seem simple but never is. Their lives come together in believable, if unexpected, ways, and each character finds new strengths within herself to do what must be done. This well-written and knowledgeable book is fascinating, satisfying, and absorbing.

Bella Reads and Reviews received a free copy of this book from St. Martins Press in exchange for an honest review.
1142420
Five friends share their lives with one another via their monthly bookclub.  Five different women and their stories allow the strength of the story to come through.

It is with humanity we share our lives and with humanity that we each keep secrets.  These women are no different.  Take a break with these women and it will refresh you. The characters work through the moments and dips in life, but having a support system in place pulls each of these women through.
1733407
I love the 365 stories of women who made a difference.  Some went overseas, others took on a lifestyle of sacrifice and giving.  All put others before themselves.  The book provides inspiration and insight as you read of women who faced health issues, life-changing events and some looked death in the face.  There are highlights of well-known women, such as Corrie ten Boom, Eugenia Price, missionary to China Gladys Aylward - but many others that I had not heard of before.
4299034
I am a woman around the same age as Kelley Paul.  I am impressed that this group of 7 women kept up with each other through the years.  I managed to stay in touch with a couple of my best friends from college, but the group as a whole didn't survive.

The book is a beautifully written book about love and family and inspiration and the effect that strong women can have on those around them and who come after them.  It's a series of stories about the women who influenced these 7 friends.  The stories are beautiful and inspirational.  It made me think that I should give this book to my mom with my own chapter describing how she influenced my world for the better.
2064857
Powerful and riveting, Real Women's Stories 2018 couldn't be more timely or true. Each of the dozen tales invites you into the protagonist's inner struggles, revelations and realizations through a series of unfolding personal experiences. I recommend this book to all women, as each story presents a scenario that feels authentic, whether or not the reader has experienced it for themselves. This is a happily-ever-after anthology, not because it is a collection of fairy tales, but because each story's realism and authors' perseverance and journey culminates in a better understanding of their choices, acceptance and growth. These individual stories weave together beautifully to create a thematic whole that carries the reader along to an empowering ending. A well-paced read for a quiet weekend or subway commute, Real Women's Stories 2018 will not fail to move you and perhaps encourage you to listen, as ending contributor Penny James advises, for your own inner voice, and its clarifying whisper.
82207
This novel combines a solid feminine narrative voice with deep insights into the complexities of female relationships: between women in general, among small circles of old friends, between women and their families, and most importantly, within themselves. It's a very good read and a delightful look inside some complex characters, each of them trying in her own way to strike a good-faith bargain with the world.
3091111
In this anthology, women writers examine their relationship to their sisters.  Lucy Grealy writes about her twin sister and why she does not mention her much in her memoir.  Bonnie  Friedman writes about her perplexing relationship with her older, eccentric sister.  There are mentally ill sisters, physically ill sisters, illegitimate sisters, and the tones are by turns, admiring, exasperated, loving and distant.  The writers use both fiction and nonfiction in this thought-provoking collection.
4873083
In their essays, Bartlett, Kramar,Chaplik-Aleskow,and Robinson take readers on a journey they will never forget. This anthology is a wonderful collection of stories of how contemporary women stand up and face their trials and persevere through their tribulation and are better, stronger women for having gone through them.
3346828
The stories in The State We're In are snapshots of women at different stages of life. Nearly all of the action takes place in New England (mostly in Maine) although some memories and peripheral events occur in California and New York. Several of the stories are linked by characters or events. Each can be read without reference to any other story, but reading them together gives them additional weight.

Some stories are about young girls who are unraveling the mysteries of life. The first entry delves into the mind of Jocelyn, a high school student who can't quite wrap her mind around the future, isn't terribly engaged with the present, and doesn't know what to make of magical realism. "What Magical Realism Would Be" is one of my favorites in the collection. Jocelyn is still wondering about magical realism in "Endless Rain into a Paper Cup" but the perspective shifts to third person and the story -- more eventful than the first -- broadens to include her ill mother, the kindly uncle and batty aunt who are taking care of her, and a friend who tried who commit suicide. Jocelyn also narrates the last story, "The Repurposed Barn." She still can't pull a "B" on her English essays (punctuation puzzles her) and her aunt is upset that Jocelyn's mother, freshly out of the hospital, is dating a recovering addict, but Jocelyn has an epiphany that helps her make a connection between life and literature while she watches Elvis lamps being sold at an auction.

Other portraits of youth involve a girl who ponders what to do about a baby bird that fell from its nest ("The Fledgling") and a girl who learns that life is "a rocky road to death" from an aunt who attends Gatsby-like parties and wears the wire baskets that hold champagne corks in place under her bra to enhance her nipples ("Aunt Sophie Renaldo Brown").

Two of my favorites deal with older women. In "Yancey," a 77-year-old poet discusses poetry, her annoying family, and her aging dog with an IRS agent. The 74-year-old writer in "Missed Calls" has a gossipy lunch with a young writer who interviews her about her brief encounters with Truman Capote, but the woman's glimpse of the young man's anguish over his goddaughter's odd behavior provides the story's drama, showcasing the difference between a woman starting adulthood and a woman nearing the end of hers.

The narrator of "Duff's Done Enough" is an author who explains the pinprick of inspiration after her landlady, a woman of 74, introduces her to a story-filled neighbor of 82 who just changed his name from Chip to Duff. The narrator of "Elvis Ahead of Us" ponders the life of the neighbor who moved away after putting his house on the market, leaving behind his collection of ... you guessed it ... Elvis lamps.

Some stories are about the power of memories. A woman reflects upon the summer she turned 21, finding symbolism in a pair of deliberately overturned Adirondack chairs ("Adirondack Chairs"). Another woman looks back at a summer in her younger life and the casual friendship she had with her male roommate ("Major Maybe").

"Silent Prayer," a sweet story told in the third person, is largely a coded conversation between a husband and wife -- the kind married couples have that only make sense to them. Another strong story, consisting almost entirely of dialog, is a bedroom conversation by aging parents who are glad that their children do not visit too often ("The Stroke").

Rounding out the collection are two stories that felt less substantial. In "Road Movie," a woman who checks into a motel with a man who is cheating on his girlfriend can't get the man to talk about their relationship and, on the telephone, can't get her mother to stop talking about it. "The Little Hutchinsons" introduces a woman who feels guilt when her refusal to do an odd favor for a friend has unintended consequences.

None of these stories are duds and the best of them are masterful. Exquisite prose and startling observations make the entire collection worth reading.
741952
It is a very well writen at a good pace and very interesting to have some knowledge and emotions of women who are oriented in this direction. It is a good read and I enjoyed it. I can recommend it.
2484179
Pat Shapiro has taken on a little-understood and invigorating topic: The real lives of women over the age of 60. In these first-person stories of women who are leading complex and meaningful lives in their 60s, 70s and 80s, Shapiro probes the dark times in a woman's life as well as her courage and willingness to re-invent herself. Each woman confronts a turning point--or several of them--and makes a commitment in mid-life or later to something that expresses her truest self. The poet David Whyte wrote:

There is only one life
you can call your own
and a thousand ohers
you can call by any name you want.

Each of these women has claimed the life that is truly her own. Pat Shapiro has given us a beautiful, insightful book that bears witness to the daring and vitality of these women. This book inspires the reader to ask: What can I do to more fully claim my own life?
1773536
This book was recommended to me by a colleague. The stories of the nine Australian women are enthralling and having lived in American I could see many similarities in experiences. This book would be useful for anyone interested in learning more about oral history and lifelong learning. It's a great mixture of academic analysis and engaging everyday lives. An empowering book for women.
3875707
First there were the ladies of distinction,now Harriot....one has to wonder just how many more women live in Jens' head?
898115
This book is well written and looks at the lives of these 12 women.  The author has delved into their backgound, the times surrounding their life, and why these women were so extraordinary.  He shows us how these women were women of faith in God, what principals they lived by,  and how we can certainly look to them as an example of Godly women.
1766953
A friend recommended this book to me and I am impressed. We were talking about how women are better suited to change societal structures and lead revolutions. As social/communication technology evolves women get empowered - more than men - and this shifts the power balance. It is particularly interesting to see how this plays out in the Middle East where women have a late start in many ways.

The book format that provides an easy "read" with many striking photos. The captions are just enough to concisely express a main idea and the reader (viewer!) is then left to freely explore multiple dimensions of that idea by pausing and reflecting; peeling layers of meaning from each image. The richness of the book, its warmth and insight come from a deep expression provoked by the included images.

The interviews with several of the women involved in the Arab Spring events aggregates multiple viewpoints to provide a depth to understanding the situation in Egypt. Weaving images with the perspectives of on-the-ground activists provides a great anchor for the striking photos.

Tip: I got the book from Lulu.com for a few bucks less. Get it, read it and then take time to reflect on it!
4129946
What I Liked

The diversity of the female African American mathematicians and engineers whose stories are told in this book. Each of the women whose inspiring and motivating life history of scientific pursuit is detailed in this book came from different realities. Some arrived at Langley straight out of college while others worked for years in other professions before realizing their dream to use their mathematical abilities. Some had children and husbands while others were single. Some were shy and retiring, and others spunky and daring. Some ended up pursuing careers in astrophysics until retirement, while others deviated to different pursuits or returned to their previous lives as homemakers. I appreciated the differences in their stories because they demonstrated that their mathematical abilities were not the the product of a specific type of upbringing, but rather inherent in their natures. I also grew to like each of the women individually for their different personalities and quirks. I cant wait to watch Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Mone bring these women to life on the big screen.

The way in which Shetterly discusses the racial and gender discrimination of the female computers but also the progress they were able to make through the years. It was difficult to read of the humiliations that these African American women were subjected to all while they were making important contributions to science and to the war effort. From segregated work groups, bathrooms and cafeteria tables to being overlooked time and time again for overdue promotions, NASA took advantage of these womens superior intellects while continuing to treat them as inferiors on the basis of the color of their skin. Shetterly is able to show how treatment the female computers, through advocating for themselves and by demonstrating strength and professionalism in the face of adversity, were able with time to gain the recognition of appropriate titles and compensation for their work. Ultimately, I felt uplifted in seeing the progress the women were able to make in being accepted both as female and as African American in their scientific field, while still realizing that even today theres still much room for improvement.

What I Didnt Like

Not enough detail about the actual scientific and mathematical work. The book was justifiably focused on the discrimination experienced by the African American female computers, but as a lover of scientific nonfiction, I wish it included more detail about the work these women actually accomplished. Shetterly briefly discusses wind tunnels used to test aerodynamics and the first attempts to send man into orbit and eventually on the moon, but she keeps the actual scientific details on the light side. I think providing more information on the types of projects to which these women contributed would have added more context and increased the readers understanding of the importance and complexity of their work.

Final Verdict
The inspirational story of a group of brilliant African American women who made hugely important contributions to the development of modern planes and to early space exploration at NASA, all while fighting against appalling racial and gender discrimination.