My Little Red Book
Edited By: Rachel Kauder Nalebuff
Published By: Twelve, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, 2009, First Edition, 240 pages, hardcover
ISBN 978-0446546362
(Available NOW!)
“My Little Red Book is honest and insightful; it breaks the barriers of age, religion, race and unreasonable taboos surrounding menstruation and first periods.”
Product Description – From Amazon.com
“MY LITTLE RED BOOK is an anthology of stories about first periods, collected from women of all ages from around the world. The accounts range from light-hearted (the editor got hers while water skiing in a yellow bathing suit) to heart-stopping (a first period discovered just as one girl was about to be strip-searched by the Nazis). The contributors include well-known women writers (Meg Cabot, Erica Jong, Gloria Steinem, Cecily von Ziegesar), alongside today’s teens. And while the authors differ in race, faith, or cultural background, their stories share a common bond: they are all accessible, deeply honest, and highly informative. Whatever a girl experiences or expects, she’ll find stories that speak to her thoughts and feelings…”
My Little Red Book is one of the most honest, soul-bearing story collaborations that I have ever had the good fortune to read. When I heard about this book I was instantly intrigued. What woman hasn’t at some point, felt embarrassment or felt somewhat stigmatized by their monthly flow? I know there have been many times that I disliked being female because of the ‘monthly appearance’ that cramped by style, literally! As I read this book, I was really delighted to read about women’s accounts of their periods; I didn’t enjoy the painful parts obviously, but I could relate. The differences in cultural beliefs and how the first periods were treated along with how the women were treated; reading about it all and imagining the trepidation they must have felt while sharing their stories; it really humbled me.
This book includes a wonderful note from the Author and is indexed by author, subject and decade and includes a list of creative euphemisms and code words for when we have or are getting out period. Though it sometimes feels like we are still in ‘the dark ages’ of menstrual tolerance, this poignant collection helps map the progression of treatment and personal feelings about menstruation as the years have passed and provides a surprisingly diverse look at our ‘monthly friend’. I had to laugh at Gloria Steinem’s essay, “If Men Could Menstruate”; what brilliant wit! All the proceeds from the sale from this edition, including the advance, are being donated by Rachel Kauder Nalebuff to charities that promote women’s health. I really enjoyed reading this book!
I very highly recommend this book to women of all ages and to men who want to expand their minds on a somewhat hushed (until now), feminine topic.
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ (10 out of 10 Diamonds) – Absolutely LOVED it!!
Link to Information About the Editor:
http://www.mylittleredbook.net/
Link to the Publisher’s Website:
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/
A special thanks to Hachette Book Group for sending me a copy to review.
Copyright © Book Reviews By Bobbie — Bobbie Crawford-McCoy
