Tagged with memoir

It's totally weird that I would even read this book having been through neither fertility treatments or postpartum depression, but my sister the hospital social worker mentioned it, and I figured what the hell. A few pages I was afraid that the whole thing would be kind of shallow and self-involved, but I persevered because it was a compelling read even if it was a little celebrityish. Once Shields gets into the meat of her difficulty getting pregnant and then the devastating depression that set in almost immediately after the birth of her daughter, you really feel for her. Honestly I can't criticize this book because even with all her privilege, Shields comes off like a zine writer, bravely examining and sharing her most personal and painful secrets. She really did a good thing writing this book, and I'm sure it's helped a lot of people.

Marijane Meaker

aka Ann Aldrich

aka Vin Packer

aka ME Kerr

aka Mary James

and finally aka MJ Meaker

held by only one OCLC member library!

writes of her two year affair with mystery writer Patricia Highsmith who also wrote--as Claire Morgan--the lesbian romance (noted for its happy ending--not that kind of happy end, gutterbrain!) The Price of Salt.

Per Mrs. Robinson (all titles are listed, which jarred me at first until I realized why that would have been a big deal), Rosa Parks was actually just tired that day. I mean, she was part of it and all, but the boycott wasn't planned until after her arrest. The "Women Who Started It" were the three hundred members of Montgomery's three Women's Political Council chapters. Unfortunately the book is really more about the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) and Dr. King, than the women in the title.

Cody's writing is extremely clever, witty, and accessible. I was worried it was going to be too clever at first, but she calms down after the first couple of chapters. Not the over-the-top part, but the general feeling of it reminded me of Ayun Halliday's writing, so if you're an East Village Inky fan, you should like Candy Girl. The title pretty much says it all. Cody got it into her head, or heart really, to do some nude dancing and on-demand masturbating for a while in her mid-twenties. It happens.