Rating:  Summary: You're Only A Goddess If You Agree With Her Politics? Review: I was extremely disappointed in this book. The author doesn't try to be inclusive to all women, but rather only those who agree with her radical leftist ideology, bashing Republicans and Christians in every other paragraph. Typical narrow minded pap - if you don't play on her team, you are not worthy of being included in her little goddess circle. This book is not so much about female empowerment as it is a manifesto of the author's own bigotry against those of us with different points of view. I wish I'd saved my money.
Rating:  Summary: Ish. Review: This book - actually, it's the author - is disgusting. For some bafflingly strange reason, my mom received this book for Christmas. Being a curious 16-year old daughter, I decided to flip through it after finding it atop the pile of books she never reads. It looks as if you're seeking to "Rule the World As a Smartmouth Goddess," there are going to be a few drawbacks. You cannot be religious, conservative, or heterosexual because Gilman will iron your head with paragraph after paragraph about how much of a disgrace you are to elite feminism. If you're in the middle of reading a passage about how eating sensibly is so un-sexy or how exercise is fascism, beware of an out-of-the-blue, page-long bash toward a certain Republican politician who was such a fool for mentioning he's kept up with the same morals for 20 years, as if morals are something that are supposed to alter periodically. Surely this can be classified as an "if you don't like it, don't read it" book...but its title is quite misleading. In order to be a real woman, I see you have to be a bleeding-heart liberal feminist. That is all. PS: Those of you who are not for gay marriage are really just lacking in your personal love life. Because Susan Jane Gilman says so. And to those of you who exert physical activity throughout the day instead of sitting on the couch throwing food at Republicans on TV, skip a relaxing bubble bath and inconveniently run to Vegas where it's more exciting. In the vile words of Gilman..."Oh my goddess."
Rating:  Summary: Offensive! Review: After reading "THe Sweet Potato Queens" trilogy I was thirsty for some more of Jill Conner Browne's quick wit and hilarious stories. Amazon recommended "Kiss My Tiara" based on my past purchases. I was SORELY disappointed. This book is offensive to say the least. The author is obviously an angry liberal who needed an outlet and wrote a book because nobody wanted to listen to her garbage. This is nothing compared to the sweet potato queen's empowering female stories. Sadly, I tried my best to finish this book but was unable to and had to do the worst thing possible for a book lover, I had to throw it away. I was just too afraid that if I let it live someone else might read it or worse yet, may think I actually agree with it just by mere fact that I own it. I can't say enough about this depressing, angry tirade of a book!
Rating:  Summary: Take No Prisoners Princess Review: The first thing that caught my attention was the pair of bright pink floating lips grazing the cover speaking "Kiss My Tiara." I've always embraced and flaunted my Princess side, so naturally this book was speaking to me. I picked it up, stared leafing through it, and read the introduction. My first concern was that it looked like a witty and entertaining book, but that it would be about capturing a man, leaving out her lesbian and bisexual sisters. I was pleasantly surprised to find in the introduction that she had interviewed women from all walks of life, and when I bought it and later read it, I wasn't disappointed. Gilman is very inclusive and this book applies to all sexual orientations as well as crossing ethnic and religious lines. There has been criticism lobbed at this book for promoting a liberal agenda. Yes, Gilman is very progressive, but she makes no bones about it from the beginning. If you're very conservative or very politically correct, I cannot recommend this book to you. Gilman doesn't tiptoe trying to appease all people. She winds up the intro by saying about the fresh-mouthed women she interviewed, "if that makes this book in any way homogenous and elitist, so be it. As my grandma used to say, 'F*** 'em if they can't take a joke!'" Nuggets of wisdom from Gilman's grandmother pop up frequently throughout the book, and the humor is highly New York Jewish. Gilman touches on topics of beauty (expanding narrow, unrealistic definitions), sex, family, politics, gay rights, money and careers, religion, and whether it's kosher to wear blue nail polish when hitting up a big wig for a pile of shekels. "Kiss My Tiara" is a fast-paced and humorous read that kept me laughing out loud even as Gilman hit on more serious topics in the spirit of Sholom Aleichem. The famed New York Yiddish writer once said of the Jewish humor, "This is an ugly and mean world, and only to spite it we mustn't weep. If you want to know, this is the consta!nt source of my good spirit, of my humor. Not to cry, out of spite, only to laugh out of spite, only to laugh." Gilman's SmartMouth Goddess Bubbe (grandmother) would be proud.
Rating:  Summary: something for pro-choice democrat feminist teenagers Review: i found this work to be startlingly clever, quick, and wonderfully liberal - finally. i loved every passage and avidly read it cover to cover - i could hardly put it down. i could easily relate to gilman's logic, especially since she put her thoughts into such fresh, smart, and concise writing. this work promoted a reincarnation of 'girlpower' that was atypical, fresh-faced, bold, colorful, appealing, and - above all - useful. thank you, susan gilman - you have put into print what many women have been trying to get across for years. i devoured this book easily and with fervor - it appealed to me with its democratic flavor, strong feminist message, useful advice, and always amusing and smart sass. this book was something that i enjoyed reading - and its advice i will employ...even better.
Rating:  Summary: Somewhere in the middle Review: Warning: This book is funny in places. BUT the humor is a bit overshadowed by the very very frequent use of the word F*ck. She also tends to take a lot of political and anti-religious stances. There is some really great material it is just to bad that it wasnt pulled together better. If you are thinking about buying this book go read parts of it at Borders or buy it used. Save your money.
Rating:  Summary: Take No Prisoners Princess Review: The first thing that caught my attention was the pair of bright pink floating lips grazing the cover speaking "Kiss My Tiara." I've always embraced and flaunted my Princess side, so naturally this book was speaking to me. I picked it up, stared leafing through it, and read the introduction. My first concern was that it looked like a witty and entertaining book, but that it would be about capturing a man, leaving out her lesbian and bisexual sisters. I was pleasantly surprised to find in the introduction that she had interviewed women from all walks of life, and when I bought it and later read it, I wasn't disappointed. Gilman is very inclusive and this book applies to all sexual orientations as well as crossing ethnic and religious lines. There has been criticism lobbed at this book for promoting a liberal agenda. Yes, Gilman is very progressive, but she makes no bones about it from the beginning. If you're very conservative or very politically correct, I cannot recommend this book to you. Gilman doesn't tiptoe trying to appease all people. She winds up the intro by saying about the fresh-mouthed women she interviewed, "if that makes this book in any way homogenous and elitist, so be it. As my grandma used to say, 'F*** 'em if they can't take a joke!'" Nuggets of wisdom from Gilman's grandmother pop up frequently throughout the book, and the humor is highly New York Jewish. Gilman touches on topics of beauty (expanding narrow, unrealistic definitions), sex, family, politics, gay rights, money and careers, religion, and whether it's kosher to wear blue nail polish when hitting up a big wig for a pile of shekels. "Kiss My Tiara" is a fast-paced and humorous read that kept me laughing out loud even as Gilman hit on more serious topics in the spirit of Sholom Aleichem. The famed New York Yiddish writer once said of the Jewish humor, "This is an ugly and mean world, and only to spite it we mustn't weep. If you want to know, this is the consta!nt source of my good spirit, of my humor. Not to cry, out of spite, only to laugh out of spite, only to laugh." Gilman's SmartMouth Goddess Bubbe (grandmother) would be proud.
Rating:  Summary: You laugh, you cry, you buy it for your friends Review: GREAT BOOK!! This is the manifesto for the 21st century woman. Gilman hits the nail on the head about sex, office politics, family, men, other women, and life in general. Weaving sarcasm, sick humor, astute observation and salty descriptives with wise advice, this book makes sense out of things that make us crazy. This is a must-read for young women who just starting out, older women who are burning out, and any woman who just wants to come out (and I mean that in more ways than the obvious). Her take on the right wing, fundamentalists, big business, the media, and, of course, men is not for the faint at heart. But its great fun for those of us who don't fit in any of those categories. Buy it for your best girlfriend, your daughters, your sisters, your nieces and/or your grandaughters - its a guide for the everyday social jungle we walk through as women who should be treated as goddesses.
Rating:  Summary: I'm a smart mouthed goddess thank-you. Review: Warning: This book is the anti-venom for Surrendered Wife Syndrome. Apply liberally. Side effects may include independent thought and self-actualized behaviors. You may end up not needing Fred Astaire to enjoy a good long dance. A smart mouthed goddess is not going to lie down and take any guff from society, family, institutions, or her own doubts. This has nothing and everything to do with politics. If you can't claim your life for yourself and make your own rules, you will always be run, and run over, by someone else. What a pity and waste of potential. The author may express this sentiment in her own way, but just stating it isn't very exciting. And the last time I checked, here in the USA, one is still allowed to voice an opinion, even if nobody else agrees with you. If she enrages you, you had to give it a moment (ok, maybe half a moment)of consideration. Give it another moments' worth of thought. Don't just blindly buy into what the patriarchy is selling. Use that brain God gave you to think your own ideas instead of simply posessing other peoples' thoughts because they told you to. If we hadn't had smart mouthed, uppity, presumptuous, impudent, disobedient, loud, enraged women in the past we would still be tied to the cookstove with nothing but the prospect of endless child bearing, chores, and early death ahead of us. You don't have to agree to benefit from what smart mouthed goddesses accomplish in this world.
Rating:  Summary: Offensive! Review: After reading "THe Sweet Potato Queens" trilogy I was thirsty for some more of Jill Conner Browne's quick wit and hilarious stories. Amazon recommended "Kiss My Tiara" based on my past purchases. I was SORELY disappointed. This book is offensive to say the least. The author is obviously an angry liberal who needed an outlet and wrote a book because nobody wanted to listen to her garbage. This is nothing compared to the sweet potato queen's empowering female stories. Sadly, I tried my best to finish this book but was unable to and had to do the worst thing possible for a book lover, I had to throw it away. I was just too afraid that if I let it live someone else might read it or worse yet, may think I actually agree with it just by mere fact that I own it. I can't say enough about this depressing, angry tirade of a book!
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