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Summary: I just finished reading it, and I already miss Shannon!
Review: What a fabulous book, capturing the TRUE essence of being a 30 something female in the year 2000! I read it all afternoon, lying by the pool. It's the first time I have read a book of this size in one sitting. I simply couldn't put it down! I could so identify with the main character, Shannon, a woman in her mid 20's to early 30's, who deals with grad school, credit card debt, a quirky mom she sometimes resents and sometimes clings to, boyfriends who aren't "the one", and trying to make sense of it all in therapy. The realest coming of age story I have ever read. I can't wait to pass it on to my friends to read, and I can't wait for the author, Shannon Olson, to write her second novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Proofreading does wonders
Review: In my opinion, this book had a lot of potential, but fell short. I had read about it in several different magazines, and it sounded like something that someone who likes the Bridget Jones-genre books (me) would like. So I read it. I kept thinking that I was supposed to feel sorry for Shannon, and I just couldn't bring myself to. She earned her Master's in English and teaches writing classes, comes from a good family, doesn't seem to have a problem meeting men, but yet deserves pity? I don't see it. Also, considering this was a book written by a former English major about an English major, and, in my case, was being read by an English major, the mistakes I found were especially annoying. Here are just a few, there could very well be more, but these were the blatant ones that I couldn't miss: from page 119: "In my stocking I get shampoo and toothpaste, some stamps and stationary, [sic] a toothbrush and an orange." Or, from page 156: "...a right [sic] of passage..." And on page 157: "'Did other people pass with disctinction [sic]?'" Ouch! It wasn't a bad book, but after a while I found myself reading the book less for the story and more out of curiousity-where would the next mistake be? Not a bad book, all in all. I do look forward to her next book, whatever and whenever that may be. In the meantime, Shannon Olson would do well to hire a new editor. Also-if the next book is about the same character-I hope she isn't called "Shanny," as that can really grate on the reader's nerves after hearing it the first 20 or so times.
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Summary: Welcome to My Bookshelf
Review: This book is fantastic. I've read it 4 times -- honestly. The only other books I've read 4 times are Pride and Prejudice, The Great Gatsby and a few other classics. This book IS a classic. It's not fluff, it's substantially funny and I absolutely love it.
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Summary: so real I am still not sure it's not a biography ....
Review: The protagonist of Welcome to My Planet has the same name as the author, and from there the authenticity of a late 20s/early 30s woman in modern America does not stop. Shannon Olson lives in middle America and shares a very close relationship with her mother, who lives in the same town. She works a job she dosn't like, she has a boyfriend who is a jerk (and doesn't have a name), then she has a boyfriend SHE does, like ..... but these are all minor details in the approximately five years chronicled in Shannon's coming-of-age, as told to her therapist and the reader. Some of the moments are so real and touching that I will actually go to the bookstore on my lunch hour and look them up, and sometimes start to cry. It may seem like a psycho thing to do, but once you read this book, you will understand why because you will understand Shannon and realize she could have just as easily written this story with you in mind, no matter how unique you may think you are ... there are certain relationships and emotions all women have in common, and they are all displayed at some time in this fabulous debut.
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Summary: Welcome to a delightful character!
Review: About this time of year there always seem to be a rash of books which chronicle the lives and loves of 20, 30 or 40 somethings. Over the past few years readers have been introduced to characters from books such as The Diary of Bridget Jones, The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing, The Diary of Bridget Jones, Until the Real Thing Comes Along and this year Dating Big Bird, Jemina J and Getting Over It. Now there is another new entry into this genre which I most heartily recommend. The title is Welcome to My Planet by first time author Shannon Olson and certainly a welcome addition to this genre. Shannon, tha main character in this book is a refreshing 30 something with considerable agendas in her life. She already has had one major failed relationship which she describes for almost half of the book along with a less than interesting job and mounting credit card debts. Further complicating her life is her mother who also seems to question her marriage and life as well as Shannons. And as if questioning Shannon's life isn't enough then her mother Dorothy always offers her unsolicited advice as well. Along the way we find Shannon attending graduate school, finding a new lover, traveling with her sister and brother-in-law during their honeymoon and finally resloving how she will change not only herself and her life by not telling her mother too much. Although I am well past this stage of my life, I still enjoy reading these types of books. And I also find that I can still relate to some part of the angst the main character is going through. Welcome to My World is a humorous and clever book which I really enjoyed. At times I even found myself laughing out loud which is always a good sign. Thanks for a good read, Ms Olson. I think you have a bright future ahead of you and look forward to reading your next book.
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Summary: Deeply moving, hilarious, well written work of art!
Review: My name is Shannon. I'm 30-somthing, I'm from Minneapolis, I'm a middle child, I suffer from depression, and my mom calls me Shanny. The FIRST set of tears I shed reading this book came from the spooky recognition of my own life in these pages. The second came from a sharp aching feeling in my heart from missing my mom, a Flo-esque woman. Several sets of tears left my eyes at the chill over how well Shannon Olson captures depression. I've read some of the other criticisms of this book here and I've noticed people complaining about Shannon, not about the book. "How can she complain about her life" the critics ask "when there's nothing wrong with her life? What a whiner." Yep, that's depression. Nothing IS wrong, but everything is wrong. It DOES look ridiculous from the outside. I've never seen a book capture that aspect of depression as well as this one does. And she's got Minnesotans down just right. AND it's hilarious. I don't think a book has ever made me laugh out loud as much as this one did. Cliches abound in my review--I laughed, I cried. But I DID! Lots and lots. This is going on my all-time favorite list, and I can't wait to jump into Shannon Olson's next book.
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Summary: Wow
Review: The relationship with her mother is so fantastically written about. I did not think anyone understood my relationship with my mom until I read this book. Apart from that this book is great and insightful without being preachy.
Rating:
Summary: a great read!!!!
Review: I picked this book up on a whim, and was very happy I did. I laughed out loud at the trip to the aquarium. I enjoyed the MN scadinavian references. (Not just the "Fargo" type) Of course, passed it on to several friends who liked it too!
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Summary: Literary--Not a "Beach Read"
Review: I've read Shannon Olson's book twice now. The first time I thought it was hilariously funny and I sympathized with "Shannon." The second time I realized that the comparisons between this book and Bridget Jones wannabes are totally off the mark. Olson has a piece of literature here, not a fluffy funny beach read. The style is different, yes. Instead of a linear plot progression, Olson has short pieces (which are actually nonfictional with fictional additions) woven together, skipping over time periods and connecting back to the root of the story. This makes for interesting comparisons (in characters, in theme, etc.) and pushes the reader to think about the placement of these pieces--not just plug along, expecting and getting the same old story. It's not the high-power, high-class world of contemporary women's fiction. Instead, it's a tale of a 30-something Minnesotan woman who grew up watching cows and expecting order in life. Perhaps I'm biased because Shannon Olson taught my creative writing nonfiction class at my university in Minnesota, and perhaps I'm biased because she was a great storyteller in class, and perhaps I'm biased because once she made a reference to adults films and then sang a cheesy-sexy bass line which caused an eruption in laughter in class, or perhaps I'm biased because she gave me an A. For whatever reason, I really enjoyed this book. It's super!
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Summary: i freakin' loved it!
Review: maybe its because i can identify with the target binges and desperately need that patch she is trying to get a patent for or maybe its because i too have had the glorious image of beaming a stapler at my boss's head, but either way i fell in love with this book. shannon's characters are very real. you can identify, emapthize, love and/or hate them. her writing is adult but not vulgar. it is simple but not stupid. i have recommended this book to every one of my girlfriends, as we too find ourselves staring 30 in the face and have no idea what we want to do when we grow up.
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