Reviving Ophelia : Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls

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Summary: Compelling
Review: A book that can make me cry in the first couple of pages is amazing and this book is

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Summary: read it if you want to expand your mind
Review: I am a adolesent girl, that has experenced many of the topics disscussed in this book. I am currently on the road to recovery, and this book was a sorce of insperation. I read this book last year and then I had my whole family read it. This book is exalent even if you do not have any of theas problems. It will expand your mind, and help you understand the reality that they are under

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Summary: great book in exploring the world of teenage girls
Review: I myself and a teenage girl and reading that im not the only one with the problems dealt with in our times made me understand things alot better. Coping with my acts self mutilization I understood a little better about it . Everyone should read this book , whether your old young , a female or male. by taking a look through the book , understanding how we feel will be alot easier to understand why we do the things we do , and what we should do if anything happens. Thank you Ms. Pipher, even though you probably dont read these reviews, I still feel I should thank you

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Summary: This book can be a great help to parents of teenaged girls.
Review: My wife and I are both only children. When my daughter reached the age of 15, her sudden conversion from happy little girl to sullen, resentful, and rebellious teenager took me completely by surprise. I was really struggling with my relationship with my daughter when I discovered this book. I purchased and read it all on the same day. While it did not solve all of my problems (I didn't expect it to do so), it was provided me great help and solace. For the first time, I was assured that my daughter was quite likely completely normal, and not psychotic as I had feared. It offered me information, strategies, and encouragement which were all invaluable to me in learning to deal with those difficult times. I've often wished I had the opportunity to thank Mary Pipher personally for writing this book

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Summary: I wish my mother had read this book.
Review: I found this book harrowing. Extremely painful, like a boil being lanced. All my life I have sought to understand the sudden ostracism and scapegoating I experienced in childhood. It resulted in severe depression which persists to this day, two decades after I completed junior high. The fact that this ostracism was a developmental stage of my peers and that my response was a not uncommon reaction to it relieves years of pain

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Summary: Book needs sociology to make sense
Review: I found this book to be very interesting and gripping. I also found adolesence to be a shattering experience after a generally happy childhood. And at age 31 I finally found this book that helped make sense of it all. Luckily for me, I had also previously read a book called Generation On Hold by some Canadian sociologists ,that was about the trials and tribulations of young people in Canada. One of the book's assertions is that until the industrial revolution in the West young people generally left home at puberty to learn a trade with another adult and that the best thing for young adults in our own society is to have as much responsibility as soon as possible. One of the worst things for young people is to artificially prolong a helpless adolescent period in their lives as we do in mdern times. This only leads to a set of irrational conflicts between adult and teenager that not only violates their sense of independence; but their biological imperatives as well. And I think that North America should look at countries like the United Kingdom where young people are given the choice at age 16 whether or nor to stay in school. The ones who don't continue on to academic high school have the chance to start meaningful adult lives learning a trade or working for a business. Here in North America we make people feel like failures if they don't finish high school and this when there are not enough people learning trades. Let them decide what they want to do with their lives. And something like 70% of jobs only require a grade nine education so why should everyone finish high school? And beyond any school or work issues the best thing for young adults is to have a sense of healthy adulthood fostered upon them as soon as possible.

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Summary: Great Book that everyone should read
Review: I am a teenage adolescent and this book has let me cope with issues in a better way. I think this book should be read in schools throughout the nation-not only by girls but by everyone. Right now I am writing a paper on growing up female and 'Reviving Ophelia' is a great resource

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Summary: Terrific insights, for women as well as parents
Review: Reviving Ophelia contained many insights that helped me to understand experiences that I had as an adolescent girl. I bought the book to help me prepare for my daughter's teen years, but I cried for the loss of my own. YES, american society does contain many contradictory and de-valuing messages to girls, including many that are "poison". NO, it wasn't just me overreacting, and even now it was helpful for me to read Ms. Pipher's observations confirming that. ... I was a little disappointed not to find more advice or ideas about how I can help my daughter to resist and be strong, and how I can help my son not to contribute to the problem. I am more fearful now than before about the challenges they must face. I will be recommending this book at every opportunity, in hopes that if enough others understand the problem, we, as a group, as a society, may find our way to solutions

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Summary: Review of "Reviving Ophelia"
Review: This book is written in layperson's language, by a therapist in the Midwest specializing in adolescent girls. While the book is anecdotal, it does an excellent job of showing us the environment we create for young girls when they are no longer little "eunuchs" but go through puberty. I have two girls, ages 9 and 12. I asked several local school therapists if they considered the book a bit sensational, and the unanimous opinion was NO. Her descriptions of how society devalues and degrades girls is very depressing, but towards the end she offers some concrete recommendations for how parents can minimize the damage society inflicts, and how we can build our daughters' senses of self-worth. I highly recommend this book to parents of adolescent children!! As a follow up, she has written "The Shelter of Each Other" on how families can be stronger. I'm not finished with it yet, but it is much more positive than "Reviving Ophelia", and is applicable to all families, not just those with girls

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Summary: Excellent for EVERYONE to read!!!!!!
Review: Pipher opens the world of today's adolescent girls to show that what they face is in no way similar to what their mothers experienced twenty years ago. Today, girls think of it as part of growing up to have problems with family, violent relationships, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, depression, rape, substance abuse, and sexual violence. Pipher makes it very clear that our adolescent girls are slipping through the cracks. They have no where to turn when life gets tough. She give suggestions on how to prevent our daughters from being exposed to such an awful adolescence. It is inevitable that they will face hardships, but should our daughters think being raped is "just one of those things that happens"? No, according to Pipher, girls should not have to think that. And are eating disorders just a stage all girls will pass through? No, Pipher says, eating disorders are very serious and require medical attention. Does every teenage girl experiment with drugs, alcohol and sex? No, Pipher says, those girls need to get help. Pipher's book is not a "oh, no, what is wrong with this world?" kind of book. Reviving ophelia is a book aimed at SAVING our daughters before they fall too far to be helped