Rating: 
Summary: An eye opening book
Review: I read this book many years ago, and at the time it was life changing, and what I have learned in this book has remained with me. Reviving Ophelia is an excellent book describing what happens in a woman's transformation from child-teen-adult. For the lucky ones the transition is painless, for others it is not. I think this books gives those of us who have gone through growing up, and those of us who watch the others make this transformation an understanding of why this time can be so stressful and tramatic. This alone helps with the pain and suffering that we can go through. She gives several real life cases of others who were having a difficult time, and helps us to realize that this is a very common experience, and how we can best deal with the changes our lives makes from being a child to becoming a woman.
Rating:
Summary: An antidote to the "girl poison" in our popular culture.
Review: ...Dr. Pipher has hit it right on the mark with her observation of our popular culture as being "look-obsessed, media-saturated, 'girl-poisoning' culture." Reviving Ophelia is call to arms for parents, teachers, and anyone with a stake in the lives of our adolescent girls to go on the offensive and take them back from the jaws of death. This book offers a compassionate look as to why so many of our children have eating disorders, suffer depression and from a low sense of self, and are killing themselves in alarming numbers. I encourage anyone with a daughter to read this book in order to innoculate her against the "girl-poison" that has saturated our popular culture. I would give this book 10 stars if I could.
Rating: 
Summary: dissappointed
Review: I am in my senior year of college seeking a degree in elementary/middle school education, mother of one girl, and happily married. I was assigned this book for a course in Teaching in the Middle Grades. I do not believe the book has helped me much, if any, in dealing with girls according to the morals and values I hold dear. Upon beginning this book, the first thing that caught my attention was the author seemed to be very much a liberal feminist. While many may feel this is a good thing, I see red flags and warning signs when this book is supposed to help me understand girls more. I disagree with some of the things that the author condones as acceptable behavior for girls (especially concerning sexuality) and am not surprised (as Pipher appears to be) that homes in which the parents are happily married, love the children and expect them to follow the rules the parents set down are the ones with little or no problems. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure that out. While Pipher does make some good points, most of the content was not new to me and did not make any startling revalations. When the case studies were presented, I could guess from the beginning of the presentation (which began with family history) which girls were likely to have the most trouble.
Rating:
Summary: A Path Through a Painful Maze
Review: As the mother of a daughter, and as a therapist to young women who did not make it whole through adolescence, I see this book as a healthy path through the chaos. Dr. Pipher gives numerous examples of daughters who were making it through adolescence, and those who were not. She gives good arguments about the reasons for the differences and quotes a study about effective parenting (which shows whether being controlling and/or accepting of your child helps). I will be suggesting this book to parents of daughters and to the young women I see.
Rating:
Summary: Required reading for parents of adolescent girls
Review: Why are more and more American girls falling prey to eating disorders, depression, addictions and suicide attempts? Mary Pipher PhD, a clinical psychologist and part-time teacher at the University of Nebraska, gives us the answers to questions we'd rather be in denial about, but can't afford to ignore. According to Pipher, we live in a "look-obsessed, media-saturated, 'girl poisoning' culture". In the younger years, girls and boys for the most part behave the same. Yet when puberty and/or junior high hits, girls are all of the sudden encouraged to be pretty and look good rather than use their brains. This book was originally written in 1995, and I think more parents want to see their kids, both boys and girls, succeed academically. However, our adolescent girls are bombarded with glossy fashion magazines, all of which have one model more skeletal than the next, and are filled with articles on how to improve your appearance (rather than how to improve your mind). In "Reviving Ophelia", Mary Pipher has published case studies of her clients, all of whom come from completely different backgrounds: from Jessica, a 14 year old with an absentee Father and social worker Mom, to 15 year old Ellie, the daughter of hard-working parents devoted to their children. It was interesting to read how a girls family background doesn't always matter- society as a whole has shaped the minds of our girls into thinking looks and social acceptance are the height of female importance. If you have a teenage daughter, or even if your girls are younger, you really ought to do yourselves a favor and read through this book. It's an unbelieveable eye-opener.
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Summary: Reviving Ophelia; Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls
Review: Easy-to-read and concise, this book clearly explains why adolescent girls in our society suffer a multitude of problems such as eating disorders, low self-esteem, underachievement, and substance abuse. Author Mary Pipher, Ph.D. shows us how our society, cultural pressures and the media all play a role in helping to exploit...and destroy...our nation's girls. Anyone with a daughter should and must read this book, then pass it on.
Rating:
Summary: It All Make Sense Now
Review: I'm a father of a 15 year old girl who has been going through some difficult times over the past few months. My daughter was a happy, well adjusted young responsible adult. In six months she changed friends, had trouble fitting in, her grades dropped, started experimenting with risky behavior and was just plan angry. All the time blaming her behavior on me and other adults. Growing up in a different generation, I had no idea what she was going through. My daughters second counselor recommended that I read "Reviving Ophelia". Mary Pipher's book described my daughter to a "T". If you work with adolesent girls or have one in your family, I highly recommend reading this book. I beleive trying to understand what our children are going through in today's society is the first step in helping them get their lives back on track.
Rating:
Summary: Great book
Review: If you work with or have a teenaged girl you must read this book! Not only did it offer an interesting point of view but also makes for simply enjoyable reading. The reader finds themself saying "wow" at some of the things the girls in the book felt and rethinking some of their own actions and relationships.
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Summary: Pyschologist -in-a-book
Review: When I first picked up this book when my mom ( a pyschologist) left it on the table~ I was still at the age (10) that I believe that as soon as I turned 13, life would be perfect. Needless to say, this book and it's stories shocked me beyond belief. But when all was said and done, I found myself a more aware person. Now, four years later, and into teenhood, my book is who I go to first, whether it is myself or a friend that s having some tough time. When I tell my mom someone has a problem, she asks, "What does Mary (Pipher) say about it?" Enough seriousness- may I just add that I LOVE THIS BOOK!! IT IS A MUST-HAVE FOR EVERY TEENAGE GIRL! When your parents say that you're not the only one- they are completely right (scary, huh?)
Rating: 
Summary: My Review
Review: My mother gave me this book to read after I had began to get into some trouble. I wanted her to trust me again so I did not hesitate to read it. I began reading it and I thought about how realistic it was. The author did not sugar coat it. She gave the facts and the reality of our world today. Todays teenagers are definitly out of control, and most of us do need counselors. What I think this book represented was that we do not need another authority figure to tell us what to do, that we need a trusting, well educated and role model to listen to us, and to help us get ourselves in the right direction. I think the author did a good job at doing that for her clients.
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