I was 11 years old when my parents told me that we were moving to Los Angeles. I was thrilled, of course. Television had taught me that Los Angeles is the land of palm trees and sunshine and movie stars, and I’d have the time of my life. Or so I thought. Starting a new school in the middle of the … [Read more...]
Book Review: “Does This Beach Make Me Look Fat?” By Lisa Scottoline & Francesca Serritella
My husband will tell you that I’m obsessed with the thought of head lice. He’s right. Now let me be clear: I don’t relish being obsessed with the little critters; being obsessed with head lice is like being obsessed with cellulite—nobody enjoys thinking about it all the time. Had I the ability to … [Read more...]
Book Review: “Pieces Of My Mother: A Memoir” By Melissa Cistaro
I was a tad annoyed last month when my husband gave me a Fitbit for our anniversary. It’s not that I didn’t appreciate the thought, or the gift for that matter. The size of the box had suggested jewelry, which got my heart racing, but the contents encouraged exercise. Well, rats. I’m “blessed” … [Read more...]
Book Review: “Under A Dark Summer Sky” By Vanessa Lafaye
I’m so happy summer has arrived that I noticed myself skipping the other day. I’m not a cold weather gal and this past winter was a test on my sanity. I broke it up by two trips to the sunny south, which gave me the motivation to carry on until the spring thaw. If you live in a cold climate like I … [Read more...]
Book Review: “Hugo And Rose” By Bridget Foley
A couple of years ago, when my daughter was around seven years old, she became adamant about not sleeping in her own room. My husband and I came to dread bedtime: evenings that had once followed a fairly regimented routine were suddenly filled with strife. And we almost always lost. No matter what … [Read more...]
A Mother’s Life With A Daughter’s Anorexia: An Interview With Author Clare B. Dunkle
Award-winning author Clare B. Dunkle was high on life. She lived overseas in beautiful Germany, her career as a children’s book novelist was taking off and, most importantly, her daughters were happy, healthy and teeming with exuberance. But almost without warning, Clare’s life crumpled when not … [Read more...]
Book Review: “Hope and Other Luxuries” By Clare B. Dunkle
My daughter was three years old when her foot was mangled in an escalator. A friend and I had taken our daughters to the movies and we were enjoying listening to them talk excitedly about the characters while we walked out of the theatre. They were still young enough to believe wholeheartedly in the … [Read more...]
Book Review: “The Secrets Of Midwives” By Sally Hepworth
A good friend and I were chatting the other day about whether, in a few hundred years, women’s bodies will adapt to our radically changing lifestyles. She and I had waited until our thirties to have children and we both experienced serious difficulties with fertility. Our ovaries didn’t care that we … [Read more...]
Book Review: “The Dream Lover” By Elizabeth Berg
I should have known better than to browse through Facebook on Sunday. Like other women who have lost their mothers, I welcome Mother’s Day with cautious optimism. I look forward to expressions of love from my daughter and husband (it really is nice to be appreciated, isn’t it?), yet I battle the … [Read more...]
Book Review: “Every Fifteen Minutes” By Lisa Scottoline
My 16-year-old niece mentioned to me the other day that she is thinking about taking a summer job. She’s been offered a nanny position and is contemplating whether or not the long hours and lack of freedom will be worth the money. We discussed the pros and cons and when she mentioned that the job … [Read more...]