Comments on: 10-pages-in book review: Woman First, Family Always

By: Postcards from the Mothership » In which she counts her bloggy blessings

Postcards from the Mothership » In which she counts her bloggy blessings — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:16:40 +0000

[...] me free stuff (and you know I loves me some free stuff) running the gamut from my first ever free book to the complimentary weekend in Smuggler’s Notch, all for the pleasure of expressing my [...]

By: DaniGirl

DaniGirl — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:29:40 +0000

Hi Anonymous,
17 kids – wow! Hey, if you liked Sansone’s book and found helpful stuff in it for you, that’s great.
I wanted to say that if you are looking for friendly mom blogs where you can chat, just start clicking some of the links in the big list of blogs in the sidebar. You’ll find all kinds of different perspectives on parenting and life in general, and I don’t know many bloggers who don’t like to chat. Don’t be shy about commenting, but I would suggest you choose a name, even if it’s a pseudonym, so you can have an online identity. Blogging is fun, you’re right!
No offense taken, by the way. Disagreement is part of the fun of discussion, and there’s lots and lots of conversations going on around here.
If you have questions about blogging, I’d be happy to answer them for you through the comment box, or you can e-mail me at danicanada (at) gmail (dot) com.

By: DaniGirl

DaniGirl — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:29:40 +0000

By: Anonymous2

Anonymous2 — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 13:32:49 +0000

I’ve been reading up a little on this book, as I’ve been READING IT, and I guess I have to say I was a little stunned by your review, altho’ appreciative that you were so nice!
I’ll be the first to say that you gotta take in EVERYTHING with a grain of salt (or sometimes 2, or even 10), so I’m not going to tell you that I agree with, or will live by, everything in this book, but I thought I was into some good reading here! Ok, it’s nothing like Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, which is an excellent and very helpful book, if you can get through it in, say, 100 sittings… (try the CD–it’s faster!) But still, as a child of a mother with 17 (!!!) kids, I am enjoying it. Sure some of it seems a little far-fetched, and it’s OBVIOUS the woman has absolutely ZERO financial worries, but hey—she’s got 10 kids and she’s HAPPY! THAT’s gotta be worth something. Who wants to hear ANYTHING from someone (whether they have kids or not) who’s UNHAPPY???
No, I wouldn’t qualify her as a Dr Laura equiv. or anything like that, but still, I’m just surprised that your dislike of the book was SO STRONG! So seriously, do you think I’m nuts that I’m actually enjoying reading it, and finding helpful information in it?????
PS–I’ve never read any helpful article/book that explains how to successfully handle laundry (or anything) with any number of kids, period! Do you have one you can direct me to?? All the articles/tips I read about how to clean you home in 19 minutes, etc, etc, etc…yeah right! Do THEY have kids??? I can’t even clean my BATHROOM in 19 minutes!
PPS–Do you know of a blog out there somewhere, since it sounds like you’re into blogging, that any mom is welcome to, to chat with other moms about day-to-day things, get advice, etc?? I’d be interested. Plus, this is fun!
PPPS–I mean absolutely NO OFFENSE in anything I’ve written, so I hope you haven’t taken any!

By: Anonymous2

Anonymous2 — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 13:32:49 +0000

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 02:28:52 +0000

Dani: Caroline here from the IVF boards. Okay, so I never ever review anything but I got this book hoping for good things and was SO dissapointed and angry at the giant rip off job and Oprah endorsement. I think you nailed it when you said it was written by a Stepford wife. Here is my review, which I posted on Amazon. Keep in mind that I have NEVER EVER EVER reviewed anythin on Amazon. I was compelled to by how affected I was by this “work”. Here is what I wrote:
Good for laughs…..
This is a laugh out loud book. I know the author meant well, but this book reads like one gigantic joke. Nuggets such as: ‘At the time I was coaching for two kids’ sports teams, pregnant with my eight child, and, of course, managing the lives and home of the rest of the family….I started to notice signs that all was not well: I was being short and impatient’ Yes, well I understand why she may be a tad bit cranky. MOST normal women would be homicidal in that state.
The author does come across as well meaning, and she is obviously a high achiever but the advice is simplistic, unrealistic and impractical. As an example, she suggests achieving a ‘tidy house’ by ‘finding a place for everything.’ I imagine most women will react by smacking their heads with the book and saying ‘WOW! Why didn’t I think of this?! I am so glad I payed $17 for this book. I am going to take the advice RIGHT THIS INSTANT and put this book in a very SPECIAL place: ..the garbage’)
Despite the fact the author is married to a very wealthy man, she never mentions needing or relying on household help. To hear her tell it, she is able to manage ten children and all their demands and still find time for sex and workouts. With ten children, I believe her about the sex and she sure looks skinny enough to be the fitness nut she claims to be. What I don’t understand is just where these children are when she is finding all this time for herself. I imagine they are too busy organizing the neighborhood children in an effort to provide aid to the poor while simultaneously learning how to speak Swahili. But I digress…
Given the fact she manages to coach, be on boards of non-profits (She advises never to serve on a board more than 5 years!) and work out daily, I am thinking she is relying on some full time nannying…. and possibly some happy drugs. Or at least a cocktail or two. Now that would make the book more interesting!
Book would have been more credible had she owned up to her shortcuts! But I still recommend it! Do a friend a favor and buy her this book. You will both have a great laugh…

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 02:28:52 +0000

By: Tina

Tina — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 03:35:57 +0000

I got the same email, did the same book review, had the same opinion. I really wanted to like the book and really wanted to write something nice but I just couldn’t recommend it. I’m waiting for my trip to Amsterdam. I’m sure I could recommend Amsterdam

By: Tina

Tina — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 03:35:57 +0000

By: James

James — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 22:44:42 +0000

They asked your opinion and you gave it. Nicely handled. And congrats on being noticed as a shaper of opinion. By the way, how does a person put out the word that he’d be interested in reviewing world cruises?

By: James

James — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 22:44:42 +0000

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 07:26:28 +0000

I agree that the free stuff does create a bit of a quandry. I was so thrilled the first time I was offered a free book, and then it turned out to be a dog. I reviewed it honestly, but with trepedation:
http://www.halfchangedworld.com/2005/06/tbr_making_it_u.html
I figured that since the most damning part of the review was a quote from the first page, they didn’t have a lot of basis to complain.
I don’t know how I qualifed for the Electric Company. I was pretty psyched.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 07:26:28 +0000

By: Ann D

Ann D — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 22:32:26 +0000

I really like the sling bit. Someone really must use that in a prenatal workout book title — THE ANTI-SLING THING: Keep Your Perineal Muscles Strong through Birth and Beyond .
Ann

By: Ann D

Ann D — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 22:32:26 +0000

I really like the sling bit. Someone really must use that in a prenatal workout book title — THE ANTI-SLING THING: Keep Your Perineal Muscles Strong through Birth and Beyond .
Ann

By: kris

kris — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 08:12:38 +0000

“A Little Lipstick Goes a Long Way” Ewwwwwww. How f***ing antedeluvian is that? I wouldn’t have been able to keep reading after seeing that. Hope your next free book is a better read–you know, as a librarian, I guess it’s my professional responsibility to argue that reading anything is better than not reading at all–but I’m not always sure about that…

By: kris

kris — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 08:12:38 +0000

By: DaniGirl

DaniGirl — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 05:53:11 +0000

Hey Twinmom,now that I’ve convinced you to write a blog, my next task is to coax a book out of you — I promise I’d review you well!
Phantom, thanks! You find the most clever ways to pay a compliment! And ya, how DO we get in on those goods??

By: DaniGirl

DaniGirl — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 05:53:11 +0000

By: Phantom Scribbler

Phantom Scribbler — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 02:00:55 +0000

Nicely done, Dani. I appreciate how much work it is to resist the urge to get all Dorothy Parker on them.
(And I gotta admit that I’m jealous of all the cool kids who got free Electric Company DVDs! To whom do we send our traffic stats to merit a free Electric Company gig???)