Books for the Girls: Survival Lessons

Photo by Kimberly Farmer on Unsplash

Those who know me know I love books and I enjoy telling people about my favorites. I plan to occasionally share about books that are relevant For the Girls.

Survival Lessons

By Alice Hoffman

2013

Alice Hoffman is a talented wordsmith with award-winning novels to her credit. Yet she found herself tackling another genre - a book she would have wanted to read when she was going through breast cancer. As many will attest, receiving that diagnosis can make you feel overwhelmed and powerless. Ms. Hoffman tells us she wrote: “to remind myself that, despite everything that was happening to me, there were still choices I could make.”

Reading this book is like having a chat with a friend while out for a walk, working together in the kitchen, or sitting together over drinks. The author shares from her own experience along with wisdom from authorities ranging her Russian grandmother to Emily Dickinson to Eli Wiesel. The indigo-tinted photos interspersed throughout add to the beauty of the work.

Survival Lessons has an upbeat feel to it, yet Ms. Hoffman doesn’t sugarcoat difficulties and sadness. Through it all she encourages us to make the choice to live life joyously and adventurously. With fewer than ninety pages, you can easily read this volume all in one sitting. You may find yourself returning later to enjoy once again her words of encouragement.

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Look for this book at your local library or independent bookstore. Blog For the Girls does not receive a commission or payment for reviewing this book.

If you have an encouraging book you want to tell us about, mention it in the comments below.

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