Book Review: The Writing on the Wall

When I tell you that I haven't felt well and have slept through most of this week, that's no joke. Doing something like eating breakfast was exhausting, so I'd take a nap well into the afternoon and barely make it until my bedtime, which is normally 10. Then I'd sleep all the way through the night like I've never slept before. I feel generally run down and crappy, so I don't know if my body is fighting something off or I have something else going on. Regardless, it is annoying and I am so behind in everything. 

The Writing on the Wall - Marilyn Howard

This timely and entertaining memoir about a woman entrepreneur explores existing challenges and her winning strategies to conquer and succeed in the 1970s and today. The author portrays her youthful travel adventures, harrowing legal battles and romantic surprises. Her route winds around a semester in Italy, breaking through a glass ceiling as art director at an advertising agency, skiing in Aspen, wandering through Mexico, working in Hawaii and enjoying group houses in the Hamptons before beginning her startup and family. New territory was charted in 1970 with the founding of Creative Freelancers Inc., the first central agency for freelance commercial artists and writers. It operated in Manhattan for over 25 years and in 1997 it was the first agency on the web. A late marriage to an older, sophisticated New York man made her a mother to two of her own children and three surprise stepdaughters. Finding herself with a family needing support and great business potential, she was pressured to make the business grow. Events converge and uncanny predictions come true.

A fascinating look at how the author became an entrepreneur and all of the successes (and failures) since the very beginning. I'm not sure if its sad or reassuring that things have been remarkably the same but also very different. Yay for consistency? 

One thing I could really relate to was her journey into motherhood while maintaining a career. A man is never asked if he plans to stay home with the baby, its just assumed a woman would give up her career once the baby is born. For this reason alone this book is such an encouraging read for any new mother, whether she stays home or not, because it is so easy to lose your identity to motherhood and we are so much more than that. Just because we become a mother doesn't mean we give up all of our interests and ambitions, we just have to adjust and make room for all of it. I could relate to the struggles of a baby who was a lot, both my first and third baby were a lot. A lot, a lot, and I remember crying many times because I just didn't know how to take care of them. I really felt like I was failing. I was good at so much but why can't I be good at this? Needless to say, I wish I had a Vi. (Vi is a nanny of sorts, a woman of many talents.) I loved her description of the different stages of parenting, and I feel like I'm in all of them at once right now! She offers helpful advice and a new perspective on parenting I hadn't yet considered. 

Highly motivating, this is a positive and encouraging book for women, and teach you how to say no and when to say yes. It's great for career focused women, parenting/family focused women, and the women who are going to do it all. No matter which path you take, Marilyn Howard assures you that its the best path for you and that you've got this. 

Thank you to WOW! Women on Writing and author Marilyn Howard for having me on this tour and providing a copy for review! All opinions are my own. 

Book Review: The Unfaithful Widow (Ten Years Later)

Well hopefully you've got a game plan for Black Friday and your obscene calorie intake from yesterday is enough to sustain you as you get through the crowds, or at least drive around a mall parking lot looking for a parking spot. In case you're looking to shop online, or maybe find a book for yourself to read, consider this one.

The Unfaithful Widow (Ten Years Later)  Barbara Barth

Welcome Back To My World. Picking up where The Unfaithful Widow ended, Ten Years Later continues the author’s journey from widow to a slightly askew woman. A memoir written with warmth and candor on being single again, aging, and finding a creative path surrounded by dogs, friends, laughter, and a bit of craziness. Barbara Barth shares stories on the adventures that followed her first year alone as she moved headfirst into a new life, listening to her heart, sometimes not so wisely, but always full speed ahead. From owning an antique shop for nine months to finding a Victorian cottage outside of Atlanta, trading traffic for views of pastures and cows, and all the folly in between. Going into the next decade with six dogs by her side, the author proves you are only as old as you feel, and happiness begins with a grateful heart. A funny and engaging memoir for anyone who wants to be their own super-hero facing life’s good and bad moments.

Full disclosure, I haven't read the first book, The Unfaithful Widow, which is her first year following the loss of her spouse and dealing with death, grieving while dealing with death and the logistics of that, get getting back into dating and living as a new person. I haven't read it, and now that I have read this one, I really want to.

Barbara Barth makes things that shouldn't be funny.... funny. The entire book is written as if you're reading her personal journal and not only are you laughing along with her, but you're getting a candid look at what life is really like when you find yourself starting life completely over. Finding yourself (again), learning how to adult but a little differently (again), trying to figure out where your boundaries are (again), but all the while trying to be you. The old you, because sometimes people aren't on this ride with you because for them, things change differently. But also do it all as you're aging and going through that process which is like unlearning what you knew and relearning how to do simple things in a way that you won't hurt yourself. And sometimes it's not even you, but nurses and aides who happen to break your femur and dislocate your hip so you get to have a repeat surgery! (That actually happens to her in this book- I felt rage for her!)

With chapters that include a farting Christmas tree and being "as merry as we get", you are going to enjoy each one. Oh! If you're a dog lover- you will adore this book, it features her dogs heavily and we even see pictures of them, so that's pretty adorable.

Barbara is honest all the way through, talks about the good and the bad, and is honest about grieving and moving on but also about aging. I liked how she was determined to not be defined by her age, and no matter how tough things got for her personally, she was always able and willing to help people in different capacities. Dogs, too.

Overall? A solid 4 for this. If you're into books that are comprised of short chapters that aren't quiet essays but more like journal entries, this is for you. You'll find yourself reading and going for "one more chapter" and suddenly you realize you've read half of the book. I really enjoyed this and it would make for a fun gift (along with the first one) for someone who has lost someone or is just in a weird spot in life looking to reinvent themselves, I'm sure they'll relate to this in some way.

   

A big thanks to the publisher and author, as well as Women on Writing for making sure I received a copy of this for review; all thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.