Bone Marrow Boogie: The Dance of a Lifetime [Paperback]

Janie Starr (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2002 | ISBN-10: 1929359160 | ISBN-13: 978-1929359165

We all hit a brick wall at some time in our lives. Starr's rose up inside her body in the form of a cancerous tumor lurking behind her chest wall and growing fast. With rare honesty, humor, and shine, Starr recounts her early terror and ultimate triumph as she scaled that wall and danced her jig on top.

Cancer has crept into most peoples lives one way or another, but we don't have to be a member of the tribe in order to resonate with Bone Marrow Boogie.

It is as much about love, family, and community, and about staying full present and alive during a mid-life crisis as it is a story of illness and recovery. It could have been divorce, remarriage, building a home, or even winning the lottery.

Big events call for a big response, and for Starr that included walking the talk and living to tell her story. She wrote because it satisfied her, it brought her into relationship with others, and because she thought it might make a difference to the rest of us. She got that right.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An inspiring story from a special and inspiring person." -- Bernie Siegel, MD, Author, Love, Medicine, and Miracles, and Prescriptions for Living

"Starr has a rare gift of story-telling...her stories stay with us, gentle teachers to guide us." -- Margaret J. Wheatley, Author, Leadership and the New Science, and Turning To One Another

About the Author

Janie Starr holds master's degrees in public health and clinical psychology. In the mid '80's she left her private practice to work for issues related to peace, justice, and community building. She has been a passionate speaker and writer on topics ranging from adolescent development and human sexuality to the nuclear threat, environmental sustainability, diversity, and more recently, cancer. She lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest with her family and dog, Wendal.

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Kota Pr (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1929359160
• ISBN-13: 978-1929359165
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,619,500 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #70 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Aging > Cancer > Lymphatic

More About the Author

Currently a presenter for Al Gore's Climate Project, and coordinator of Sustainable Vashon's Solar Initiative, Starr has a long history of community activism. Her memoir, Bone Marrow Boogie ~ the Dance of a Lifetime, documents her successful travels through lymphoma. Her passion for experiential learning leads her to explore Spanish-speaking countries. She struggles between the urge to pack up-and-go and her commitment to shrink her carbon footprint. Living on a Pacific Northwest island is an adventure in itself. Publications include "A Trip to Cuba", TIMELINE, "Laura", Cup of Comfort for Women, and "Adele: Mother-In-Love", Ducts.org.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The artist as a middle-aged woman confronting cancer, December 30, 2002

By 

Soroa (Tacoma, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bone Marrow Boogie: The Dance of a Lifetime (Paperback)

In her inspiring and beautifully written book, Janie Starr takes us along on the journey that began when she found out she had lymphoma. Not only does she do battle with this very grave form of cancer, she also learns how to boogie, or rather, to boogie even better. This memoir gives some attention to the multiple and excruciating therapies that currently constitute cancer treatment, but much more attention is given to her search for self-knowledge through a variety of alternative strategies that can be as essential as radiation and chemotherapy for restoring health. She exposes a medical profession where some practice compassion, but many more project omnipotence and omniscience for lack of the words or feelings to deal with potentially terminal illness. Relations with those from her various communities (her parents, her family, her neighbors, her exercise and activist groups) are essential to her story. Her finely turned vignettes reveal the different ways men and women deal with cancer, as well as the variety of responses one can expect from friends, acquaintances and children. When the medical treatments end, the self-exploration continues. Ms. Starr writes eloquently about the relief of having survived, living with the fear of recurrence, and the continual questioning that facing cancer inevitably brings. Finally, this book is perhaps above all about becoming a writer, a sort of portrait of the artist as a middle-aged woman confronting cancer. This should raise a question for everyone who reads this book: Why wait for illness before learning to live life fully? Janie Starr clearly emerged from her illness as a dancer and an artist.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A personal view of a transformative battle with cancer, October 3, 2002

By 

Roland Crane "chezcrane" (Salt Lake City, UT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bone Marrow Boogie: The Dance of a Lifetime (Paperback)

Ms. Starr writes of her battle with lymphoma using a combination of essays, letters, emails, and recollections of her experiences. What sets this book apart is its fundamental honesty, readability and lack of preachy-ness and saccharin sentimentality.

She is unafraid to bare her experiences, thoughts, and fears to give the reader a complete view of what she went through, and does so even when it does not necessarily show her in a 'good' light. This takes courage, and gives the book credibility; I felt I was inside her soul for a tour and was allowed to peek in any room I wanted.

The subtitle is 'a memoir in bite-size pieces' which is in fact true, and makes the book very readable. The short chapters, emails, letters make the book easy to pick up and put down, although my friends have echoed my experience of reading it in one sitting.

My fear in reading this book (which was recommended by a close friend) was that it was going to be preachy, or full of sickly sweet sentimentality. It is not. The book's honesty does not allow such license. The value I received from reading was to compare the transformation in her life to the transformations taking place in mine, giving me valuable perspective.

I don't have cancer, but found the book touched me deeply nonetheless. I would highly recommend it to anyone undergoing significant changes in their lives, or who have loved ones in such a process.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Important and interesting read for all, January 8, 2003

By 

"annmneely" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bone Marrow Boogie: The Dance of a Lifetime (Paperback)

BONE MARROW BOOGIE is a book for all who have had cancer touch their lives in one way or another. Ms. Starr's prose (at times, "poetry" is a better description) leaves one thinking deeply about the ramifications of hearing that cancer has entered your life. Families, friends, and caregivers for those hearing this diagnosis will benefit greatly from this book. Certainly, those who face treatment will relate far more and find this book to be a tremendous support for the experience.

Ms. Starr's honesty, sense of humor, and excellent writing makes this a wonderful book to give as a gift.....particularly when it is difficult to know what else to do!