Customer Reviews

Burnt Toast: And Other Philosophies of Life

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I rushed out to buy this book the day it came out and I'm almost finished reading it. Wow! This book speaks to women so much! I can really identify with Teri's words and thoughts, and I'm sure most other women can too. I guarantee, if you are a woman - you will be able to relate to this book in some way at least! At least ONE of Teri's stories of self-doubt, marital issues, dating, success, failure, divorce, motherhood, and just life in general will speak to you. Been a fan of Teri's since the very early 90's - so I may be a teensy-bit biased - but I'm telling you I just can't put this book down! It is an insight into Teri's soul but more importantly it is also a plea for all of us women to stop accepting the "burnt toast!" Definitely recommend it to women everywhere!! Bravo to Teri for putting herself out there - in more ways that I could ever be brave enough to do - to get this message out!! She is a true inspiration as a woman and a human being. Give this book a read ladies, I'm willing to bet you won't regret it!!

I picked this book up on impulse, because I'm a Teri Hatcher fan, I suppose, and I wondered what this celebrity had to say to the rest of us. I had seen only minimal promotion - didn't know the book was directed to women. I immediately saw my mom in the "burnt toast" analogy, and continued. Her "philosphy" is simple and down-to-earth. I enjoyed her self-deprecating style and the anecdotes that expose her as a real human being. (If that makes her a "head case", as another reviewer states, then I'm in that club, too.) She comes off as an admirable single mom, much like several I know personally. I laughed out loud through much of the book. Ms. Hatcher successfully carries us along on her journey of discovery, allowing us to be inspired along with her as she plans for a better future for herself and her daughter. Highly recommended...

Thank you Teri Hatcher for exposing yourself as truly HUMAN! Your intimate book was a BREATHE of fresh air into the REALITY of both CELEBRITY & WOMANHOOD alike!---Celebrities are just regular people with everyday struggles....especially of the most common type! I thought this book was REAL & INSIGHTFUL! It is courageous and true. (*note-especially coming from a CELEBRITY. Teri IS beautiful & sucessful yet still craves what we all do on basic levels. This means to me that REGARDLESS of what we accumulate, it is our own self-worth that we "crown" ourselves with in riches. (And to the rest of you....I am not her friend, I do watch Desperate Housewives....I was not paid to leave this review...I rarely ever leave reviews and am an avid book reader......) THIS IS A WONDERFUL Book!

At times this book is charming, witty and heart wrenching. Mostly, though, I got the impression that Teri Hatcher was looking for my approval. She continually talks about her low self-esteem and how hard she tries to be the best mother, actress and person. I felt like she was begging the reader to like her and approve of her. I found the feeling a bit uncomfortable.

Oddly enough, in reading this book I got the impression that Ms. Hatcher is, in fact, an excellent mother. She thinks a great deal about what impression she is making on her daughter and is careful not to make the same mistakes in raising Emerson as her parents made in raising her. This is an admirable goal, and I am happy that she is trying to be happier with herself in her day to day life. However, this book doesn't really chronicle a journey, as seems to be the intention. I didn't see from beginning to end a huge leap from a destructive way of thinking to a more positive one. Perhaps this is because Ms. Hatcher is still in the midst of the journey. Although she keeps focusing on how old she feels at forty, I think maybe it would have been better if she had waited ten more years or so to write this book. When she has progressed a bit more and can truly say she is the master of her own self-esteem, she would be able to write a more compelling memoir.

My decision to buy Teri's book was not based on the fact that she's a celebrity, but instead on the reviews I read prior to the book's release. Of course, you would have to have lived under a rock in the last few years not to recognize Teri Hatcher and the success she's achieved. With that in mind, I bought the book in hopes that Teri would give me the inspiration I needed as I approach my birthday next month. Like Teri, I'm entering my 40's, which for a lot of people is a life changing event. Suddenly, there's an urgency to things; questions to be answered, hopes and dreams to fulfill.

Teri uses her down-to-earth personality and her own experiences to write a book that doesn't provide all the answers, but instead, inspires the reader to ask themselves important questions and hopefully make important life-changing realizations about themselves.

One of those realizations for me is that perfection is unrealistic. "It's a defeatist way to live your life - knowing you want to do something but letting your fear of what others will think if you don't do it perfectly stand in your way." Yes, as one reviewer suggests, these are things we already know or should already know, but putting that knowledge into practice is a lot harder for most of us than it should be. A little inspiration from a woman who has been there doesn't hurt. Making changes is hard especially when many of our habits develop over months or years. Teri reminds the reader that "Nothing happens overnight. And you can't be your ideal self every moment of every day. But if you see something in yourself that isn't working for you, and it's keeping you from being as happy as you want to be, you can chip away at it. The results may not be instantaneous, but even changing your intentions is a powerful action."

Contrary to several readers' reviews, I did NOT feel that Terry "whined", or that she implied she has had a more difficult life than anyone else. She in no way suggested that she has all the answers, and since her experiences and insecurities are no different than most women, I guess the majority of us are "head cases."

After a few chapters, you should have little doubt that this woman has an awesome, down-to-earth personality and has an incredible way of looking at things. She's funny, honest, and inspiring. If you have everything figured out like those readers who wrote negative reviews, you should probably pass on the book. If you're looking for some inspiration from someone who will admit she doesn't have all the answers but who has the courage to reveal her own experiences in hopes of helping others, you should read the book. I'm going to re-read the book and this time, mark those words that inspire me with a highlighter to refer back to from time to time.

I am not usually taken in with the "star" status that celbrities have about them. I lived in that world for a while and just decided that even though you can see them on tv or on the big screen there really isn't much different then them and the "ordinary" person.
I feel that Teri Hatcher captures the feelings that most every woman in their 40's is going through or has or will go through. Some of what was written was almost like she was taking it from my life. There are other parts that I can not relate to but that is because each person is unique. She isn't trying to solve world peace here and she states as much. She is just giving her perspective on things and how they have happened in her life and if she can help another person all the better.
I do not know Teri Hatcher so I am coming at this as a woman in her 40's who lives in the US and has experienced some of the experinces she describes.

I could relate to the title of this book, as a mother of 4, I frequently find myself eating the "burnt toast." I thought it was a fun, light read and made me laugh. To me, Teri wanted me to know that we are a lot alike and she gave enough examples to show us. I also have trouble doing anything for myself or making time for myself. I laughed because I read so many books to my children, I do believe the last good book I read for myself was The Thornbirds! I also can't stand people who are rude and I also try to believe that the person is having a bad day for whatever reason instead of believing they are just plain rude. The list goes on on how many things I related with her. It's just good to know that many of us are a "work in progress," and that's just fine. I hope she writes more!

I'm in Florida visiting my mom on my yearly vacation to the beach. She has this book sitting on her coffee table, so I pick it up to read. I couldn't put it down! I carried it to the beach, I took it everywhere and finished it in a couple of days! One reviewer called her all kinds of names (this reviewer HAS to be a man!), which kind of hurt my feelings because after reading this book I realize Teri and I are 99.9% alike! Frankly I find that to be GOOD news because I like myself, and to have so much in common with someone like her is a huge compliment to say the least!! I'm recently divorced with a very young daughter, so this book was like Chicken Soup for the Soul for me (no pun intended). It left me feeling like my mistakes in life haven't been failures, they've been opportunities to grow and learn. She did a fantastic job with this book! I mean I find it gutsy to lay it all out there for the entire world to read. I don't know if I could do it!

As I have said in previous reviews, I'm not a big reader. This one reeled me in though, so buy it! I learned that no matter how "rich and famous" you may be, or how beautiful, we ALL still have the same basic human principles of being insecure, some days feeling not so sexy, trying to be the perfect parent, etc. etc. I needed this book at this particlar time in my life, so THANK YOU Teri Hatcher. You lifted my spirits more than you'll ever know and probably helped change the path of my attitude in life!!!

I found Burnt Toast to be refreshing in the sense that Teri Hatcher comes across as a sincere, kind-hearted, busy working mother who can relate to others in a very down-to-earth way. She chose to share some of the most intimate details of her life and relationships in an attempt to help other women examine their choices and to put themselves first more often. She also reminds us to see the kindness in others, and to not sit in judgment. For these and other commendable intentions shared in the book, I would give Burnt Toast a four-star rating.

I reduced my overall rating of the book due to the writing style, which was a bit too conversational and often took many tangents. While this can be charming in person, it was hard to follow on the written page. And as others have noted already, certain points were repeated too often.

Burnt Toast did not spark a big perspective shift for me, but it was an easy, light read. I would recommend it to anyone who is willing to manage their expectations, and who is happy to find the occasional bits of wisdom contained within the meandering stories.

When I first heard about this book, I have to say that I was not interested at all. I thought, what does a successful Hollywood actress know about pain? As it turns out, that no matter what you do for a living, where you live or who you are, there is a human connection and a non-exemption from the ups and downs of life that cannot be avoided or bought. We ALL have the same fears, insecurities and struggles. I found that I could really relate to Teri, just as a woman who is searching, struggling, failing, succeeding and learning about life, as well as herself. It was very brave of her to reveal herself. Most famous people hide behind and perpetuate the facade that they are better than the rest of us, are perfect and have no problems. The the truth is that money, fame and success cannot keep you from learning and experiencing painful lessons in your life. We all have issues, but most of us won't admit that. We want people to think that we have all the answers and have everything together and under control. I was moved by her honesty and vulnerability. She is a very talented writer and I could not put the book down. I have recommended this book to every woman I know.