Do Me, Do My Roots [Paperback]

Eileen Rendahl (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 6, 2004

It's about healing.

After a couple of rough years, Emily is finally getting things back together. She doesn't need to re-do everything at work three times, her young daughter's soccer uniform is almost always clean the day of a game, and meals are pretty darn reliable, too. But hey, becoming a widow at thirty-three kind of knocks the starch out of you.

It's about family.

Then Emily's dad has an Event (only her mom would call a minor heart attack that -- what is it, a bar mitzvah?). Next, her sister Claudia's ex-husband starts stealing their kids' Ritalin for the high -- and wouldn't you replace it with The Pill to teach him a lesson? (His unexpected, uh, frontal development was just a howlingly funny bonus -- honest.) And then Emily's relentlessly sensible oldest sister, Leah, dumps her businessman fiancé for a rock musician.

It's about never letting them see your gray.

Now Jake, Emily's best friend, seems to be spending a lot of time at her house. Which she likes way too much. Which is kind of confusing. So what's a girl to do, but call an emergency meeting of the sisters' monthly hair-color-and-gossip session, to make the world seem sane again?

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

For the Simon sisters, hair dyeing is a ritual. The eldest, Leah, favors reds and blondes, while the middle sister, Claudia, prefers browns light and dark. The youngest, Emily, is thankful she doesn't have to worry about the pesky gray hairs that plague her sisters. But she has plenty of concerns of her own--she's still reeling from the death of her husband, Vince, and trying to care for their daughter, Abby. Luckily, Vince's best friend, Jake, is always there to help out, but Emily is starting to worry that she feels more than friendship for him. Claudia has been dating a series of bad men, and Leah is trying to find Mr. Right even as she falls for a sexy younger man. But a pair of health scares tries the trio's nerves and brings them closer together. Ultimately, the sisters' love for each other is the real strength of Rendahl's warm and touching novel. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Eileen Rendahl is the author of the Downtown Press novels Balancing in High Heels and Do Me, Do My Roots, which was nominated for a RITA Award. Her short fiction appears in the New Year's story collection In One Year and Out the Other. She lives near her tight-knit family in California.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books; Original edition (April 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743471148
• ISBN-13: 978-0743471145
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 8.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,468,720 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eileen Rendahl is the author of three Chick Lit books: DO ME, DO MY ROOTS (2004) which was a double Rita finalist and a National Readers Choice Finalist, BALANCING IN HIGH HEELS (2005) and most recently, UN-BRIDALED. As Downtown Press's Chick Lit with Heart girl, she strives in her novels to expose both the humor and pathos of life. Critics have said that her characters are "humorous, yet heartbreaking" as well as "funny and profound, endearing and absurd, outrageous and comforting, and very, very real" and that she puts them in "situations that at once make you laugh and make you a little sad".

Eileen grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, although she wasn't born there. She was born in Dayton, Ohio, but moved when she was four and who remembers anything from before they were four? Except she does remember she was born at the Good Samaritan Hospital across the street from Baskin Robbins because they sent her a coupon for a free ice cream cone every year until she was twelve. Eileen makes a point of remembering anything that has to do with ice cream. Or chocolate. Or champagne.

After many moves (St. Louis, Boston, Chicago, Phoenix), many jobs (art gallery assistant, editorial assistant, copywriter, communications manager, graphic designer, ceramics studio slave) and a smattering of husbands (if you want the details on that, you will have to get her liquored up), she now writes and lives in Davis, California, with her two adorable children, her two annoying cats and one lovely man.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great "deep" chick lit, July 27, 2004

By 

B. Billerbeck "krisbeck" (Silicon Valley, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Do Me, Do My Roots (Paperback)

I have to say, I don't think the cover does this book justice. It's about so much more than the cover implies: family relationships, deep wounds, love of those around you, and yet all told in humorously REAL form. There are a few chick lit authors who have the ability to delve deep into your psyche, and still make you laugh and have a good time. I think this author is there, and has a long future ahead of her. YAY! She's a humorous Maeve Binchy!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging relationship drama, March 30, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Do Me, Do My Roots (Paperback)

In spite of journeying down different paths in the Seattle area, the three sisters, all in their thirties, remains close as they get together quite often but at least once a month to do each other's hair. The youngest Emily is a widow of eighteen months raises her seven year old daughter Abby with the help of her parents, siblings, and her deceased spouse's pal Jake. Middle daughter Claudia has two sons while oldest daughter Leah has never married as she usually scares men off by the fourth date.

When their dad suffers what first appeared to be a heart attack, the three siblings become concerned but do not go as nuts as their mom. Though the tests prove he is okay, mom insists on healthy food like tofurkey for Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, a horny Emily encouraged by her sisters decide a brief fling with Jake would be helpful, but he has loved her from the moment they were introduced to one another, but loyalty to his best friend, her husband, even in death, keeps him from acting on his feelings.

This is an engaging relationship drama that, though told predominantly from the perspective of Emily, provides insight into the lead character and her extended family. The amusing story line can become overwhelming as the three siblings share their confidences, woes and render judgment while seeking the root of the problem. DO ME, DO MY ROOTS contains a wonderful cast struggling with life's ups and downs (more of the latter), but the sisterly trio remain optimistic even when putting men down throughout.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable!, May 28, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Do Me, Do My Roots (Paperback)

This book is light and entertaining, while at the same time tackling some big life issues. A perfect "summer read"!