Customer Reviews

Eat Mangoes Naked: Finding Pleasure Everywhere (and dancing with the Pits)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've always liked SARK's first books the best, and--when I picked this book up to browse through--I wasn't expecting such a vibrant return to her raw, unvarnished, joyous and inspiring style.

And frankly, there are times when I'm so blue, I look at what's on my self-help bookshelf, and even SARK's early books are simply too much for me.

This book changed everything. If you've ever picked up a self-help book in a bitter moment and muttered, "Yeah, right, what planet is SHE on?" but felt more like dissolving into a little puddle of misery, desperate for SOMETHING to help get you unstuck... this is the book you want to own.

At last---I was disappointed with the last few of SARK's books---however much I adore and reread "Succulent Wild Women." When I saw "Eat Mangoes Naked" with its beautiful, vivid cover, I KNEW it was gonna be a good one. SARK always manages to cheer me, remind me of my insight, inspire me and motivate me to do enormously creative stuff! What a woman! What an author! What an artist! This book is written about how to find something good in everything. Now, Ms SARK truly wants us all to do this, sincerely. And I think thats what also makes this book so wonderful and endearing. SARK shares her experiences, thoughts and feelings with us, as well as her friends, in this volume. For those new to SARK's work, the book is written "by hand" in different colors and doodles and poems and quotes abound. Such an entertaining, thoughtful escape from the ordinary. If you need help finding something good in every situation and irony of life, please pick this book up and treasure it. I love ya SARK! PS My daughters love the art and neat ideas she puts in, too. PPS Gotta go, surfing the websites she suggests for feel-good-high.

SARKs' work has meant so much to me. Her work is so unique and above all HONEST. No holding back. Reading this book I found myself smiling and nearly crying many times. The waving squirrel, her experience with her elderly friend Rebeccas death, the way you feel on top of the world one day and your confusion when you wake up the next completely deflated for what seems like no reason. She's warm, she inspires, she lays bare her faults and suddenly you can make peace with yours. Sometimes we go through life thinking " Why is it only me?" or " Is it only me?" SARK reminds us it's not. Personally this book is one of the very most enjoyable of all of them. It is about pleasure and pleasure and healing is all you will find.

I am a cynic. Occasionally, I need a boost from the feminine side to adjust my attitude, find pleasure, keep positive, behave kindly and trust. This was a good boost. The only negative is that I kept picturing the author as this histrionic Polyanna who never really has had a job or raised kids and so probably finds it easy to give advice. But, that might not even be true.

This is such an uplifting and liberating book. I bought it as a gift to myself while going through a break up. I was feeling pretty numb and blue but this book revived my own sense of passion for life. It liberated and inspired me to indulge in all the pleasure I could take. And I can handle quite alot more than I thought. I was reminded how to spoil myself rotten and most importantly...that I deserve it. Reveries are common daily occurences now. And this book helped me remember how to find it wherever whenever. This was the best gift I could've given myself. I also recommend her nap book.

The author notes on page 11 that 'This book is a traveling pleasure companion and a reminder to seek out pleasure and lightly scoop it up. It is also a guide to finding pleasure in all of the difficult places: during illness, at the periodontist, facing our aging and mortality, and all the challenges of being human. Pleasure and Joy live in all the corners and crevices too, not just bright sunlight. We must learn to cultivate pleasure and invite it into ALL (her emphasis) the places in our lives no matter what else is happening. It is our birthright to enjoy ourselves and find all the pleasure in our lives. Pleasure loves company and delights in being discovered. I frequently forget about pleasure. It is easy to become consumed by work and by doing'.

She then proceeds to remind 'us' where and how to find and rediscover pleasure both simple and more complex, and she writes about the pleasure of giving AND receiving which has been a hard one for me I admit since as a caregiver for over a decade I was so busy helping someone be happy that I sorta forgot the me that once was a SARK like person. This is a treasure of a book and like her other books is one that I keep within easy reach.

Sark does it again, with delicious, sensual delights. A must to add to your Sark collection to leave lying around house. You'll soon know who your "wild and alive" friends are because they will drool over it when they see it. Then you live it up with them in whatever succulent, creative, enthusiastic ways you can dream of.

This book found me. I love it. I suggest it to everyone I know, because everyone is hurt or angry at some point. When I came across this book in a friend's bookshelf, I wasn't upset or depressed, in fact, I find myself to be very optimistic. I read through it once and still to this day, I go back maybe once a week and read sections over again. When I feel myself getting pulled into a bad mood and I start to feel blah, I will flip through a few pages and I'm inspired to be an optimistic and outgoing person. I feel the need to enhance the quality of my life. And my life is amazing! This book just helps me on the off days remember how much I have to offer and how much I can be free to love myself and others completely.
SARK suggests websites, books, poems, authors, etc. So the pleasure doesn't stop at the end of this book. She also has suggestions and stories of ways to make your life more pleasurable... I should say NOTICE the pleasure.

I love it.

If you dont love SARK... I dont get it! This was the first book of hers that I ever read and I highly recommend it for the way the author helps demonstrate using creativity, child like gifts and love for life as ways to deal with adversity in life. She has a wonderful sense of humor and it is also easy reading as far as self-help goes.

I first discovered the SARK books when I was a junior in high school. Ever since then I have been in love with them! They are great inspirational self-help books. The pages are in full color and completely uplifting. This book is no exception.