Customer Reviews

I Am Beautiful : A Celebration of Women

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Hurray for a book that dares to represent the voices and images of REAL women of all ages and ethnicities!!!!! So often we are forced to read about the personal trials and triumphs of various celebrities on the subject of body image and self-esteem. While some of these stories may be insightful and even enriching, they're still the stories of an already select and sanctioned population who've been validated time and again by the media for a physical perfection that we everyday women should work hard, consciously or subconsciously, to emulate and admire. Now we can hear the stories of everyday women, women just like ourselves, who have important and poignant stories to tell. Thanks to the editors of this daring and moving book, these women have a forum that truly celebrates their opinions and reflections, and we readers have something to be grateful for.

The first time I picked up this book, I literally couldn't put it down. I was captivated by each individual story and one was more inspiring than the next. I think the best thing about "I Am Beautiful" is that it tells true stories of real women, not lofty celebrities that you really can't relate to. Each one of these women has a compelling story and every story is presented beautifully with text and a photo of each woman. I have read it several times and have shared it with friends. All of whom agree that this book is a winner!

I Am Beautiful is a very special work of art, not only graphically, but in its content. Often, we do not take the time to come back to the real meaning of life and what it means to live. I Am Beautiful is a reminder of life's basic needs and the ability to see beauty in yourself and others. It allows you to identify in spirit and soul with women of the world who may not fit the "ideal" standard of the "perfect" beautiful woman. Beauty is beyond skin, it is internal. It is how you live and express yourself in life. It is how you envelop your internal beauty as well as your external beauty. This book helps remind you of those simple needs for a fulfilling life.

When I first picked up this book in a bookstore, I wanted to cry. To be honest, the tears welled up in my eyes. They weren't tears of sadness; they were tears of joy. This book is a welcome accompaniment to any home concerened with the importance of a woman's well-being, both physical and otherwise. The pictures are honest renderings of real women, women you'd bump into in the supermarket, or pass on a typical city street. The stories are the ones you've told to yourself time and again--here they are in unison, confirming everything you suspected about the magic inside yourself. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

After reading this book, I immediately bought 4 more as gifts for my closest female friends. The book delivers the message that beauty comes in many different forms. I ask you...why is it that a 250 lb woman can feel just as beautiful as the woman who is 105 lbs? Or ... why is it that the 105 lb woman doesn't feel nearly as beautiful as the 250 lb woman? This books helps to shed light on the beauty that women have found within themselves - and the journey it took to get them there. I gave my friends this book to help them each discover their own personal beauty.

Thank you Dana and Woody for this book, which I consider a gift to me. I encourage everyone to share this book with their friends.

I was given this book by a dear friend because I have been exremely ill the past year and my self-image has become distorted and anguished. I have felt as though my life has lost meaning and my view of myself is no longer of that worth living. Reading this book was an inspired gift. As I read and observed each woman, I learned of the great differences in each person and how to cherish every aspect of that which makes us unique. It is a treasure to cherish for years and years to come.

I open this book at least once a month for inspiration, and I give it to every female friend I have. The extraordinary, yet ordinary women in "I am Beautiful" remind me that I, too, have such an interesting life. While reading "I am Beautiful", you're not only inspired by these womens' lives, you're compelled to see the beauty in yourself! What a gift! Editors Woody and Dana have created a tool to boost the collective self-esteem of all women!

I received this book as a Valentine's Day gift from my mother. And what a heart-warming present it has been to cherish! This book is uniquely ispirational for it remids women what true beauty is. The essays made me laugh and cry, and ultimately forced me to think about my own life and how I define myself. I have already shared this book with MY daughters so that they too may grow from this wonderful book. Thanks so much Dana and Woody!

I Am Beautiful is a very special work of art, not only graphically, but in its content. Often, we do not take the time to come back to the real meaning of life and what it means to live. I Am Beautiful is a reminder of life's basic needs and the ability to see beauty in yourself and others. It allows you to identify in spirit and soul with women of the world who may not fit the "ideal" standard of the "perfect" beautiful woman. Beauty is beyond skin, it is internal. It is how you live and express yourself in life. It is how you envelop your internal beauty as well as your external beauty. This book helps remind you of those simple needs for a fulfilling life.

I can not express how happy I was to see this extraordinary book on the shelf once again! I was given this book as a gift when I was having a difficult time in my life, I had a breast cancer scare which resulted in surgery. Reading about these woman made times easier. In return, I have passed this book on to my sister who recently gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and to my loving mother who is currently struggling with nerve damage to her hands. I recommend "I Am Beautiful" to ALL women. Bravo Dana Carpenter!