Customer Reviews

It's My Pleasure: A Revolutionary Plan to Free Yourself from Guilt and Create the Life You Want

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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This book is all about women and pleasure, and why we feel so guilty when we think about experiencing or actually experience pleasure. It is different from other books because of its authors, Maria and Maya Rodale, of Rodale Press fame. The mother and daughter perspective was especially intriguing to me. Both women share their experiences along their journey to find out who they are as individuals, and as self-defined "pleasure revolutionaries". They interweave the book with fun exercises, stories of famous "pleasure revolutionaries", historical details, and much more.

The book brings in many unconventional ideas, such as reading romance novels, exploring non-traditional religions, traveling alone, and the like. While I would not necessarily follow the paths these two women did in any particular area, I felt like the book gave me permission to venture out and try some things I would not ordinarily try. I have to admit that after all of their positive experiences with romance novels, I am considering even giving them a try, too.

One reviewer said there was not a lot of substance to this book, and I really disagree. It is full of resources for exploring "pleasure" in your own life (including Internet sites, lists, books, etc.), and a great guide. It is entertaining and fun to boot. It's the type of book that would be interesting for girlfriends to read (I'm loaning my copy to my best friend) or even better, for a woman's book club!

One caveat: If you are pretty straight-laced, you might find some things too adventurous here---like some of the erotic Internet sites or discussions of sexual toys, etc.---I did not find anything offensive however---all was in good taste. I'm the type of person who feels comfortable taking what fits and not worrying about the rest...if you're not that way, this might not be the best choice for you...if you are, read and enjoy!!
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I am reading this book right now and I am not finding too many revolutionary things about it that would help me overcome any major guilt. I do like the philosophy of the strong, independent woman, but I question how strong and independent our authors would be if they weren't Rodales and how much this whole story would be different if Maria Rodale did not have the family business to always fall back on. Seriously, not many of us have a major publishing company to fall back on should our choices not pan out.
Also, when you are from said family, it is really easy to make suggestions about how to obtain that freedom if money was no object. Maria's trip to the Blue Lagoon in Iceland or Maya's summer in Paris as catalyst to their changes in life and thinking is a little unobtainable for us common folk. I mean it wouldn't take me being in the middle of nowhere in Iceland to come to the conclusion that country living may work for me. I thought if I read anymore about how Maya is so happy to be able make a living as a writer and do nothing but sit in her pajamas and write at will that I would throw the book across the room.
In a nutshell, it's real easy to be "revolutionary" when money isn't an issue.

One of the most insipid self-help books ever penned. The author has no insight and her only "revelation" is that she did drugs and fooled around as a teen. Wow! There is literally nothing of value here. Did the buyers who wrote positive reviews actually read this thing??!!

I am not sure how anyone could give this book such a poor review. As a matter of fact, I was so disgusted by the one star reviews on here, I just had to respond. There are many, many badly written pulp fiction and nonfiction books out there, but this is most assuredly not one of them. I loved the words of wisdom from Maya and Maria. I loved the mother/daughter perspective. I had first picked up a copy of this book in a NYC library and loved it. I meant to buy my own copy, and forgot. Gradually, I lost the title and author names, and have been wishing for two years I had bought the book when I meant to. Last night I was going through old journals and there was the book information. I bought two copies form amazon immediately, and will also put this on my shelf of favorite reads. The authors understand the questions and guilt women must deal with everyday, and their insight and solutions are dead on. A great read! If ever you see this, I thank you Maria and Maya. Great work.

I am roughly Maya's age, finishing up college and am in love with this book. I really didn't leave my house for the 3 days it took me to read it! I have pages dog-eared and sentences underlined. This book touched me in a place that I feel like I have never been touched. Currently, I am in the place in my life where I am looking and searching for both myself and my life. This book gave me courage and strength...who wouldn't want to read/own a book like that?! I love it! Thanks Maria and Maya!

This is THE book to be in your beach bag this summer.

Using their own experiences, Maria and Maya guide the reader to find her/his own path to pleasure. With their personal stories, interviews with women they consider revolutionary role models, "Do it" sections where the reader gets her/his personal thoughts involved, this book has something for everyone and every reader.

The "Do it" sections are great and encourage you to make lists, research an interest, or compile your own thoughts and beliefs on paper. It helps you bring into context your own life journey and delve into some new concepts you may not have thought of before.

They do refer to romance novels quite a bit, but you can see why. The references relate directly to things that happen in our everyday lives and how we deal with the same challenges.

This book is about two journeys and their own road to pleasure. We can all learn from their stories. Maria and Maya guide the reader along the path that helped them create their own happy, pleasurable, guiltless lifestyles. This book is your resource to "stop wishing and start doing."

The writing is sophomoric (complete with parenthetical asides,) at times quite plagiaristic and any thesis is totally non-existent.

It is a collection of pointless self-focused memoirs, out-sourced interviews and slapped together "Do-it!" list, which I assume were to justify the whole "Revolutionary Plan" marketing pitch.
It was so poorly written I want to cry.

I assumed while reading this book that it must have been published by Rodale and was shock to find no nepotism involved. It makes me very sad for the state of the publishing industry.

As far as I can tell, it's a justification for reading romance novels, since this was mentioned at least once in every chapter.

I can't help but write an enthusiastic recommendation for this marvelous book. It is a gateway to the idea that a woman's life should be about freedom of choice and belief rather than a martyrdom of resentful servitude to the expectations of society and oneself. It reminds all of us who are lucky enough to live in this century of what we have to be grateful for and what we often take for granted. Even as the book details some of the darkest practices concerning women and how they have lived now and in the past, it doesn't dwell on the morbid. Rather, this book is an affirmation of life that implores all women to live fully and joyfully. It gives the reader a way to climb out of victimhood and become a woman of principle without giving up that which makes one feminine.

The book is divided into chapters that consist of autobiographical anecdotes, how to "do it" for yourself lists, and brief sections detailing historical and modern women's lives through stories and interviews. It is inspiring to read and shows you how to live this way not through detailed psychological therapy, but through gentle suggestions and concrete examples and pointers. Some of the women mentioned in the book are Nora Roberts, Nancy Drew, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Madonna. This book does not present the ordinary. It regards romance novels as a doorway into the collective consciousness of women and their awareness of what love means and is capable of for our world and everyday lives.

This book is going on my shelf of "books that changed my life," right between Carolyn See's novel "The Handyman," and Diane Ackerman's "A Natural History of the Senses." It is a book that no woman today should be without.

Why do women feel guilty for the typical things - romance novels, chocolate - which give them pleasure? Maria Rodale is VP of Rodale Inc, the family publishing business she effectively reorganized and expanded. In It's My Pleasure, she and co-author Maya Rodale tell women just how to get past the guilt and find the pleasure. Their personal stories come from two generations and tell how they overcame guilt impulses to embrace this pleasure in their lives, while references to history connect pleasure with strength.

The book arrived in a timely manner in the condition it was advertised to be.