Real Rules for Girls [Paperback]

Mindy Morgenstern (Author), Courteney Cox Arquette (Foreword), Amy Inouye (Designer), Mari Florence (Draft Writer)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 28, 2002

Here it is, girls! Everything you need to know in order to live a fabulous life. (Okay maybe not everything, but a heck of a lot of it.) When should you dump him? When is it cool o use a credit card? When is it okay to kiss up to your boss? You'll get the lowdown on all that and more in this hip survival guide for girls who know that the only rule really worth following is this: Be true to yourself. Written with fierce wit and complete honesty, The Real Rules for Girls is not our mother's rule book. Packed with wisdom -- and quotes from evryone from Maya Angelou to Liz Phair -- it'll help you navigate life's highs and lows with style and substance.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"Your first boyfriend should be like the first pancake. Just a tester to see if the griddle is hot enough." If this sounds like good advice, throw out that book of horoscopes and get some real advice from Girl Press. This publisher has already put out some pretty swell titles, from Cool Women: The Thinking Girl's Guide to the Hippest Women in History to Zine Scene, a book about how to produce your own zine, coauthored by that very cool woman, Francesca Lia Block. Now those Girls are at it again, with their own irreverent advice for young women on work, life, love, and impossible parents.

It's a tough world out there, and this book's short, sassy chapters are the cheat sheets. With lessons such as "The football captains of today are the burger jockeys of tomorrow," "Everyone's family is as freaky as yours," and "You be the judge, Judy," readers will be prepared for any test life--or that obnoxious little brother--throws at them. This is a fun, inspiring read for high-school-age girls, complete with lots of quotes from famous women, and retro photos from the 1950s and '60s. --Maria Dolan --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up-Girls will find this honest title helpful and entertaining. It's filled with practical tips and sound advice. The six chapters-"Romance," "Work," "Social Life," "Family," "Money," and "Life Tips"-each contain a snappy one-liner. For example, in the romance section, this gem appears: "The football captains of today are the burger jockeys of tomorrow." Told in an up-to-date, breezy, first-person voice, the book offers the author's personal anecdotes and life lessons hard won. The information is presented in a nonjudgmental, down-to-earth tone. Clever patter and good advice aside, the real highlights are the wonderfully kitsch black-and-white photographs that recollect the '50s and '60s. The creative layout draws readers' eyes to all sides and corners of the pages. The design is reminiscent of Barbara Kruger's provocative work-thought-provoking statements superimposed on mundane photographs. A delight from start to finish.
Elaine Baran, Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville, GA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books; Original edition (May 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743457250
• ISBN-13: 978-0743457255
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #480,922 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy This Book!, March 1, 2000

By 

Catherine MacNeal "knitpicker" (Berkeley, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Real Rules for Girls (Paperback)

Morgenstern's THE REAL RULES FOR GIRLS is a must-read! I wish I had a copy when I was that age. Now that my friends' daughters are hitting their fabulous teen years (complete with with mood swings, raging hormones and KNOW IT ALL 'tude), they need this book, and we need to read it again to remind ourselves that we were there. (And the advice still applies, boomers!) Layout, text, photos, illustrations - all pure wit, clever and true. Thanks, Mindy.

37 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Real Rules Rocks!, February 17, 2000

By 

Terry Haley (Toluca Lake, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Real Rules for Girls (Paperback)

I totally dug this book! Its permanent home is on my vanity table because it's full of advice to live by. My girlfriends all read it too and were like, "that's us!" on almost every page. The part with "Mindy's Secret Party Tips" is great -- I'm gonna copy it and put it on my mirror.

Plus, there's great advice about guys -- who i still think are jerks but if I make them read this book first I might consider going out with them.

CHICKS RULE!

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome advice for teen girls!, April 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Real Rules for Girls (Paperback)

What a great book for teen girls to read and reread as they struggle with peer pressure and their own insecurities. Buy this for your young teen daughter even though it is a bit irreverant and has a couple of minor what I consider "rude" words. It is a "cool" book and hopefully will be heeded, as it is a very positive, empowering book. Where was it when we moms needed it!