Chocolate for a Woman's Courage : 77 Stories That Honor Your Strength and Wisdom (Paperback)

~ Kay Allenbaugh (Author) "For years now, I have made it my practice to walk several times a week, or daily if the weather is good..." (more)
Key Phrases: The Truckers, John Halley, Los Angeles (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

With these two works, publishers continue to milk the desire for feel-good books. Acting more as a compiler than a writer, Allenbaugh serves up more bland, warm-and-fuzzy anecdotes la the successful "Chocolate" series (Chocolate for a Teen's Heart; Chocolate for a Mother's Heart). Women ranging from housewives to business professionals contributed 77 brief and sentimental stories that illustrate pluckiness in the face of adversity. "The Tattooed Stranger," for example, explores prejudice and how to overcome it. Carlson's book will rev the engines of self-helpers without kicking them into drive. Like many of his previous titles (Don't Sweat the Small Stuff), his latest is observational and general, with generic wisdoms that quickly become repetitive. Entries wax on a range of topics, including divorce, stress, and the grieving process. Carlson misses more than he hits, although good points sometimes emerge, e.g., in "Dedicate Yourself to Mindfullness," he exhibits uncharacteristic clarity in advising readers to experience thoughts and emotions peacefully. Of little practical use, this is more a pep talk than a means to an end. Read it in conjunction with more focused titles like T.D. Jakes's frankly Christian Woman Thou Art Loosed: Healing the Wounds of the Past. As with entries in the popular "Small Miracles," "Taste Berries for Teens," and "Chicken Soup" series, these books contain so much recycled material that libraries would be better off purchasing them only on demand. There are also serviceable single volumes like Barry and Joyce Vissell's Meant To Be: Miraculous Stories To Inspire a Lifetime of Love or Anna Quindlen's A Short Guide to a Happy Life.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Richard Carlsonbestselling author of Don't Sweat the Small StuffGood stuff -- great inspiration for men and women. -- Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Fireside (November 19, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743236998
• ISBN-13: 978-0743236997
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,367,118 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Life is a Box of Chocolates, October 5, 2006

By	M. R. Estante "http://aralarcalifornia.blogsp... (North America) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Some are nutty, others very sweet, then there are the bittersweet ones, and then the rich mocha varieties. A celebration of womens' lives that mirror "sometimes life is a box of chocolates" a la Forest Gump.

5.0 out of 5 stars A great quick read! Inspirational!, November 23, 2002

By	Julie Teasdale (Fresno, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I really enoyed this book. Kay Allenbaugh has done an excellent job selecting contributors for this book. It's a nice, quick read with many short stories and essays which I found inspirational. Of course, you may want to check out a story called "Abby's Fight". It's a story which I submitted about my daughter's hospitalization as a newborn. O.K., I'm biased. But I would have enjoyed this book anyway.

5.0 out of 5 stars Real People, Real Stories, November 22, 2002

By	Maureen Robertson (Pine Grove, Ca. USA) - See all my reviews

This anthology is another jewel in Kay Allenbaugh's crown. With story after story of triumphant courage, the reader finds her spirit being lifted higher and higher. As with the other Chocolate books, the stories from everyday people never fail to touch and lighten our hearts.