Beauty Bites Beast: Awakening the Warrior Within Women and Girls (Paperback)

~ (Author), Ellen Shortland (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 198 pages
• Publisher: Trilogy Books (May 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891290002
• ISBN-13: 978-1891290008
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,686,137 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for women and men, January 28, 2004

By	C. Stephans - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Beauty Bites Beast: Awakening the Warrior Within Women and Girls (Paperback)

I ordered and read this book after having a daughter. I wanted to learn how I can help her grow up strong and able to fend for herself and not become a victim of any sorts.

For the most part this book was a revelation to me about the reality women face...a reality of danger, threats, bullying, discrimination, etc. It made me put myself in the shoes of the women walking to her car in a dark parking lot who fears for her safety and life due to potential dangers. Ms. Snortland shows how fear is often present in daily situations women encounter.

She also indicates changes in attitude and lessons in defense that can improve a women's posture in the world. It has encouraged me to sign my daughter up for self-defense classes as soon as it is age-appropriate. I garnered a much better understanding of many societal attitudes my daughter will face as she grows up. It will really help me be a better father to her.

A downside to this book is Snortland's political advocacy. It is clear where she stands politically and on certain issues she conveys the message that women who disagree are being duped by a male-dominated society. To me this is a totally different issue than what the book purports to focus on. She should stick to defending women not politics.

The above criticism aside, the book is worthwhile for its main message and was helpful.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If I could give this book twelve stars I would, June 16, 2000

By	Sophia (the Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews

"Beauty Bites Beast" is an incredible, funny, tough and smart guide to women's self-defense. According to author Ellen Snortland, women have been conditioned by society to believe that they are helpless in the face of attack. In chapter after chapter, Ms. Snortland systematically unravels and deconstructs myths, stereotypes and misguided beliefs which contribute to violence against women.

With her biting humor and irreverent style, Ms. Snortland is able to make her points, share success stories, and urge women to reclaim our power. As a practicing martial artist, all I can say is RIGHT ON to Ms. Snortland and all others like her who strive to make this world a safer place for women, children and men alike. All girls, women, men, boys and everyone else who care about women's safety, or who just want to understand the origins of violence in our culture should have a copy of this book. Or several copies. This is an excellent, funny, well-written book about a deadly important issue. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone who cares at all about women should read this book!, August 4, 1998

By A Customer

Though it deals with self-defense, BEAUTY BITES BEAST definitely is not a "how-to" book; rather, it's a "go-for-it" book. Too many times woman have heeded the hackneyed advice that it's far more dangerous to fight back than simply to relax and allow rapes or assaults to occur. "El toro caca," says Snortland--not in those words, of course, but strongly and with lots of specific stories and statistics to back up her advocacy of women's self-defense.

If you are a man, as I am, and care about the women in your life, you'll buy them this book! It should be in the hands of everyone--male or female--old enough to grasp its meaning. Why? Because it literally can save lives.

Not only is Snortland right on with her advice, but the book is funny. And the humor has the same sort of knockout punch Snorland advocates in matters of self-defense. A self-defense instructor (and a born author, as well), Snortland knows whereof she writes.

Buy t! his book for yourself, for your loved ones, for your friends, for your neighbors. And then make sure they read it. Believe me, you won't regret it.

Does this book deserve a five-star rating? Naw, if I could, I'd give it at least a six.