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Steff Deschenes

The Ice Cream Theory Paperback – July 14, 2009

by Steff Deschenes (Author)

4.6 22 ratings

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The award-winning book, The Ice Cream Theory, is ice-cream guru Steff Deschenes's charming exploration of the parallels between human personalities and ice-cream flavors, a tongue-in-cheek celebration of the variety inherent in a well-lived life. The Theory was hatched when Deschenes was trying to make sense of her first heartbreak. In the midst of that grief, she realized that, in the same way humans have ice-cream preferences, humans have people preferences. Like ice cream flavors, social preferences shift based on age, experience, even mood. There are exotic flavors that one craves when feeling daring, comforting flavors to fall back on, flavors long-enjoyed that eventually wear out their welcome, and those unique flavors that require an acquired taste. Like people, no ice cream flavor is perfect every single time . . . and it is in this realization that the crux of Deschenes's theory lies. Deschenes neatly brings together anecdotes from her own adventures with broader-reaching social commentary to help others recognize the wisdom and joy inherent in a beloved dessert. With its cheeky self-help slant, The Ice Cream Theory is an endearing and light-hearted addition to any bookshelf. It's a must read for anyone bruised by life's tough lessons and in need of a cheerful pick me up!

Print length

282 pages
Language

English
Publisher

BookSurge Publishing
Publication date

July 14, 2009
Dimensions

5.24 x 0.64 x 7.99 inches
ISBN-10

1439230056
ISBN-13

978-1439230053
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Ice Cream Theory is a cozy, upbeat book that tells us a lot about people. It offers fresh, insightful looks at ourselves. Seldom has a book with ice cream as its central metaphor been so endearingly warm." --The Maine Sunday Telegram

"I would recommend this book to all lovers of ice cream as it will not only give you a new way at looking at yourself and those around you, but also a new way at looking at the ice cream you're thinking about eating."

--2Dips.com

"Like a much needed friend when you are feeling a little blue, Steff is there to lift you up and leave you better than she found you!"
--Ice-Cream-Freaks.com

"Unlike most self-help books, this one is full of down-to-earth thoughts and hits you when you least expect it. You come away from the reading thinking and looking at experiences in your life." --Carol Hoyer, PhD, for ReaderViews.com

From the Author

In an eight month time span, The Ice Cream Theory won ten (10) independent book awards, including winner of the "Self Help" category at the 2010 Reviewers Choice Awards by ReaderViews.com, winner of the "Non-Fiction" and "Self Help" categories in the 2010 The Written Art Awards by RebeccasReads.com, winner of the 2010 "Non-Fiction" category at the Beach Book Festival, winner of the 2010 "Wild Card" category at the Paris Book Festival, and winner of the 2009 "Wild Card" category at the Nashville Book Festival. The Ice Cream Theory also was named the "Wild Card" honorable mention at the New York Book Festival and the San Francisco Book Festival; and, the "Non-Fiction" honorable mention at the New England Book Festival, the London Book Festival, and the DIY Book Festival.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ BookSurge Publishing (July 14, 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 282 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1439230056
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1439230053
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.24 x 0.64 x 7.99 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #9,012,222 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #17,529 in Interpersonal Relations (Books)
- #36,646 in Love & Romance (Books)
- #113,932 in Motivational Self-Help (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 22 ratings

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Steff Deschenes

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Steff Deschenes has worked in marketing for several food and drink companies and is currently eating her way through her next food adventure. She is the author of both The Ice Cream Theory, which won six independent book awards, and the brand new release Eat The Year. Steff lives in Portland, Maine. Please visit her at AlmanacOfEats.com.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

22 global ratings

5 star		72%
4 star		14%
3 star		14%
2 star 0% (0%)		0%
1 star 0% (0%)		0%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Cory John Stoker

Surprisingly Moving

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 2, 2009

Verified Purchase

The Ice Cream theory is summed up nicely in the product description. That's the surface that you need to know. What you don't know is that the voice of the author is so clear that it doesn't feel so much like reading as it does listening to a good (and unaccountably wise) friend talk about life. I've seldom read a book that hovered 'round the two hundred page mark that offered so much good advice.

This is one of those reviews where I have a problem summing up how much the material meant to me. It's like watching a movie that moves you like nothing before, like listening to a piece of music that touches your soul. You don't easily put those feelings into words. This book did that. In it you've got... well... life. It's at turns unbearably heartbreaking, remarkably funny, ridiculously witty, and terribly fun. And sometimes all of those at once.

I don't really see this as a self-help book I must say. It's more a memoir. Just so happens that in the learning experiences contained in the book the author has gained the kind of perspective that helps others in their lives just by reading it. In that sense I suppose it could be considered self-help.

I'm steering clear of saying too much about the content because frankly you need to read it yourself. You'll take away different lessons than I did. And there are lessons aplenty. It's easy to read, it's moving, it's thought provoking, and it's truly unique in it's voice. What more do you need?

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Mike D.

Simple, Sweet, and Honest

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 26, 2009

Verified Purchase

I could spend paragraphs upon paragraphs giving a positive review to the book, but if I did that, you'd be wasting time reading what I think instead of reading the book...or eating ice cream.

Simply put, this book is an honest, self-reflective-ish look at the author's own world. The short-comings, the successes, the mistakes. It reads more like a late-night chat over cocoa than the self-aggrandizing works of most authors. This unique look at the unqiue author might just be the best book your read in a long, long time.

The book is much like ice cream. It is a simple explanation/end-product of a not-always-simple journey through life.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Jason Tarr

Loved it.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 10, 2014

Verified Purchase

This was an excellent read by a refreshing, upcoming author! I look forward to Steff Deschenes' next projects and endeavors.

Helpful

Fun book about friendship

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 27, 2010

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from a book like this. Is it a memoir? Is it a self-help book? It's simply a book of humor? It's all of the above. I love the idea of the Ice Cream Theory. That just as we all have taste preferences for ice cream, we have people preferences for humans. Some people you click with and some you don't. Sometimes those preferences change with time and experience, sometimes they don't.

Steff goes through different flavors and shares anecdotes and experiences with friends and people for each one. It's a humorous and enlightening read about friendship. Rather than trying to put myself and those around me into her flavors, I found myself assigning my own. Which is what you should do.

I love ice cream. I always have. I worked at Swensen's when I was in high school and I think I tried every ice cream flavor they had and nearly every topping/ice cream combination they had. Funny how vanilla with hot fudge is still my favorite. Simple, elegant and yummy. My favorite flavor of ice cream is licorice. Not many places have it. Sub Zero does and it's phenomenal. But, I digress.

Simply put, this is a fun book. You'll laugh, you'll ponder and you'll come away wanting some ice cream!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 9, 2009

When it comes to ice cream I have always been a vanilla type of guy. I'm not a big fan of any racy combination of flavors and I certainly have no respect for anything that costs more than $2.50 a quart. While I admit that I have been known to splurge on occasion and opt for brownie bits in my ice cream, I typically stick with the staple-favors; chocolate and vanilla. That's my theory when it comes to ice cream and it's rather, well, vanilla.

Steff Deschenes, on the other hand, has written a heart-felt memoir of her life's experiences utilizing her own theories about life, love, friendships and bitter animosities...that just happens to revolve around ice cream. According to the author, every person she has known throughout her life can be likened to a flavor of ice cream. Some she loves for their unique blend of seemingly contradictory flavors, while others are appetizing only in short bursts, and leave you feeling sick to your stomach before everything is said and done.

Is a person plain, dull and ordinary like vanilla, or are they as memorable as her own first homemade batch of ice cream, warts and all? Was a friendship as great as it seemed on the surface, or was it built up in her head the same way she idolized Spanish gelato, only to be disappointed when confronted by the real thing?

Sincere in its poignancy, The Ice Cream Theory cuts to the core of the author's life's experiences in an entirely engrossing manner. While the author's own voice is clearly audible and narrates the body of the work, her trials and jubilations are so recognizable they eventually become your own. You read a story about a certain flavor and know for a fact you met a guy exactly like that once, while another flavor will remind you of a friend you used to have years ago.

Steff Deschenes' style seems similar in nature to Joan Didion's utilization of long bloviations that lead to insightful conclusions; while a story may seem to meander, it always concludes with a clever "Aha!" moment. The Ice Cream Theory is a page-turning narrative that presents a promising beginning to a young author's career.

Steff Deshenes' first book helps an individual understand that while you may enjoy vanilla, there are so many other flavors out there that simply need to be experienced. Your travels through life will cause you to meet some flavors you love, and flavors that are destined to disappoint and should have been left in your imagination. The Ice Cream Theory provides the reader with a glimpse into a strikingly unique examination of life using an absolutely charming and wonderfully addictive metaphorical approach.

4 people found this helpful

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