Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsHeartfelt honesty from a courageous single mom
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2011
It absolutely sickens me that there are 28+ one-star reviews on a book. Of the 36 reviews as of this writing, only 3 purchased the book on Amazon. As a Mom and a human being, I feel compelled to take those 28 out for some clubbing, halibut style. Honestly, I don't know how the Palin's remain so graceful in the face of such outright, naked, hate filled negativity. Ann Coulter pegged the haters in her current book, Demonic. The Palin Family (and the Heath's) are to be commended for their strength of character!
Bristol Palin is 20 years old. Bristol Palin is a single mother. I really thought the left and the book appreciating Amazon set embraced youth and non-traditional pathways in life. Whoops! I guess all that peace and love stuff is cover for jealousy and hate...and I hope you one day realize that the perverse joy you take in ripping Bristol is actually the Devil (yeah, THAT Devil) reaching up through body and getting you to write from a blind position.
Well, unlike most of you, I actually read Bristol's book - ebeginning to e-end. I found it to be a touchingly human story of a young woman's first two decades of life, the last three years of which have been played out on the national stage. At no time did I forget I was reading a book written from the standpoint of a 20 year old, and this memoir is on par with other books completed with the help of a co-author. It's not fine literature, but it is compelling read for those who like timely memiors. At points, the Mom in me was screaming "confide in your mother and father" and "stay away from that toxic Johnston Family"! Young people often have to find things out the hard way. And while most lessons are learned in private, some (like sex outside of marriage) have very public outcomes and life altering results. Bristol is an average young woman in a not so average situation. She discusses her decisions, her failings, her attempts to make things right, and those that seemingly worked against her due to misunderstanding or envy. She ultimately takes charge of her life and her future by finding ways to earn money (DWTS, appearances, this book) so that she and her son can live independently and in comfort. Quite simply, she has done more than most young mothers her age, including purchasing a home with her take home pay from DWTS. Any attempts to paint her as stupid or dumb are utterly false; she, like her parents, has the innate ability to make a silk purse out of a sows ear. She is rapidly developing the same Teflon that Sarah seems to enjoy.
Now, there are some truisms that Bristol and other young women in her position should realize. If you come from a large, loving, CONSERVATIVE family, you should talk things out with your parents, older siblings, and / or older relatives. In most instances, your family will help you navigate the difficult road ahead. If you and/or they are true conservatives, you will choose life...and either keep your child or give your child up for adoption. Too often, misguided parents will drag their daughters to places that will eliminate the newest family member...how they fail to recognize a grandchild is beyond me. The scars from abortion last a lifetime; ask anyone who bravely stands outside places that do abortions. Many of those people know first hand, and all of them know someone who has had one and now deeply regrets that decision. Bristol is fortunate to have a fantastic family and a vast network of support; would that all young women have this. (Support is out there if you lack it in your family; reach out to groups that are pro-life.)
When it comes to who should read this book, I would recommend teenagers who are exhibiting a penchant for Mr. / Ms. Wrong. Levi was a Mr. Wrong even back in middle school, and young women should learn to recognize the signs of a cad...especially young women with potential, like the straight A student Bristol Palin. And, young adults should also learn to recognize the signs of an unstable family and how they, even with the biggest of hearts, can't undo the damage in damaged goods. I honestly fear for Bristol and Tripp; Levi's older sibling reminds me of a bully who once terrorized me. Here's a hint: if you have a choice, stay away from people with relatives that threaten you. I would also recommend this book for parents. Being a parent of a pregnant daughter, or a son who is now a future father, is tough. You have to have strength and wisdom to act as a mentor, not as a judgmental parent clinging to the dream you expected. You, like the Palin's, have to consider the world your grandchild is coming into...how will the child be supported, is the other parent mature enough to be a parent, do you want your child to be with the other parent, how can we keep our child on an academic track, and how do we announce and protect our family from society that suddenly feels the need to insert themselves into the equation. I'm sure Sarah and Todd wish they had taken more control of the situation given all the heartache Levi and his family have caused. And sadly, a strong recommend for those of you who obsess over the Palin's; you can always tuck a copy in with those 24,000 emails.
All in all, a good book, a quick read, a reminder of why we benefit from our respective religious faiths once we ask for help, and a cautionary tale with a tearjerker of an ending. Bristol, pay no heed to the one star reviews...there are many of us out here that consider you and your family part of our extended national family, and we will be posting better reviews. May God continue to bless you and your family.