Comments on: Everyone is Beautiful Bookclub

By: karen k

karen k — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 21:37:06 +0000

I would love to read this book…please add my name to the giveaway. thanks.
kmkuka(at)yahoo(dot)com

By: Friday Finds: June 5th « mommablogsalot

Friday Finds: June 5th « mommablogsalot — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:28:49 +0000

[...] Is Beautiful: A Novel by Katherine Center – 5 Minutes For Books just featured this book in their Tuesday Book Carnival and my friend Jean @ Working Momma 247 gave [...]

By: anner1010

anner1010 — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:39:11 +0000

I loved this book. It was a quick and easy book but at the same time it hit some deep issues that I think all women, not just moms, experience. Being a Southern girl, relocated to New England with two small children, and later to Texas (with the same slightly older children), I felt an immediate connection to Lanie. The initial isolation and almost sense of abandonment she feels seemed familiar. I don’t think moving cross country is a prerequisite to those feelings…we can have those perceptions at any point in life. In the midst of her circumstances, though, Lanie demonstrates what should be a life skill for us all — she embraces friendships with the people around her, without regard to how incredibly different from her they are. We see how we can all benefit from and be beneficial to those around us. When we moved to Texas I ran into a college friend in a bookstore and we were able to pick up our friendship where we left off years ago. When Lanie immediately meets her high school friend in the park, I was reminded how important someone familiar can be in a time of transition. Lanie finds time for herself which she uses to define/redefine herself, which in turn, makes her more useful to her family. She doesn’t let her college degree (a choice we all made at a young age) limit her job and hobby possibilities for the rest of her life. This book does an awesome job of using humor and bluntness to address the small and big issues of life that we all experience in some way…in the end we are encouraged and empowered to keep going.

From Dawn: It sounds like you have such actual similarities with this story! And I so agree that the humor and bluntness was a perfectly real way to address these issues. I’m so glad that you enjoyed this read!

By: Nise

Nise — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 01:27:12 +0000

What a great book! Here's my post. My link did not go through yesterday.

By: Podcast and Tweet-Up with author Katherine Center

Podcast and Tweet-Up with author Katherine Center — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:37:33 +0000

[...] Dawn and I, along with readers Kipi and Jean, had a very interesting chat with Katherine Center about her book Everyone is Beautiful. [...]

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:37:33 +0000

Here’s my post. Thanks for the recommendation Dawn, I thought it was a perfect summer read!

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 05:27:59 +0000

Here’s my post:

http://mountainsofbooks.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/everyone-is-beautiful-bookclub-5m4b/

A question I’d ask Katherine (that I think someone else already asked) is, how much of Lanie is Katherine?

By: Carrie K.

Carrie K. — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 05:20:25 +0000

Here’s my post:

http://booksandmovies.colvilleblogger.com/2009/05/27/book-review-everyone-is-beautiful-by-katherine-center/

By: Mary Ellen

Mary Ellen — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 22:34:33 +0000

Another non-blogger here, but I too just have to comment (and hope to win a goody).

I loved Lanie and swear Katherine was following me around way back when. The total immersion into the being of our children often gives we mothers the excuse/opportunity to escape from the commitment to our marriages. My question is will Katherine will be creating something else wonderful using the absolutely spot-on depiction of the turmoil a marriage faces when raising young children?

From Dawn: Oh, was Katherine stalking you, as well? I’m right with you, and yes, those early years of parenting can take their toll on a marriage (says the mom of a 1, 3 and 8 year old!). Great question, too– we’ll put it on the list for the call!

By: GAhome2mom

GAhome2mom — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:04:55 +0000

How did you come up with the idea for your characters in this book? Was it from someone’s life that you are familiar with or close to? Thanks.

From Dawn: Great questions– we’ll ask Katherine those during the conference call! Thanks for commenting!

By: foodie plus 4

foodie plus 4 — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:44:09 +0000

Sorry, I don’t have a book blog but wanted to comment!
I, too, liked this book and could SO relate to having many children pulling me in too many directions. The author did very well in describing the challenges that most moms seem to face. Lanie seemed a more relaxed mom than I am and was confident in that she didn’t care too much what people thought. I admired that in her. She did seem a little disconnected with her husband, which is always a signal of trouble ahead. But I liked her optimism and courage. I would like to ask the author what other ending she considered or if the published ending was the only one.

From Dawn: We definitely welcome non-bloggers! I agree that Katherine Center was spot-on for those crazy parenting moments when all three children decide to go berserk at the same time! The disconnect with her husband was sad, but so easily understandable in their busy situation. Glad you enjoyed the book!