Reviving Ophelia, written by a Unitarian Universalist (like me) child psychologist, is a revealing look at the issues faced by teenage girls. On the recommendation of a friend who is the mother of a now 19-year old daughter, I read Pipher's case histories of various patients. Appropriate parental response is critical when problems like depression and bulimia surface, lest a beautiful 12-year old (which most are) be lost. Right behind this I read Tom Wolfe's "Charlotte Simmons". The years between 13 and 20 are certainly treacherous for a girl.

I was 13 when this book was published. Though it might have been helpful to read then, reading it now was rather pointless. I went through many of the experiences her clients went through, and I quickly grew bored with their stories.

Honestly, I don't agree with her concept. Everybody has to lose a little bit of themselves - it's called growing up. She seems idealistic and unrealistic. I don't approve of her counseling girls to dance with danger safely. So what if it's natural for teenagers to experiment with sex and alcohol; as an adult, she should be steering them clear of those dangers rather than showing them how to do it without getting hurt. Of course, I am a mother now, so I see things differently than I did at 16. To her credit, she encourages her clients to pursue other ways to get high without the use of drugs, such as exercising and meditation.

What I needed as a teenager was more boundaries, not more freedom. Pipher seems to think that young women should be treated as adults and I wholeheartedly disagree. Teenagers have no respect for authority, especially their parents'. Giving into their demands and temper tantrums does them a disservice.

Reviving Ophelia is a book written by Dr. Mary Pipher. She is a therapist that works mostly with children. This is a book about the changes a girl faces in
society as she grows up. There are many stories about a young girl who is confident and lively when she was young. However as soon as she hits junior high, she changes. She is more aware of the society around her, boys have sexual thoughts, and girls are meant to be pretty, submitting, and weak- like a beautiful rose. Dr. Pipher tells stories about the girls that come for therapy. My favorite section was the part about families. I liked how she described the ways of parenting and how it affected the children. She had case studies as examples to back up the points she made.

I enjoyed the book but don't agree with the authors point. I don't think that all girls are disturbed, or affected so much by our culture. I enjoyed how the author would make points to back up her opinions and then have case studies to back up her points. It was well researched and studied, and you could easily see that while reading this book. I would recommend reading this book even though it is hard at times to get through.

E. Clark Grand Rapids, MI

this book gives a great overview of what our children are facing. it was written in the 1990's and refers to that date, however i believe that the truths it holds are even more true today. i found it full of great information that explained alot of things. however, if you are looking for what to do to save them, this book does not really spend too much time on focusing on that though it does go over a couple suggestions briefly. i would highly recommend this book to anyone with children be they teens or not, be they girls or boys the information is invaluable. good luck to all of you out there.

For anyone raising a daughter, involved in any way with social change in our culture, or just curious about the feminine aspects of adolescence in the United States this book sheds important light on what is going on. Many case studies are covered and while there are always gaps in the knowledge base Pipher manages to provide a wide range of parental/adolescent situations. In my reading the most important aspects of the book involved the pressures our culture puts on young women, both from a historical viewpoint and the modern push. The only thing missing from this book are the more recent cultural developments paralleling the Web and all it entails.