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Book Review: The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow & Giveaway

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The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow is a memoir about eleven childhood friends who stand the test of time and now in their forties they are still friends – they have managed to maintain a forty year friendship. That’s amazing just on it’s own!

This is the story of Karla, Kelly, Marilyn, Jane, Jenny, Karen, Cathy, Angela, Sally, Diana and Sheila. Their bonds formed very early on in some cases but all began in childhood and while some of the girls feel closer to some than others, they are all still a group of friends. They are each unique in their own way with really their own role within the group. It was interesting to read about the dynamics in a group of friends this big.

The girls all grew up in Ames and dealt with all the normal stuff – the teenage years, the boyfriends – the usual. They were, although they say they weren’t, a popular group in high school. Any group of girls that big that always hang out together are bound to be envied and have others want to join in. However it wasn’t to be. These girls stuck together and kept their group to the eleven of them – they were definitely a clique.

Now they are spread all over yet they still manage to keep in touch whether it be by email, reunions and are always there for the big things like weddings or funerals. They are really there for each other and this I found that I really envied. When one is in trouble they all band together and send emails and flowers to show their support. One of their members, Sheila, is no longer with them as she passed away young in an accident yet they will all say she is there in spirit with them when they are all together.

I found myself laughing at some points in this book like in the maxi pad scene and tearing at others like the illness of one of their children. I didn’t really make any connections to any one person in this book because I don’t think it’s told in a way that you can. Being in my forties as well though I did find many of the things they experienced in their teen years to be the same as what I did in mine in terms of music, hairstyles, or movies. It was fun to take a bit of a trip down memory lane.

These women are very lucky to have each other. To have a friendship that has endured as this one has and is still going strong is extremely special and now they are passing it down a generation by having their children get together as well and I think that’s great. There’s a quote from Kelly that’s my favorite…

  • ‘Having these women in my world has meant not only acceptance, but radiant joy and laughter that knocks me right out of my chair. Through our darkest moments, we have lifted each other up. In every moment of grief we’ve shared, our laughter is a life vest, a secure promise that we will not go under.’ (pg 261)

I think that sums up this group of ladies and their friendship so well. I read The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow for his book tour with TLC Book Tours. You can see the other tour stops for The Girls from Ames here. You can buy your very own copy of The Girls from Ames here in the US and here in Canada.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

I have 1 copy of The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow up for giveaway courtesy of Penguin Group. To enter…

  • For 1 entry leave me a comment with a way to contact you.
  • For 2 entries tell me if you’re a part of a great group of friends like this one.
  • For 3 entries blog or tweet this giveaway.

The giveaway is open to US & Canadian residents only (no PO boxes) as the book will be shipped to the winner directly from the publisher. I will draw for the winner of Sunday, May 30, 2010. Good luck!

My thanks to Lisa with TLC Book Tours and Penguin Group for my review copy of The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow.

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Comments

  1. The best books appear for your giveaways. Thank you for being so very generous always.

    I follow.

    mystica123athotmaildotcom

  2. This is sereptitious! A friend of mine just recommended this book to me, based on my recent experience of reuniting with high school friends and remembering why we loved each other way back then. And, one of them died recently, like in the book. I think this book is something that all of my friends would love to read. Please enter me! rnawrot at cfl dot rr dot com

  3. Thanks for the giveaway. I would love to win this. Crossing my fingers!

    lizzi0915 at aol dot com

  6. I love books about women's friendships, so I'd love to read this. When we lived in Auburn, I belonged to a bunco group that was much like the women from Ames and I'm still in close contact with many of them. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

  9. Thanks for the giveaway – I love books about friendships.

    I don't have a 'group' of friends like this one, but I do have a couple of very old friends that I know I can always count on.

    lcbrower40(at)gmail(dot)com

  10. I never had a group of friends like this one, but have read quite a few books about groups of women friends. Have you ever read The Necklace? Much is similar in the two books, and I think you'd enjoy it. I'd love a copy of this book to try for myself, so please do enter me in your giveaway!!

    I am also a follower of your blog via google reader!

    zibilee(at)figearo(dot)net

  11. I've seen this one and am really interested in reading it. I wish I had a group of friends like this.

    I am a follower.

    teresasreadingcorner at gmail dot com

  12. Please include me! Would love to read this one!

    Thanks!
    dcf_beth at verizon dot net

  13. I used to have a group of women I would hang with every weekend but then I had two children real closed together so my time became theirs and not my own. I still talk to one friend who is my BFF (as the kids say) and she is all I need! thanks!

    dcf_beth at verizon dot net

  14. Thanks for the giveaway. This sounds like a very good book. I'd love to win it.

    forwhlz at gmail dot com

  15. Don't enter me dear as I'm on the tour too…I just finished this one last night…wasn't a good one for me.

  19. Great giveaway! This book sounds awesome. Please enter me.

    I follow on gfc

    mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

  20. I've heard good things about this one and would love the chance to read it! I'm part of a group of friends like this – my two best friends since I was three years old. Unfortunately, I recently had a falling out with one, but am still very close with the other!

    skrishna [at] skrishnasboooks [dot] com

  22. Although I am no longer that close with my friends from my high school days, I have a wonderful group of women that I spend time with now. I think it is so important to have great women in your life.
    joannelong74 AT gmail DOT com

  23. I have seen some great reviews of this book, thanks for the chance to win!

    +2 I am a follower.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

  24. This one caught my eye as I am only about 30 miles from Ames.
    Sounds like they have done a good job of keeping in touch with each other.
    No need to enter me, good luck to everyone!

  25. Too bad I cannot enter for the giveaway but still, thank you for reviewing it, Dar. I've seen a few other reviews of the same and they're all saying good things about it!

  28. This book sounds awesome. I would love to win a copy.

    Smiles,
    Cindy W.

    countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

  29. I wish I could say I had a great group of friends that I grew up with but unfortunately I was an Air Force brat who traveled and said goodbye to friends while embracing new ones. There are pros and cons but if I had my choice I would have lived in the same town my entire life with the same group of friends even if some moved away.

    Smiles,
    Cindy W.

    countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com

  32. This book kind of sounds like The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants but with an adult twist. 11 characters though — did you have any difficulty keeping them all straight in your head? I think I would…

  33. I have a group of friends called the beach gals because every August we rent a beach house in the outer banks for a week – for some of us it's the only time we see each other. We have beeen doing it for about 14 years. This sounds like a great book to read at the beach. Please enter me in the giveaway.

  35. No need to enter me. Just wanted to say I enjoyed your review. SOunds like a warm and happy book.

  36. This book sounds very inviting. I do have a group of friends I can rely on, and it is a great feeling.

    Eileen
    felinmanor@aol dot com

  37. I have been dying to read this book!! Thanks so much for the giveaway!!

    I have a couple girlfriends that I picked up and moved across the country with – it was the most amazing experience!

    areallibrarian[at}gmail[dot]com

  38. Omg.this sounds so great!

    I have my group of friends :]

    fun.fun.fun

    tanya_starpower at yahoo dot com

  41. I have seen great reviews of this book! Thanks for hosting!

    leenbeen2001 (at) yahoo (dot) com

  43. I would love to read about this group of women! Please enter me.
    Thank you!

    debraldufek AT hotmail DOT com

  44. I don't have a large group of women but a group of 5 or 6 that I know I can always count on. A few years we all took a vacation during the spring. It was wonderful.

    debraldufek AT hotmail DOT com

  46. I have a small group of friends from school…we don't all live in
    the same area, but we keep in touch via email and in person when we travel.
    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

  47. This sounds like a good read…its always nice to read books about friendship… and I have to agree with the comment from Mystica..you surely have some of the good books in your giveaways and am not complaining… 🙂

    archanaskorner(at)gmail(dot)com

    -arch

  48. I'm sorry for the long delay in getting over here, but thank you for the terrific review, and for being on the tour. We really appreciate it!

  50. I do have a group of friends like this. We travel together.

    bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

  52. I wish I was part of a great group of friend like this one but I'm not…any longer anyway. I was in college and law school. I still have my college friends and I can count on them although we don't see each other much anymore. But my law school friends who live around where I live now dropped away as my disablity increased and my health problems worsened. I wasn't able to go out like they were and often had to cancel plans. That can cause people to drift away unfortunately.

    Thank you for this terrific giveaway!

    Aimala127@gmail.com

  54. Thanks for the giveaway. This sounds like a great book.

    Marie
    utah91960[at]yahoo[dot]com

  56. I'm intrigued by this book because yes indeed I am part of several such great groups of friends. One group has been together since grammar school — we used to run home together to watch "Dark Shadows." Some other friends joined us in junior high & we are all still buds. I also have another group that I met in junior college — 35 years and we're still going strong. And still a couple of other groups of musicians, college friends, etc.

    I am very fortunate to be a member of each and every group because they are all eclectic wonderful people.

    JHS
    Colloquium

    admin at jhsiess dot com

  57. This was nominated for our last book club. It didn't make it but I'd still like to read it

    aksimmo at brainerd dot net

  60. +2 I do have a great group of friends that all bonded over a mom's group for newborns when our kids were born. There are 12 of us that still regularly meet about twice a month for coffee, friendship and fun and our kids are almost teenagers now.

    kerrie@mayansfamily.com

  62. I don't really have a group of friends, but I do have 3 wonderful sisters.

    hawkes(at)citlink.net

  65. I just ordered this book and can't wait to read it! I can totally relate, I have a group of seven girlfriends who have been friends since childhood. One of the girls mom was the kindergarten teacher to 3 of us, that's how it all started. How many women can say their kindergarten teacher attended their wedding? I can think of at least three! We even have a collaborative blog together: http://www.lylasandco.com/