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Ophelia Speaks

Ophelia Speaks
Adolescent Girls Write About Their Search for Self
by Sara Shandler
Hardcover: Oct 1999,
285 pages.
Paperback: Jun 1999,
285 pages.

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First book/First Novel


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Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by kmichell
inspirational
In reading this book I found a way to say all the things about my life that I had not been able to articulate. Having battled anorexia and bulimia and self-cutting for many years, I felt lost and alone. The book is so raw and real, I feel like the contributors read my mind. This book is one of survival and never before have I felt so connected to a piece of literature. The book is a must-read.

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Chelsey
I read Ophelia Speaks for the first time when I was 11, my sister brought it to me shortly after I was admitted into my first psychiatric hospital. I related to the book in so many ways. I've been sexually abused and was cutting myself for five years, requiring stitches many times, I tried to kill myself and developed a drug abuse problem. I felt like the words in the book were what I'd been searching for, a way to put my pain out into the world. I was motivated to start writing. I am not "healed" yet, maybe I never will be, but thanks to that book I have found a way to release some of me emotions in other ways than hurting myself.

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Jessika
Ophelia Speaks was there for me in a way that no one ever could be. Just reading those stories made me feel not so alone in everything. It helped me through so many rough times. It covers so many topics that whenever I needed something to help me I would just flip to the section that was bothering me and I would read the whole section. And for some reason I didnt wanna cut myself or I didnt want to die. It kinda released some kinda anger or frustration because I knew that it wasnt only me going through these things. I carry that book with me everywhere. It's the second best book to the Bible.
Jessika

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by where'smymind
i recieved this book from my mother when i was going through some major depression last year, before i started to see a councelor.

i didn't read the book right away. i tossed it under my bed with all my other books that i decided not to read, and crawled back into my bed.
a week or so later i decided to pick up the book and to take a lok at it. i started reading the firt couple stories, and then before i knew it, i couldn't put it down and finished the book in 2-3 days.

i can related so much to some of the stories in the books [intoxication/drug use, self-mutilation, depression, feminism, etc.]
it really touched my heart, and made me relize [even though i might have known it all along, but didn't regognize it right away] that i am not alone.

i still suffer from depression-- although it is not as sever as it was. and i still love to pick up the book and re-read stories out of there, and take ourt exerpts from the book, write them down, and paste them on my bedroom walls.

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Tiffany
I first saw this book in my english class......we all had to do projects on something we were interested on. One of the girls in my class decided to do this book. I had no clue what it was at first. I thought to myself oh another book. But when she explained what this was and what the book was about, i was in awe. This book touched my heart and it made me think, wow, I thought I had it bad, look at all the struggles that these people are going through. The small exerpts that I read from this book, made me emotional and I felt as thought I was part of each and every story. This motivated me so much, that I had to go out and buy the book. It is just amazing. I would definitely give it 5 stars.

Rated 5 of 5 of 5 by Viel
Ophelia Speaks is really a very great book--i have read some of the reviews for the book before and since then i have been trying hard to find copies in the bookstores until i came to one copy in a book sale. It really touched me in many ways; even though i am not part of the american culture i felt one with the voices of the adolescent girls who contributed their works in the book. I compliment Sara Shandler for having produced such a project that helped adoloescent girls all around the world. I read the book when i was 14 and up to now (i'm 16 now) whenever i feel lost or very down i always turn to its pages for comfort, and i always end up being grateful for it. I definitely love this book-- i recommend this to anyone especially adolescent girls there. This book is one to treasure. This book is for us. =)
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