Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far By Bristol Palin

Yes I read this book. And yes, I grabbed it off the biography shelf as my two year old was running around hiding in the aisles and my baby was crying. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have read it. But I did. Don't get on Bristol's bad side, cause she will let everyone know all about it. Didn't love the book and wouldn't recommend it, but it was an easy read and the first book I was able to successfully finish since my baby was born 2 months ago. Another reader's review sums up the book perfectly,

Bristol...just seems very, very immature. I feel sorry for her. The majority of this book is an attempt to insult and bring down the father of her child, and I don't really think Levi has a great reputation anyways, so I think putting that many insults about the father of your child into print, for him to read later in life, shows pretty poor planning. I think she claims to take responsibility for her actions only because it sounds good; I don't think she actually does. She claims to be independent but then admits never really being alone. And she's constantly trying to complain about being poor and having to buy diapers and struggle to pay bills, and Levi not paying all his child support, and then she buys *two* houses, with money from her endorsements, which she only has because her mom is famous. She's done nothing to warrant that kind of money, and she acts like she earned it fairly and with great effort. It's honestly insulting to those of us that actually study/work/succeed on our own. Bristol Palin I've read this book for a number of reasons.

1) I've been to Alaska (Skagway, Ketchikan, Juneau, and Anchorage).

2) I am Bristol's age.

3) I've always been interested in politics.

Bristol Palin obviously thinks she is a faultless damsel... As I've noticed another reader had mentioned you need to take her word with a grain of salt. Bristol Palin I wasn't sure what I would think of this but it is actually a really good book about the true life struggles of teen mother's. JUst finished this book. I was pleasantly surprised. It was really good and she was very honest about what she had gone through. Bristol Palin if nothing else, the 20 minutes it took me to read this book really got me thinking about ghostwriters. Bristol Palin Oh boy. Where do I begin?

Let's start with the positives, right? This is a beautiful cover. The black and white photography looks crisp and adorable, and the fonts are pretty perfect.

Now, let's go inside the pages.

So, I'm not an overtly political person, and this is just a review of the autobiography itself -- nothing of the politics. Basically, this is Bristol Palin's 250+ defense of why becoming a teen mom was -- well -- pretty much, somehow, amazingly -- not really her fault.

Pretty much the majority of the book blames the boyfriend, who does of course sound like a deadbeat -- but then again, so did everyone who didn't have the last name Palin -- especially that Meghan character -- so you have to wonder how unbiased this girl could possibly be here. And, okay, I get it -- I lived an insanely sheltered teenage life, full of all kinds of controls up even through college -- but even *I* knew where babies came from and how to get drunk, even if I didn't do it. I don't think the readers are buying that this was really as mystifying to Bristol and she tries to convey.

There were parts where I felt like the story teller was trying to take a witty stance -- but it just came off as almost bitchy instead. In all honesty, this felt a LOT like that Amber Frey book I read a while back -- a 200 or so page overly-sappy self-indulgent defense of why she's still an amazingly moral, innocent girl even after all that Scott Peterson hoop-la.

Except, this one didn't leave me nearly as irritated. You get the impression that this is just a young barely-20-something who wants to bask in the sparkle and glam as long as she wants, and someone says -- hey, Bristol -- it's be a great idea to write your autobiography. Never mind the fact that you're not really old enough to have enough of a life story, but it will make money and you can make yourself sound good. And, like most girls her age, she said okay.

It had it's moments that were interesting -- like some of the brief campaigning and stuff. Then of course, like most celeb tales, we get to see her charity work and hear how fabulous she is.

You can tell from the cover, title, and subject if you'll like this one, I think. I doubt this review was at all necessary... Bristol Palin

When her mother, Sarah Palin, became the Republican Vice-Presidential candidate in 2008, Bristol Palin was instantly propelled into the national spotlight, becoming the focus of intense public and national media scrutiny at the age of seventeen. In Not Afraid of Life, she shares with readers for the first time ever personal moments from her life—from her Alaskan roots to her pregnancy and single motherhood to her star turn on TV’s enormously popular Dancing with the Stars. This candid memoir is a heartfelt true story of a woman who is centered by her strong Christian faith and is Not Afraid of Life.
Not Afraid of Life: My Journey So Far

I bought this book thinking it would be an easy read; easy it was not. Not because her writing was so thought provoking, but mostly because she comes off as an imbecile who thinks she never does anything wrong. You had to take everything she was saying with a grain of salt, and I think a memoir is more about being honest than making yourself look faultless.

The only thing I do like about the book is her side of the election, pregnancy and her crazy baby daddy.
Bristol Palin I was really disappointed in this book. I had read hoping to find out more about the difficulties of being a teenage mother, but Ms Palin really glossed over that, choosing instead to use the book to discuss her views on her ex-fiance (it's disappointing that she would choose to publicly insult her child's father, regardless of his actions) and the McCains, as well as the lamesteam media. I would not suggest this to someone interested in the experience of teen parenthood.

She is also incredibly judgemental of those who have made different sexual choices than she has. It's wonderful that Ms Palin feels comfortable with her decision to abstain from further sex before marriage, but disappointing that she chooses to claim that all who disagree with her are emotionally damaged. Bristol Palin It was interesting enough... right up til the Dancing With the Stars stuff. I hate when a celebrity memoir dedicates so many pages to DWTS. It’s truly so boring! Bristol Palin I've also read Sarah Palin's book and Meghan McCain's book, so I was intrigued to get yet another angle on many of the same events. I found Sarah's book interesting, and it actually improved my opinion of her, where I now believe she is probably great on a state level, but I wouldn't trust her for various reasons at a national level (and I still think she's a little sheltered). I was surprisingly impressed by Meghan's book, and found myself feeling like I would enjoy sitting down and talking with her, despite being on opposite political ends. I thought she was well-spoken and made her own decisions. Bristol...just seems very, very immature. I feel sorry for her. The majority of this book is an attempt to insult and bring down the father of her child, and I don't really think Levi has a great reputation anyways, so I think putting that many insults about the father of your child into print, for him to read later in life, shows pretty poor planning. I think she claims to take responsibility for her actions only because it sounds good; I don't think she actually does. She claims to be independent but then admits never really being alone. And she's constantly trying to complain about being poor and having to buy diapers and struggle to pay bills, and Levi not paying all his child support, and then she buys *two* houses, with money from her endorsements, which she only has because her mom is famous. She's done nothing to warrant that kind of money, and she acts like she earned it fairly and with great effort. It's honestly insulting to those of us that actually study/work/succeed on our own.

I was also amused at the way Meghan in her book talks about how the Palins were always wearing expensive clothes and she was wearing cheap clothes, and Bristol writes the opposite, that Meghan bragged about her expensive taste and she wore cheap clothes (although Bristol talks about having boxes and boxes of designer jeans...another contradiction). Contrasting the stories in all three books is really interesting.

Sample petty quote about Meghan: You could tell as she yelled there was something quite complex going on inside her. Or at least I liked to think so.

Sample insulting while pretending not to be insulting quote about my state: I always listen to country music, and I felt that [a country singer] was totally normal in a city of people made of plastic. The people I met in California were so obsessed with their bodies, their clothes, and their cars...There's nothing necessarily wrong about the way they lived, but being consumed with image is not just something I'm used to.

A little ironic/hypocritical from someone who only has money because of image.

She's just a kid, I know, and I do think she's a great mother. But I otherwise found this a frustrating read.

Bristol Palin I'm almost embarrassed to admit I picked this up and am continuing to read it. However I was interested for several reasons. Just like when I read her mother's book, I think it is important to learn about some of these so called celebrities before so harshly judging them.

What I think so far:
*She talks a lot about her mother and recounts stories that were brought up in Sarah's book... (hmm, could they have been written by one person?? Could this be another campaign strategy?)
*I think it might be nice for teens to read and have someone to relate to, in terms of saying you want to remain pure until marriage and then making a mistake. It happens to the best of us, and it is important to pick yourself back up, rather than beating yourself up about it.
*It should have been better edited. She was talking about riding to school with her brother and the base was pounding. (Either the ghost writer or someone at HarperCollins should have caught that one during editing read-throughs. It is BASS. Maybe she is just like her mother and doesn't read, so she wouldn't know the difference).
*Another example of that is when she is talking about her road trip from Alaska to LA and says they stopped in Utah at a city called Cedar. Really?!? It is Cedar City *shakes head*
*She skips around in time a lot. It would have been nice to put even an approximate date to events, such as her run on DWTS.

Overall, I think the point of the book was good albeit too long. Talking openly & honestly about her struggles with teenage pregnancy & motherhood, trying to see the good in Levi but having to realize she can't fix him. I think a lot of teens struggle with that. I know I did when I was a teen in a similar situation. I think she spent too much time talking about her mom, although I see that she was trying to show that she wanted a similar childhood and family for her son. I don't like the fact that she never mentions considering adoption. I don't know if she ever did but too many teens & people in general disregard it, thinking thet have two choices, abortion or parenting.

I also wish that she would have included more about her future plans in terms of schooling. She talked about wanting to finish high school (which she did) and then learn a trade. But then she became famous and it sounds like she doesn't even work @ the drs office anymore. She may be the exception and be able to support her son on her DWTS winnings, book deal, & other tabloid deals, but it isn't realistic especially if the point of the book was to encourage other teen parents. Bristol Palin

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