The Bad Mother's Handbook (Bookring)

by KATE LONG | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0330419323 Global Overview for this book
Registered by KatColorado of Zürich, Zürich Switzerland on 6/22/2004
Buy from one of these Booksellers:
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17 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by KatColorado from Zürich, Zürich Switzerland on Tuesday, June 22, 2004
I bought this book because of the title. There are a lot of books, that tell you how to become a good mother, but a bad mother's handbook???

It's the story of Nan, Karen and Charlotte, three generations of women who live together in a crowded house. Nan is the oldest, she lives mostly in the past and loses important letters in the toaster. Karen is Nan's adoptive daughter and Charlotte's mother. She is very unhappy with her live and convinced, that she missed on a lot of things because she was a mother with 16 and has to take care now both of her daughter and her mother. Charlotte is just 17 and a good student. Unexpectedly she repeats her mother's history and gets pregnant.

The story is told by the three different women. I liked the book a lot, because, they are all normal persons with a lot of problems, who don't give up because of them.

Journal Entry 2 by KatColorado from Zürich, Zürich Switzerland on Saturday, August 14, 2004
I will send the book on a bookring, but really hope it will get home to me safely!!!

Order of Participants (still changing, I will order them later)

1. KatColorado
2. bookwolves (Schweiz)
3. zazou (Schweiz)
4. Aimee-Julie (Deutschland)
5. concertina8 (Österreich)
6. Brujula (France)
7. loribee (United Kingdom)
8. tabyorky (United Kingdom)
9. kirst040 (Australia, can ship international)
10. Lisagt (Australia)
11. binkybuffy (Australia)
12. miss-gonewest (Australia)
13. silverstarry (USA)
14. juicy-comrade (Canada)
15. Icila (France)
16. punkrockbiene (Germany)
and in the end again to KatColorado please <------ the book is here

Journal Entry 3 by KatColorado at on Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Released on Wednesday, August 18, 2004 at Postal release in Zürich, Zürich Controlled Releases.

Nachdem ich eben gerade all meine ehemaligen SchülerInnen -Bibliothekarinnen - Kenntnisse mobilisiert habe und das Buch eingebunden habe (so ein Umschlag würde die Reise um die Welt sicher nicht so gut überstehen), werde ich das Buch heute auf die Reise schicken ins Toggenburg.

Weil ich das Buch irgendwann gerne wieder in meiner Permanent Collection haben möchte, habe ich es nicht gelabelt sondern nur den BCID reingeschrieben.

Journal Entry 4 by bookwolves from Stein, St. Gallen Switzerland on Monday, September 6, 2004
Das Buch ist tipptopp bei uns angekommen und liegt nun doch schon einige Tage auf unserem Tisch. Ich gebe mir ganz fest Mühe, es baldmöglichst zu lesen.

Journal Entry 5 by zazou from Saint-Prex, Vaud Switzerland on Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Received it yesterday.
Look forward to reading it!


Journal Entry 6 by zazou from Saint-Prex, Vaud Switzerland on Monday, November 8, 2004
I really enjoyed this book. To me it is typically English: tragedy of life narrated with humor. The characters are all the more lovable.

Mailed to Aimee-Julie :)

Journal Entry 7 by Aimee-Julie from Kelkheim, Hessen Germany on Monday, November 15, 2004
Book arrived save and sound. Can't wait until tonight:) My little daughter loves the teddybears on the picture postcard.

Journal Entry 8 by Aimee-Julie from Kelkheim, Hessen Germany on Sunday, December 5, 2004
Ein nettes Buch, hatte mir aber mehr davon versprochen, bei dem Titel;-) Habe es zu Concertina8 nach Österreich geschickt.

Journal Entry 9 by concertina8 on Thursday, December 9, 2004
...uh-oh! another bookring...
i'm in the middle of a book(ring) right now. hope to get to this one by next week.

...

i absolutely enjoyed this book! all three women were likeable in ther own way and i really cared about what happened to them. i had to restrain myself from reading until waaaay past midnight and saved up the last chapter for last night. this is what life really is (or could be) - it's good to know that with a little bit of luck you can eventually manage. thx for sharing KatColorado!

already got the next address. the book will be on its way shortly.

Released on Monday, December 20, 2004 at about 10:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring Controlled Releases.

RELEASE NOTES:

...the book is already on its way to france!

Journal Entry 11 by Brujula from Valenciennes, Nord-Pas-de-Calais France on Thursday, December 30, 2004
Received in the mail yesterday!
Thank you concertina8 and KatColorado!

Journal Entry 12 by Brujula from Valenciennes, Nord-Pas-de-Calais France on Saturday, January 22, 2005
I've really enjoyed this book. The characters are real, the situations too. The three women are really lovable, and you feel with them as they tell their story.

Thank you very much for sharing this book, KatColorado.

I'm mailing it today to loribee

Journal Entry 13 by loribee from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Friday, January 28, 2005
Just arrived from la belle France! Merci bien, KatColorado, Brujula & all concerned!
Looking forward to reading this one, it seems like a situation I've three times been in as child, mother & now grandmother!
A few days later:
An enjoyable, nostalgic read which is thought-provoking and is quite haunting in some ways.
Off to tabyorky tomorrow!

Journal Entry 14 by tabyorky from Doncaster, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, February 8, 2005
Received in the post. Will put in my TBR pile and pass on to the next person as soon as possible.

Journal Entry 15 by tabyorky from Doncaster, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, March 2, 2005
Started reading this book.

Journal Entry 16 by tabyorky from Doncaster, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 8, 2005
I really enjoyed this book. Found it hard to put down once I had started reading it.

Journal Entry 17 by tabyorky from Doncaster, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 8, 2005
Sent a pm to Chelseagirl but she has already read this book so have sent a pm to the next person instead.

Journal Entry 18 by tabyorky from Doncaster, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Thursday, March 10, 2005
Sent a pm to grooble, but has already read the book so have sent a pm to kirst040 for their address.

Journal Entry 19 by tabyorky from Doncaster, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Monday, March 14, 2005
Posted book to kirst040

Journal Entry 20 by kirst040 from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Monday, March 28, 2005
This arrived last week but I've been moving house so haven't had computer access. Thanks tabyorky and everyone else who's read and passed this along.
I'm about half way through my current book and will get to this next.

Journal Entry 21 by kirst040 from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, April 3, 2005
Hmm...everyone else on this ring has enjoyed this (although I can't read the first couple of journal entries !!) but I can't say that I was similarly enamoured. I had difficulty following who was narrating which was frustrating and although I had sympathy for Karen I really didn't take to her character at all. It was just a pleasant read.

I did get a comment on the train one morning with a guy asking me if I was in training to become a bad mother !!

Thanks for starting this bookring KatColorado and thanks to everyone else that has passed it on. I have PM'd lisagt and will pass on once I get the address.

Journal Entry 22 by kirst040 from Sydney CBD, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, April 7, 2005
Mailed to lisagt 07/04/2005

Journal Entry 23 by Lisagt from Holsworthy, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, April 10, 2005
Safely received in the mail today from Kirst040 - thank you! I've got a couple of books in front of it but I'll get to it ASAP...

Journal Entry 24 by Lisagt from Holsworthy, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, April 24, 2005
To be honest it took me a while to like this book and to want to keep reading but by the the middle I was enjoying it. I found it confusing at first as to which character was speaking but once I recognised their 'font' I was fine! Somtimes I skimmed Nan's entries as they didn't seem to advance the story (just ramblings I guess, like her character).
I didn't know what to expect of this book but the title made me laugh when I read it on the Forum posts so thanks KatColorado for starting this bookring up. I doubt I would have read this book otherwise...

I'm just waiting to get binkybuffy's address and the book will be on it's way again.

Edit: Posted to binkybuffy on 29/4/05.

Journal Entry 25 by binkybuffy from Adelaide, South Australia Australia on Monday, May 16, 2005
Half way through and will be finished in a couple of days and enjoying it as its very real life like so it will be on its way very soon as I get miss gonewest address

Journal Entry 26 by binkybuffy from Adelaide, South Australia Australia on Thursday, June 9, 2005
I sent the book on to miss gonewest on the 20th May. I really enjoyed it. It is very real life like moreso than other books. Havent heard so I hope miss gonewest received it will send a message as I notice it hasnt been journaled I am also late with my journal updates.

Journal Entry 27 by miss-gonewest from Perth City, Western Australia Australia on Thursday, June 9, 2005
Caught last Friday in my mailbox... my apologies for not journalling earlier but a relationship breakup kept me away from my PC!

Have read a page or two and am looking forward to reading this now that my head is clearing... hopefully it will be an entertaining distraction.

Will post back here shortly with my thoughts.

Thanks to Kat for starting this ring.

Journal Entry 28 by miss-gonewest from Perth City, Western Australia Australia on Sunday, June 19, 2005
I tried and I tried and I tried to get into this book... I have battled through to about halfway and I don't know if I can go on!

Its an entertaining read, but I just cannot work out which character is which; maybe its me and my headspace at the moment, but its just too confusing for me to get the gist.

I'll have another go, but will also PM the next in line for their address in case I can't finish the book.

I am so sorry - I get really annoyed when I can't enjoy a book... but I guess this one just isn't for me, at this time.

UPDATE: This has been posted to the next reader... sorry for not journalling when posted!

Journal Entry 29 by miss-gonewest at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, August 1, 2005

Released 18 yrs ago (7/4/2005 UTC) at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

This has been posted... I totally forgot to make release notes.

It was sent via airmail to the USA, and should be arriving in Silverstarry's mailbox any day now!

Journal Entry 30 by silverstarry from Berkeley, California USA on Friday, August 5, 2005
Just received this in the mail today - can't wait to read it

Journal Entry 31 by silverstarry from Berkeley, California USA on Wednesday, August 10, 2005
This was an okay read. I recognized Nan's distinctive font, but Charlotte and Karen's were too similar, as were their voices. Despite this, it was an interesting book. Charlotte's description of losing her virginity was brilliant! "Why didn't they warn us at school? I'm sure if some teacher had said, 'Oh and by the way, it feels like someone sandpapering your cervix,' they needn't have bothered with all the AIDS warnings and morality stuff." I didn't really identify with any of the characters - Karen and Charlotte were both dealing with the consequences of their actions, but not always in a manner that allowed the reader to sympathize. Teen pregnancy? Usually a situation where I can feel a bit of sympathy for the character, but Charlotte was so immature and ungrateful - deciding to keep the baby to spite her mom's advice to have an abortion, pushing Daniel away when he was the only one being nice to her, etc. I realize many teenagers ARE immature and ungrateful, but she was often just as annoying to me as she was to her poor mother.

Thanks to KatColorado for sharing this book!

Journal Entry 32 by silverstarry from Berkeley, California USA on Friday, August 12, 2005
Mailed to juicy-comrade today!

Journal Entry 33 by juicy-comrade from Victoria, British Columbia Canada on Tuesday, August 23, 2005
It just came in the mail.

Journal Entry 34 by juicy-comrade from Victoria, British Columbia Canada on Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Good book. I loved Nan; I've spent the last three months living with my grandmother who tends to ramble and repeat herself quite a bit, so I think that character was spot on. Actually, I thought that all the characters were pretty well done. Even though I wanted to punch Karen in the mouth for being so selfish throughout the whole book, it's a good mark that the book was able to pull me in emotionally like that.

Journal Entry 35 by wingIcilawing from Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Monday, November 7, 2005
I received this book 2 days ago and yet I am in !

Journal Entry 36 by wingIcilawing from Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Thursday, November 17, 2005
It was such a pleasure to read this book !
(I had some troubles with the casual language but finally it's OK).
Thanks for the bookring.

Journal Entry 37 by wingIcilawing from Nantes, Pays de la Loire France on Monday, November 21, 2005
Mailed today.

Journal Entry 38 by punkrockbiene from Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg Germany on Monday, November 28, 2005
This came in the mail several days ago, I just hadn't gotten around to posting it, sorry!

Am already in the middle of reading and will post back once I'm finished.

Thanks to Icila for the postcard! :-)

Journal Entry 39 by punkrockbiene from Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg Germany on Thursday, December 1, 2005
OK, I'm done- and I liked it a lot!
Although I have to agree with what some readers before me said, Charlotte really got on my nerves at times! Surely having a baby because your mother says you shouldn't is one of the worst reasons ever.. But I did identify with both Charlotte and Karen, probably because I'm a bit younger than Karen and a bit older than Charlotte. ;-) I also enjoyed reading through Nan's ramblings, although since my own grandmother is mentally unstable, I can really understand how stressful it must be to actually have someone like her living with you.
And a final thanks to KatColorado for starting this bookring!

15.12.: Sent back to KatColorado on Monday.

Journal Entry 40 by KatColorado from Zürich, Zürich Switzerland on Friday, December 16, 2005
Wow it is back. This book has been travelling for 1.5 years now, it has literally made a tour of the world. It has been read by 16 different readers and still it looks quite nice. Thank you all for treating it well, for sending it on, for reading it, for writing about it, for making this a success! I am looking forward to reading it again soon!

Journal Entry 41 by KatColorado from Zürich, Zürich Switzerland on Tuesday, January 24, 2006
To properly end this bookring I wanted to read the book again. It took me a while to get into the book again, but once the story took off, I liked it very much. There were things I hadn't remembered, I might have missed them the first time. For example I was really shocked to read that you can legally have an abortion up to the 24th week in the UK. In Switzerland abortions are only allowed till the 12th week. It touched me, because during my pregnancy I started to dare to hope when I was in the 24th week, because that's the earliest date that babies have a chance to survive when they are born prematurly.

I was touched again by the question of the definition of a good mother. Having kids can be great but it can also be a lot of stress and more than once I feel like I am a failure at it. Reading this book somehow helped putting these feelings in perspective...

Journal Entry 42 by nice-cup-of-tea from Zürich, Zürich Switzerland on Tuesday, February 7, 2006
Lent to me by KatColorado! Will read and return asap.

Journal Entry 43 by nice-cup-of-tea from Zürich, Zürich Switzerland on Thursday, February 9, 2006
I thought this was a great read! I particularly enjoyed Nan's voice - I thought the depiction of senile dementia and confusion was really sensitively done and very accurate. Really excellent :-) Will be returning to KatColorado's shelf next week!

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