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GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: To Have Not by Frances Lefkowitz

January 10, 2011 By Mary 47 Comments

Description

Poverty has many guises: a lack of money, of course, but it can also be a lack of love or choice, pleasure or safety, faith or confidence or possibility. Poverty seeps into the soul and deadens the spirit. In To Have Not, Frances Lefkowitz reflects on her own life of poverties. A poor white girl from 1970s San Francisco, Lefkowitz tries to escape her upbringing through an Ivy League scholarship, only to realize that upward mobility is not all it s cracked up to be: being a Have Not and not having aren’t necessarily the same thing. Crashing headfirst into boundaries of class, race, and sex, Lefkowitz emerges scarred but whole, humor intact. To Have Not speaks to anyone who has ever battled the feeling of being cut off from the world s abundance, and then settled, eventually, somewhere between resignation and appreciation for all they do have.

About the Author

Frances Lefkowitz was born in San Francisco and moved nine times in seventeen years, mostly within the confines of the city. She attended Brown University on scholarships. Frances has published hundreds of magazine articles and earned two Pushcart Prize nominations. She lives in Petaluma, California.

Details

  • Paperback: 300 pages
  • Publisher: MacAdam/Cage; Original edition (March 1, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1596923547
  • ISBN-13: 978-1596923546

SOURCE: AUTHOR

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

Frances Lefkowitz has every right to be bitter and unhappy.  She grew up with little or no supervision, none of the luxuries like regular meals or clean clothes that most kids experience and yet she was resilient.  Although she could have easily used her broken family and lack of money as an excuse, she uses it to drive her to the next level.  After being bused to a better school, she truly learns the difference in what she thinks is normal and what the people actually have. They have food, a safe environment, clean clothes, and shelter.  

This memoir really hit a nerve with me.  She relates all of the horrible things that happened to her with wit and humor.  She never loses sight of her goal to become a “have”.  Lefkowitz gets that all important scholarship to an East Coast University and seems to use her drive to work more and longer in an effort to block out the horrible things that happened during her childhood.  I don’t think anyone can really, truly imagine what living in Section 8 housing with food stamps unless they have done it themselves.

This book probably shouldn’t have made me smile as much as did given the author’s circumstances, but I fell in love with the writing style and how she showed that even the darkest points in her life had some light, even her bout with depression.  I would really like a massive tell all from her with all the details about her rock and roll dalliances that she touches on a bit.  That part seemed like the tip of the iceberg to me.  Maybe that is next?

    WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK?

    Contest is open to anyone with a US addresses (PO Boxes are OK!)

    Contest ends on 1.24.11 Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 1.25.11
    Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.
    This giveaway is sponsored by the author and 1 copy will be available.
    Only one winner per household address!

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    Comments

    1. Bethie says

      January 10, 2011 at 2:51 pm

      Thanks for the giveaway.

      lizzi0915 at aol dot com

      Reply
    2. Rebecca says

      January 10, 2011 at 6:25 pm

      Thanks for linking up with my first Pass It Forward! I really appreciate it!

      Reply
    3. Taffy says

      January 10, 2011 at 6:57 pm

      Frances is a book editor for Good Housekeeping. That would be a fun job!

      Reply
    4. angie says

      January 10, 2011 at 10:21 pm

      Thanks for the giveaway!

      Reply
    5. holdenj says

      January 11, 2011 at 1:03 am

      I read the review after I read the 20 questions. Now I see how this would make such a great coming of age movie! Thanks for the giveaway.
      JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

      Reply
    6. Ellie says

      January 11, 2011 at 1:25 am

      I think it’s neat that Frances is a surfer dudette!

      Reply
    7. Just Mom says

      January 11, 2011 at 1:28 am

      Looks great – thansk for hosting the giveaway!

      theroundfile at live dot com

      Reply
    8. Bethie says

      January 11, 2011 at 2:03 am

      Daily Entry 1/10

      lizzi0915 at aol dot com

      Reply
    9. Bethie says

      January 11, 2011 at 7:06 pm

      Daily Entry 1/11

      lizzi0915 at aol dot com

      Reply
    10. Frances Lefkowitz says

      January 11, 2011 at 7:16 pm

      Thanks for the great review and the wonderful comments…Happy Reading!
      –Frances

      Reply
    11. holdenj says

      January 12, 2011 at 3:32 am

      Daily entry 1/11. Thanks!
      JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

      Reply
    12. Lynn says

      January 12, 2011 at 4:02 am

      I visited Frances Lefkovitz.net and learned that “Frances was born in San Francisco to parents who straddled the philosophical and demographic lines between beatniks and hippies.”

      rawrms (at) gmail (dot) com

      Reply
    13. nicole s says

      January 12, 2011 at 4:57 am

      Daily entry!
      1/11
      thanks…
      nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply
    14. holdenj says

      January 12, 2011 at 2:59 pm

      Daily entry 1/12. Thanks!
      JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

      Reply
    15. BRN2SHOP9 says

      January 12, 2011 at 4:49 pm

      Sounds like a great read!

      Reply
    16. Bethie says

      January 12, 2011 at 5:24 pm

      Daily Entry 1/12

      lizzi0915 at aol dot com

      Reply
    17. CiNdY says

      January 12, 2011 at 5:47 pm

      Thanks for the giveaway! Count me in please!
      cmurphy213@yahoo.com

      Reply
    18. CiNdY says

      January 12, 2011 at 5:48 pm

      I tweeted 1/12!
      http://twitter.com/#!/cmurphy720
      cmurphy213@yahoo.com

      Reply
    19. nicole s says

      January 13, 2011 at 3:17 am

      Daily entry!
      1/12
      Thanks…
      nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply
    20. Bethie says

      January 14, 2011 at 2:09 am

      Daily Entry 1/13

      lizzi0915 at aol dot com

      Reply
    21. nicole s says

      January 14, 2011 at 6:12 am

      Daily entry!
      1/13
      Thanks…
      nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply
    22. nicolesender says

      January 15, 2011 at 4:30 am

      Daily entry!
      1/14
      Thanks…
      nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply
    23. Bethie says

      January 16, 2011 at 4:08 am

      Daily Entry 1/15

      lizzi0915 at aol dot com

      Reply
    24. nicolesender says

      January 16, 2011 at 5:27 am

      Daily entry!
      1/15
      Thanks…
      nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply
    25. nicolesender says

      January 17, 2011 at 7:27 am

      Daily entry!
      1/16
      Thanks…
      nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply
    26. Bethie says

      January 18, 2011 at 2:07 am

      Daily Entry 1/17

      lizzi0915 at aol dot com

      Reply
    27. nicolesender says

      January 18, 2011 at 5:14 am

      Daily entry!
      1/17
      Thanks…
      nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply
    28. holdenj says

      January 18, 2011 at 10:13 pm

      Daily entry 1/18. Thanks!
      JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

      Reply
    29. nicolesender says

      January 19, 2011 at 12:17 am

      Daily entry!
      1/18
      Thanks…
      nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply
    30. holdenj says

      January 20, 2011 at 1:36 am

      Daily entry 1/19. Thanks!
      JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

      Reply
    31. nicolesender says

      January 20, 2011 at 3:09 am

      Daily entry!
      1/19
      Thanks…
      nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply
    32. holdenj says

      January 21, 2011 at 1:41 am

      Daily entry 1/20. Thanks!
      JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

      Reply
    33. nicolesender says

      January 21, 2011 at 4:29 am

      Daily entry!
      1/20
      Thanks…
      nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply
    34. nicolesender says

      January 22, 2011 at 12:34 am

      Daily entry!
      1/21
      Thanks…
      nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply
    35. holdenj says

      January 22, 2011 at 1:02 pm

      Daily entry 1/22. Thanks!
      JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

      Reply
    36. nicolesender says

      January 23, 2011 at 5:35 am

      Daily entry!
      1/22
      Thanks…
      nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply
    37. holdenj says

      January 23, 2011 at 1:09 pm

      Daily entry 1/23. Thanks!
      JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

      Reply
    38. Bethie says

      January 24, 2011 at 2:08 am

      Daily Entry 1/23

      lizzi0915 at aol dot com

      Reply
    39. nicolesender says

      January 24, 2011 at 7:07 am

      Daily entry!
      1/23
      thanks…
      nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply
    40. holdenj says

      January 24, 2011 at 1:10 pm

      Daily entry 1/24. Thanks!
      JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

      Reply
    41. Bethie says

      January 24, 2011 at 2:40 pm

      Daily Entry 1/24

      lizzi0915 at aol dot com

      Reply
    42. Laura H. says

      January 24, 2011 at 7:35 pm

      After visiting the author’s website, I learned that she must be one smart cookie–attended Brown University on a scholarship.

      BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

      Reply
    43. Laura H. says

      January 24, 2011 at 7:37 pm

      Thanks for the great giveaway! I would love to read this book. Sounds like the author has a good head on her shoulders and is not “afraid” to speak of her “humble beginnings”.

      BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

      Reply
    44. Laura H. says

      January 24, 2011 at 7:37 pm

      Posted giveaway on FB: http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=128880413843949&id=1336711064

      BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

      Reply
    45. Laura H. says

      January 24, 2011 at 7:38 pm

      Tweeted giveaway: http://twitter.com/#!/MamaHendo3/status/29622539567239168

      BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

      Reply
    46. nicolesender says

      January 25, 2011 at 6:08 am

      Daily entry!
      1/24
      Thanks…
      nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply
    47. Mary (BookHounds) says

      January 25, 2011 at 4:44 pm

      REBECCA — beckaboo3283

      Please visit Beck’s Book Picks HERE

      An email has been sent to the lucky person named above (first part of their email address in case my note ends up in spam). The winner has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

      Thanks to all who entered.

      PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

      Reply

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