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GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: To Have Not by Frances Lefkowitz

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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

    5. 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

    12. 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

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

      BornajhawkATaolDOTcom

    43. 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

    47. 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!