Publisher's Description:
In her nonfiction books about parenting -- The Empty Nest, My Girl, and All Girls -- Karen Stabiner won acclaim for her insights about living with teenagers. Now, in a heartwarming and hilarious new novel, she writes about the biggest challenge of all: getting a child into the perfect college. With a survivor's wit and a journalist's eye, she tells the story of five Los Angeles high school seniors and their parents as they navigate the obstacle course that is college admissions. Getting In follows these interconnected families -- three at the tony Crestview School, two at its public counterpart, Ocean Heights High -- in their pursuit of a fat envelope from their favorite schools. But the college application process is full of surprises, and each of the families has to scramble as their best-laid plans start to crumble. Ultimately, everyone -- moms, dads, and applicants -- discovers what the admissions process is really about: growing up. Getting In is a necessary distraction for all high-school parents, a hybrid of comic narrative and insider information.
Although my daughter has long since graduated from college, this book brought back vividly her junior and senior years in high school when much of our focus was on where she would be going to school. Whether this experience is before you or in your past, you'll find this book to be an amusingly unsparing look at this American cultural phenomenon and rite of passage in the life of a family. I enjoyed this book for both the memories it brought back and the snarky commentary on the southern California lifestyle. I also found the character of Ted, the head of the college counseling department at the elite private school intriguing. Especially recommended for parents of teens or soon to be teens and anyone who has worked with students to apply to college, grad school or professional schools.
Giveaway Details:
One copy of Getting In by Karen Stabiner has been provided by a publicist for giveaway.
To enter to win, leave a comment on this post that includes your email address.
For more entries (1) follow this blog or subscribe via email -- current followers/subscribers are eligible too. Leave a separate comment for this. (2) Tweet this post on Twitter. Leave a separate comment with your twitter user name.
NOTE: Giveaway reserved for residents within the U.S. and Canada.
The winner will be selected from the comments using random.org.
Deadline: midnight, May 23. Winner announced May 24.
Good luck!
8 comments:
No need to enter me, babe. I'm dropping in to say thanks for the e-mail. I've got this posted at Win a Book for you.
This book sure sounds interesting to me. Having come from India to do my graduate studies here, I sure can relate to the whole concept of "getting in" to a good school.
Please enter me in this giveaway.
archanaskorner(at)gmail(dot)com
-arch
You've just gotten me to realize, for the first time, another one of those twin-mom dreaded experiences. Last week it was teaching my (singleton) teenager to drive, realizing that one day I'll be having two new drivers to cope with. College admissions is very hard to think about with just one in front of me.
Looks like a great read! I'd love to check it out. I'll be applying to grad school within the next year, so I am rapidly approaching this sort of tense situation yet again...
baileythebookworm at gmail dot com
I'll put my name in. I even directed folks here via my blog. I don't really want to win since I just won that field guide. So hopefully someone else will win.
This must be the giveaway you alluded to when you left the comment on my blog! This is definitely a book I could use since my son will be a junior in high school next year and we are already talking about colleges. I am dreading the whole application/financial aid process! My email is pizzo underscore kathleen at yahoo dot com.
This looks like a good read. Count me in!
dftrew(At)gmail(dot)com
Oh duh, here it is, you reviewed this book and I commented on it! Good thing *I* am not trying to get into college, with my bad memory.
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