Review: Dancing at the Shame Prom

Dancing at the Shame Prom

Publisher: Seal Press 

Pages: 264 

Format: book 

Buy the Book: Amazon  

Goodreads:  Shame is a powerful thing. It can weigh on your heart and mind, diminish your sense of self-worth, and impact the way you live in the world. But what happens when you share that secret burden?

Amy Ferris, Hollye Dexter, and the writers they brought together are all ready to let go of shame. In Dancing at the Shame Prom, twenty-six extraordinary women—Lyena Strelkoff, Teresa Stack, Monica Holloway, Nina Burleigh, Amy Friedman, Meredith Resnick, Victoria Zackheim, and more—take the plunge and say "yes” to sharing their stories. These brave writers, journalists, musicians, artists, directors, and activists have offered up their most funny, sad, poignant, miraculous, life-changing, and jaw-dropping secrets for you to gawk at, empathize with, and learn from—in the hopes that they will inspire others to do the same. Letting go feels good!


Kritters Thoughts:  A collection of stories from a smattering of people who have experienced shame in quite a few ways from their childhoods or as adults from outside factors or from within.  I absolutely adored this collection of stories - it made me think of moments in my life where I may have felt shame.  When I may have had lower moments, I wish I had had this book before to hear what others may have done to handle these negative moments that everyone has at one moment or another.

These stories gave me comfort that I am not the only one who has moments that they are not proud of and that by sharing these moments with those close to you, it helps heal the pain that the shame may have caused.  I also enjoyed as I may have said before that shame can come from outside factors or from within and by sharing experiences each person can find help and healing.

I think this book would be perfect for parents to read while their kids are in their teenage years; when shame may take a pivotal point in each young person's life.   This could be the moment where a young person could change paths if they overcame the shame in their lives.


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from WOW - Women on Writing.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.