Comments for The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women and Friendship | By Jeffrey Zaslow co-author of The Last Lecture

Comment on Girls from Ames ecard to send to your friends: by Crystal Shaughnessy

Crystal Shaughnessy — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 18:32:04 +0000

It was an absolute honour and pleasure to be allowed into all of your lives and your thoughts,views,memories. I actually read the book in less than two days. I laughed and cried and now have nothing but the urge to get a bottle of wine, a cheesecake (any flavour lol) and my three dearest friends and laugh and cry or simply just do nothing but be next to them. So happy that Kelly and Angel have pulled through. How much do girls ROCK?!!
Thank you.

Comment on Updates on Kelly, Angela… by Barbara

Barbara — Wed, 25 May 2011 22:17:03 +0000

Just finished the book. Wow! Had my first mastectomy when I was 43, just in time for 25th hs reunion. Was clear for 25 yrs and as I prepared for my 50th got the “news” again. Told doc to wait til after reunion. Had surgery both times and no further treatment. Now 7 1/2 yrs away and a healthy old broad, who still works part time. Good luck sisters. Once we get the news we are members together in a club that strenthened me in many ways. God bless all of you 10 girls. I still have 2 of my hs buddies! Aren’t we lucky?

Comment on Book Club Call-ins by Jackie

Jackie — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 02:52:10 +0000

Just found this! Any chance someone could join us tomorrow night (Thursday, March 3rd) anytime between 8 and 10 pm ET? Please email me at the address provided if it’s a possibility.

Comment on Updates on Kelly, Angela… by Kim

Kim — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 12:47:38 +0000

Hi Ames “Sisters”,

I have just finished reading “your” book and your experieces have brought back so many wonderful memories of my childhood and my adulthood as I am also one of a special group of women that are very much connected as you all are. We I talk of my group of friends from school to anyone they are completely taken aback by how close we all still are 30+ years after high school. What is ironic about our friendship is that none of us has moved away….not one….maybe in a neighboring town, but that is mear miles apart. I also felt left hanging with what was going on with Angela and Kelly so I was so glad to read that both of you are clearly on the road to recovery and claiming your lives back from this terrible disease we call “cancer”. My bests wishes are not only for Kelly and Angela, but for all of you and the special friendship you share. God bless.

Comment on Updates on Kelly, Angela… by Vicki

Vicki — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 07:13:51 +0000

Hi Ames’ girls,
I’m all the way in Sydney, Australia and have just finished reading your book. I enjoyed reading your book and will now pass it on to a friend who will then pass it onto another. I came across your book by chance (and if you have the sense of humour that I think you do, I know you’ll enjoy this) in the $2 bin at a local book shop. When I first saw the book I didn’t know anything about you, I was in a hurry and decided, well the cover looks appealing and it’s only two dollars so I’ll buy it. After I realised what an interesting book it was I went back to buy copies for my friends and sister, but they were all sold out.
I feel that I know you all, and being of the same age, I can relate to your experiences. I hope you continue with the updates. Thank you so much for sharing your lives with us.

Comment on Book Club Call-ins by Janice Steckly

Janice Steckly — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 02:59:04 +0000

Our book club named “Between the Covers” is meeting Friday October 15, 2010 to discuss this wonderful book!! It would be a real thrill to get a call from one of the Ames girls, PLEASE!
Thank you for considering. 519-662-4518

Comment on Updates on Kelly, Angela… by Kris

Kris — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:00:53 +0000

My mom sent me this book after my high school girlfriends and I got together for what we hope to be an annual event. The fact that we too grew up in Iowa in the 80s, we had so many of the same memories and life experiences, it amazed me. I had to put the book down a few times to ‘get myself together’, but it is such a wonderful way to remind us all the power and need of our girl friends. Thank you for sharing your lives with the world. I hope you are each blessed for your courage to expose your lives!

Comment on Book Club Call-ins by Rene'

Rene' — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 23:36:27 +0000

Hello,
Our bookclub meets this Wednesday, July 21st at 7 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. We would LOVE to have a phone call, but realize it is short notice. Thank you for your consideration–the book was fantastic! 208-846-9292

Comment on Updates on Kelly, Angela… by karin

karin — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 06:19:36 +0000

Wow ladies (and Mr. Zaslow) what a story. No, actually non-fiction that begins in the fertile, rich soil of Iowa and grows verdently……….sprouting at college, disseminating to different US cities, marrying (pollinating, or not) and procreating (or not.) You miraculous “Girls” grow with all life’s challenges and triumphs. And I really think those challenges and triumphs are both the BIG things AND the not-so-big-things.

I am a changed person for reading this book/testimony. Truthfully, I thought it would be a light-weight read. Not so! This is profound fodder. ‘Friendship fluff stuff’ that really knives to the marrow of our collective, holistic female existance. Pretty primordial.

You Ames chicks are XX-gene heroines. What amazing, special people you are individually, and as a beautiful, dynamic, evolving group.

Disclaimer: I was reading along blissfully and somewhat naively wondering how the heck breast cancer (or any cancer? Given your Ames Project proximity…..AND don’t even tell me what happens with the soccer complex that Marylin’s dad fought againest) had bypassed ya’ll. DUMB ME then got Kelly and Angela’s diagnosis. I was diagnosed December 4 of 2008 with a very aggressive stage 3 form of breast cancer. Now, with your book, I have re-cried my bald head, crappy chemo, my bilateral radical mastectomy, breast infections that resulted from said-opted-for-bilateral-mastectomy, radiation that burned the living crap out of my poor “new boobs”. ETC. ETC. Now those stupid new boobs have to be re-constructed. But as I am sure Kelly and Angela would agree…it is nothing compared to the alternate picture. I am living and will be here to yell at my grandkids……Oh, I forgot, we won’t/can’t yell at grandkids. Maybe at our deaf husbands? hee.

Angela and Kelly are super warriors in the talks and experiences of breast cancer…..and Karla is in another stratosphere with Christie. (We moms can handle ANYTHING, but when %#*@!^ happens to our kids…watch the ^$#@&*! out! Karla, you go beyond words… Bruce and Ben and Jackie too, of-course!) But all the Ames girls have been through EVERYTHING (good and bad, solo and collectively)…………I am jealous and impressed by the fortitude and flexibily of your friendship ties. Rock-star- (Rod Stewart? Bruce?)kudos to ALL OF YOU. AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A SYNERGISTIC WHOLE.

OK one bitchy mean-girl question………..no alcoholism? (SMILE! I knew you were all better than my pathetic-frustrated-housewife-mother-of-four self. Ok, won’t go there….I am Jenny’s sort-of-neighbor in Northern Va.

I am a tad (wee-tad) younger at now age 45 than ya’ll…….and I finally kicked wine as my cancer crutch 4 1/2 months ago.

Thanks for this “real-life story” that has helped me tremendously. You inspire more than you know. I think I can do anything now. I have wonderful friends that I now savor and relish more than ever.

XOXOXOX to you all. Your gift and example(s) live on in spades.

Karin

Comment on Sheila Walsh Scholarship by Kimberly Carr-Irvin

Kimberly Carr-Irvin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 22:39:31 +0000

Trip down memory lane, Being a girl from Ames, this book brought back a host of memories, I went to Welch with several of the girls, and was highly amused when I read the passage of Kurt in the book punching a hole in the wall, it was at a party at my house in 7th grade. That memory was shared by fellow classmate Jeff Sturdivant with my son as he was placing braces on his teeth! I must also say that there were black families in Ames, I am one! Second generation AHS grad. Funny how the author of the book blooming re-named our family the Elliots, and called them an unassuming shade of brown. They were the Martins, with a long history of community service, with Martin Hall being named in honor of my great grandparents. Many special memories of Jane who was an incrediable women from youth, and Marlynn who showed a mature grace way back when and Diana who shared laughter and fun in a summer school class, and Sheila who was an angel who walked the earth….wow what memories, I graduated early, but my class at heart was 1981