Supergirls Speak Out: Inside the Secret Crisis of Overachieving Girls

By Liz Funk

Book Overview

Some girls seem to have it all...

The top grades
The best clothes
A great body
A cute boyfriend

But they may also have...

Exhaustion
Anxiety
Eating disorders
Crippling insecurity

From grammar school girls to working women, the pressure to be perfect is spreading like a disease. These Supergirls feel the unrelenting need to succeed -- sometimes at the cost of their own happiness and sanity. A recovering Supergirl herself, Liz Funk exposes the dangerous consequences that can come from striving for perfection. By closely following five girls and interviewing nearly one hundred more, she takes us inside the Supergirl psyche, explaining the causes of this phenomenon and showing how Supergirls can let their (sleek and shiny) hair down and find some time to relax and enjoy life

With practical advice, biting humor, and the sensitivity of someone who's been through it all, Funk's Supergirls Speak Out is the absolutely necessary companion for any girl who thinks 100 percent just isn't enough.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 141656263X
• ISBN13: 9781416562634
• Release Date: March 2009
• Publisher: Touchstone Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.6" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

A must read for all girls

I am so moved by this incredible book. I just wish I had written it! But I doubt I could've written as well as Funk anyways. She really gets into the heart of the issues that many of us face. It's fun, enjoyable, insightful and an all around amazing read. I hope there's more to come from Funk!!

Excellent First Book

Supergirls... ended up being a book that surprisingly drew me in right away. Normally I only read fiction, and mostly chick lit at that, but Supergirls was great. I think I ended up liking it because it was almost like chick lit nonfiction. As a 24-year-old single woman, Funk's tales from real-life girls was like reading my diary (or any of my friend's) and I could relate to so much of it. I could see this book being required reading for a sociology class or a women's studies class in college--it would actually be something I'd have loved to read! Like any new author, Funk does have some room to grow with style and maybe branching out to different types of writing would be interesting to see. For a first effort, this is a great accomplishment.

An insider's perspective about girls' quest for perfection

Supergirls Speak Out is a well-researched look not only at the pressure girls experience to be "perfect" but also at what can be done about it. Plenty of us have observed ourselves or heard others say that today's kids are busier than ever. But what are the side effects of this need to achieve, especially for girls? Funk's writing style is engaging as she discusses her interviews with girls and women in various stages of their lives (high school, college and young working professionals). Her voice is authentic and will resonate with the intended audience of the book; Funk's own experiences--that took place not too long ago--lend credibility to her topic. Recommended for teenage girls, as well as parents and other adults who want to understand what's behind the fact that "today's kids are busier than ever" and how they can help ensure that the girls and young women in their lives remain true to themselves and embrace their individuality.

a must-read for every young woman

Funk combines personal anecdotes, stories and thoughts from young women whom she has shadowed, and detailed analysis of our society to paint a vivid picture of "supergirls", or the overachieving young women we see every day. This book is incredibly well-written; the author's style is heart wrenching yet humorous, down-to-earth yet intellectual. The issue itself is also a very interesting phenomenon which deserves to be learned about, so I would recommend Supergirls Speak Out to anyone who has ever known a Supergirl- whether it's a friend, cousin, sister, or the girl in the mirror.

A must-read!

"Supergirls Speak Out: Inside the Secret Crisis of Overachieving Girls" delves into the hidden problems overachieving women encounter. Everyone knows a "supergirl" but people are too afraid to talk about the turmoil "supergirls" face on the inside. Funk researches this prevalent but overlooked phenomenon in a fun yet insightful voice. She delves into the issues of being a "supergirl" and recognizes the pointlessness in trying to achieve perfection. Society has been waiting for someone bold enough to confront this issue with such honesty. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to stop being a "supergirl" and start living!