The Secret Lives of Lawfully Wedded Wives

admin — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 12:48:00 +0000

More than just an anthology of essays about marriage, The Secret Lives of Lawfully Wedded Wives is a collection of unique perspectives on committed relationships and the human condition - more specifically, the female condition. Complied by Autumn Stevens, a seasoned editor, the book covers topics from infidelity to adoption and cross-cultural marriages to same sex relationships so it's sure to contain something everyone can relate to.

Keeping in mind that “this book is not for the faint-hearted,” as was so eloquently stated in the preface by Marilyn Yalom, it's easy to get lost in the pages. The essays were written by women, the book was edited by a woman, and it is targeted toward women because, honestly, who knows women better than women?

The Secret Lives of Lawfully Wedded Wives touches on humor, sorrow and everything in between, and I found myself forced to take a step back and examine my own relationships as well as my personal role in society. I feel empowered having done that, and, most of all, I feel accepted knowing that other women experience the things that I experience. The essayists paint a very realistic picture of what it means to be a woman both independently and in relationships by examining real-life situations; their problems, my problems, and your problems in a new and refreshing light.

Written by: Jonna Vercellini, March 8th 2007

Black Velvet Magazine (Issue #50)

admin — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 20:13:00 +0000

blackvelvetmagazine.com

Black Velvet(http://www.blackvelvetmagazine.com) is officially a fanzine based out of the UK. It's aimed at young hipsters who have opinions about music. I'm certain that I'm not in that group, but I can appreciate the amount of work and dedication that has gone into creating this magazine. Shari, Black Velvet's editor, does most of the work herself and keeps only a small staff of contributors. Everyone working on the magazine is highly passionate about rock music and the bands that are covered in every issue.

I can also appreciate that Shari is blazing a trail that few other women have. By stereotype, being overzealous about rock bands has been typically a male-dominated industry, but she has definitely created a piece of media that has the ability to rival any other fanzine out there. Professionally printed on glossy paper, the 50th issue brings about Black Velvet's first ever full-color spread. The reviews are poignant, the articles are informative and the layout makes the 'zine easy to read. At only $7 through the website, it's well worth the money for anyone who has a penchant for the popular rock music scene.

Written by: Jonna Vercellini, March 4th 2007