49 pages • 1 hour read
Reviving Ophelia
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Book Brief
303
Book • Nonfiction
1990s
1994
Riverhead Trade
Adult
18+ years
900L
Super Short Summary
Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher, a psychologist, examines the cultural pressures that impact the mental health of adolescent girls through essays based on interviews and focus groups. It details how these pressures can lead to struggles like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and self-harm. The 2019 edition, co-written by Sara Pipher, updates this examination to include modern challenges such as sexualized media and substance use, emphasizing the need for cultural and political change to support the wellbeing of adolescent girls. Sensitive topics such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm, drugs, alcohol, sex, and violence are discussed.
Informative
Challenging
Emotional
Contemplative
Melancholic
Reviews & Readership
26,938 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Mary Pipher's Reviving Ophelia is widely praised for its compassionate exploration of adolescent girls' struggles, offering valuable insights for parents and educators. Critics commend its accessible writing and real-life examples, though some suggest it overgeneralizes. Nonetheless, it remains a significant work in understanding teenage development.
Who Should Read Reviving Ophelia?
Readers who appreciated Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher are typically interested in psychology, adolescent development, and gender studies. They would also enjoy books like Untangled by Lisa Damour and The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine, which similarly delve into female adolescence and psychological well-being.
26,938 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Sara Pipher Gilliam
Sara Pipher Gilliam
The daughter of Mary Pipher, she is an editor, writer, and activist with a focus on refugee families and early childhood education. She contributed to the book by helping compile and edit it, and offers insights from her own adolescence in the 1990s.
Reviving Ophelia inspired a Lifetime Television movie in 2010, though the film is loosely based on the book and primarily focuses on fictional characters and storylines.
The book’s full title, “Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls,” draws inspiration from the tragic Shakespearian character Ophelia in Hamlet, symbolizing the struggles and pressures faced by young women.
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Mary Pipher used her clinical experience as a psychologist to initially explore and document the societal influences and challenges affecting adolescent girls during the 1990s in this influential work.
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303
Book • Nonfiction
1990s
1994
Riverhead Trade
Adult
18+ years
900L
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