Girls Like Us Review

One Sixth Street Book Group rule was broken for this book: GIRLS LIKE US is not available in paperback but we read it anyway. (Paperbacks are more affordable...and thus the rule.) Despite the potential expense, back in September, at least 7 members voted yes to reading it. Or did we not know that it was only in hardcover?  And it seems that the majority of  attendees were gripped by this nonfiction account of commercially sexually exploited girls in the United States. So, I guess, we can conclude that  traditions...even foundational (spell check hates this word...is it looking for fundamental?) ones... can be broken every once in a while, without undermining the book group structure.  But we should avoid breaking it in the future.  (Consider this, however,  we can  assume much of the profits of the book go back into supporting the author's work with girls as young as 11.)

Also different...  we had a guest...someone on the Board of Directors of GEMS...who is  deeply involved in the author's work with sexually exploited girls. Book group members  mostly listened and asked questions of our guest who helped create an even more compelling vision of  Rachel Lloyd and her accomplishments.  There was a chance for members' comments about the book and they include these:  Well written.  Good structure. Moving stories. Why just snapshots of the girls? We would like to know how their stories ended.  (Guest speaker paraphrased:  Rachel wants to show that the girls' stories are on-going...and that they do not  neatly resolve.) One member was leaving for Europe,  but loved the book so much she was compelled to come to the meeting.  Another dropped everything she was reading to focus on this book.  Some members identified with the  girls' vulnerabilities.  Other members commented on how there are touches of the author's humor and spirituality throughout the book.

The film: Very Young Girls, based on Rachel Lloyd's work,  may be shown at a members' home in mid-November.






Hear an Interview between Rachel Lloyd and  Diane Rehm