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Praise
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For Talks and Performances "How many people can hold captive an audience of 400 high school boys for an hour? Unless you're a sports hero or a rock star, not many. Marion Winik is neither (or maybe both) yet had our students on the edges of their seats every time she spoke. Whether reading from her work, answering questions from the audience, or just telling stories (which she does like no one else), Marion had our guys asking for more. This is the third time I have invited her to spend a day talking with students about the writing life, and I'm sure there will be a fourth." "Marion Winik was everything we had hoped for and so much more! Her Rules for the Unruly and advise to our students on living an UNCONVENTIONAL life resonated with the entire audience. Through the sharing of her life's experiences and her epiphanies along the way, she sent one of the most profound messages of encouragement, hope, humor, and celebration to our audience. I was so impressed with Marion's message that I purchased 30 of her books and have given them all as gifts! We will absolutely have her back! Her energy, spirit, and message is food for the soul!" "Marion was a great asset to our 9th Geneva Writers' Conference, not only in her excellent workshops and teaching, but throughout the weekend in the constant encouragement and interest she showed to all the participants." "Marion Winik was everything we hoped for in a speaker. She was as funny and entertaining as she was informative. She gave the students a lot to think about and to take with them into their own writing lives." "Marion Winik is an energetic, mesmerizing speaker who connects with her audience by caring more about them than about herself. She knows all the skills of writing and sends students away charged with new ideas. She is solid, compassionate, uproariously funny and full of surprises. Ten years ago, she was a featured speaker in Carlow's MFA program, and we continue to profit by her annual visits and contagious spirit." "Marion was terrific — she's such a great presence: funny, dynamic, authentic, irreverent, and thoroughly heartfelt. Our community loved her." "Marion Winik is honest and forthright about topics that literary folk like to debate ad nauseum, and her presentation was one of the highlights of our writing residency. Her advice about what you can and can't write about in memoir contradicted other advice I've been given about writing my "truest" story, and it empowered me to return to my stalling project with confidence and renewed vigor. She's also hilarious, and since her talk I am determined to read everything she's ever written." For the Work "Winik has many gifts as a writer, but one I appreciate the most is her ability to write about the hardest, darkest subjects with a light, knowing hand." "Marion Winik has led an unusual and adventurous life, and she writes about it with style and wit. Her essays are mind-blowing — you can't stop reading them." "Highs in the Low Fifties hits the bull's eye — funny, sharp, poignant, wise. Sometimes, I think Marion Winik is simply selfless enough to live the life that most of us are too scared to try, then generously shares the results. Her latest memoir has her trademark candor and poetic cadences. But there's something new here, too — happiness. It's like finding the Rough Planet Guide to Middle-Age." "Highs in the Low Fifties is an intoxicating elixir born of an intellect that longs for chaos: Marion writing love letters to the Boston Strangler, Marion getting a hockey-puck nose job, Marion sitting out front of a bank at the wheel of a getaway car, and Marion heavily bandaged ‘serving the beef bourguignon as the Frito Bandito on Percodan.' Romantics will gobble the intimate and maniacal sex and dating revelations while witless saps such as myself will eagerly turn one more page and say, my goodness, is this how women really think? No wonder I've been dumped so many times. Highs in the Low Fifties is like laughing gas at a car accident. Read it and weep, for if it doesn't break your heart, it'll crack you up." "Politically Incorrect Marion Winik's ability to see the human condition resonates in every one of us. She's the clearest communicator I know." "Marion Winik works both sides of the street — light and dark, comedy and tragedy — and she does so with wit, verve, warmth, and hard-won wisdom. Reading [Highs in the Low Fifties] was like sidling up to the best storyteller in your favorite bar." "[Highs in the Low Fifties is] passionate, filled with love, a bit rueful and above all: funny. If this is life in your fifties, bring it on." "Winik's voice is so true and clear and compassionate, we're happy to listen to any story she wants to tell." "Decidedly un-faint-hearted … Marion Winik is resilient, hardy, unfazable; this self-described suburban boho wannabe is a frontier woman in disguise." "Winik's keen sense of humor and lack of self-pity are refreshing. This slender volume reads like a letter from a friend." "This is a magical, moving, funny book — as helpful to this almost-40-year-old as it will be for any ‘young' adult. I love it and keep returning to it for practical guidance. Thank you, Marion!"  |