Official Review: Crowning Glory: An Experiment in Self-Di...

[LivreAmour217]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Crowning Glory: An Experiment in Self-Discovery Through Disguise" by Stacy Harshman.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Crowning Glory: An Experiment in Self-Discovery Through Disguise chronicles author Stacy Harshman's adventurous social experiment on the streets of New York City. The book opens with Stacy ordering a high quality red wig on a whim. One week later, she dons the wig and is blown away by the overwhelmingly positive response she receives from strangers. Bolstered by the newfound attention, Stacy wonders how these same people would respond if she had blond, brown, or black hair, and sets out for answers. Armed with a collection of wigs, Stacy hits the streets with her assistant, Bonnie (nicknamed "Agent Thorn"), to find out how hair style and color effect social interactions, especially those concerning the opposite sex.

To begin, I want to applaud Stacy for the open and honest manner in which she has written her book. From the start, Stacy informs the reader that she has bipolar disorder, and admits that she was pulling herself out of a depressive episode when she came up with the concept for her experiment. Throughout the book, Stacy pulls no punches and portrays the good, the bad, and the ugly of her mental illness. As the author of this book, she certainly had the option of editing or omitting certain details, but instead chose to lay everything out for readers to interpret as they might, which takes an enormous amount of courage. Stacy's honesty also helped me as a reader sympathize with her and understand the deeper meaning of her social experiment.

I also want to commend Stacy for the quality of her writing. It was apparent from the first chapter that Crowning Glory underwent a careful editing process. The book was free of major errors, and Stacy's straightforward storytelling made for an easy and entertaining read.

Reading the details of Stacy's experiment was fascinating. I can't say too much about it without including spoilers, but it was interesting to read about the varying responses that Stacy received while wearing the differently colored wigs. Like Stacy, I have wondered if people would treat me better if I looked different, and I know that many women have had similar thoughts.

The only think that I disliked about the book was the eighth chapter, which detailed Stacy's dating life. It was repetitive and, in my opinion, not relevant to the rest of the book. I found my interest waning throughout this chapter, and I think it would be better if it was condensed.

But overall, Crowning Glory is an interesting and well-written story, and I give it 3 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the study of human behavior, particularly those with a curiosity for how fashion and beauty impact social interactions.

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Crowning Glory: An Experiment in Self-Discovery Through Disguise
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Like LivreAmour217's review? Post a comment saying so!

[gali]

I remember seeing this book on the list. I am glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for the lovely review!

[LivreAmour217]

I remember seeing this book on the list. I am glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for the lovely review!

Thank you for reading it!

[bookowlie]

I enjoyed your thorough, balanced review. The story sounds intriquing!

[bluemel4]

Very insightful review. I really like that the author was honest about the experience. It seems like an interesting read.

[LivreAmour217]

I enjoyed your thorough, balanced review. The story sounds intriquing!

Thank you!

-- 04 Jun 2016, 19:53 --

Very insightful review. I really like that the author was honest about the experience. It seems like an interesting read.

Thank you very much! It was a very interesting book!

[The Antelope]

What Stacy did was pretty cool. I can totally see myself enjoying this book. I think it would be like watching a funny chick flick or something. I bet it has a lot of laughs.

[Kia]

This sounds fantastic. As you said, I'm sure most women (and men) have wondered at one time or another if changing their appearance would change how people treat them. Excellent job on the review.

[LivreAmour217]

What Stacy did was pretty cool. I can totally see myself enjoying this book. I think it would be like watching a funny chick flick or something. I bet it has a lot of laughs.

Yes, what Stacy did was very gutsy. I wouldn't call the boom funny, but it was definitely entertaining. They probably could make a movie based on this book--great idea!

-- 06 Jun 2016, 12:10 --

This sounds fantastic. As you said, I'm sure most women (and men) have wondered at one time or another if changing their appearance would change how people treat them. Excellent job on the review.[/quote

Thank you!

[Stacyharshman]

Thank you for the review! I am glad you found it interesting!!

[LivreAmour217]

Thank you for the review! I am glad you found it interesting!!

You are very welcome! It was a pleasure to read your book!