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The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose by Diana Janney (view source)
Revision as of 17:28, 4 March 2022
, 17:28, 4 March 2022no edit summary
{{infoboxsortinfobox2
|sort=Infinite Wisdom
|title=The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose
|author=Diana Janney
|reviewer=Zoe PageMorris
|genre=Teens
|summary=Harriet Rose is on the road to success when her family self-publish her musings, but does this 14 year old philosopher really want this kind of attention?
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=400
|publisher=Headline Review
|date=January 2008
|isbn=978-0755337712
|amazonukaznuk=<amazonuk>0755337719</amazonuk>|amazonusaznus=<amazonus>0755337700</amazonus>|cover=0755337719
}}
''It was an unusual time for a rising star. How many celebrities spend their day arguing with the headmistress while their mother, their publicity manager, organises their first television appearance?''
As a book within a book, you get two stories for the price of one, though Harriet's musings are short snippets rather than long sonnets.
''May today be filled with joy''<br>''So that tomorrow it can join''<br>''A multitude of happy yesterdays''<br>''I am myself''<br>''Nothing can change me''<br>''I am myself.''<br>''You can legislate, defy, manipulate,''<br>''But whatever lies ahead,''<br>''You will not change me.''<br>
''I am myself.''
Cor blimey, imagine thinking up stuff like that as a 14 -year -old! I know I was never that profound at that age, and would struggle to be now. Maybe my mind just doesn't come up with stuff like that, but as you read this and get to know Harriet, you can truly imagine that hers is the sort of mind that does.
Though she's likable likeable in lots of ways - she's honest, intelligent, witty and entertaining - it's Harriet's gumption I admired the most. When she goes into a bookshop who have previously declined to stock her book, and, impersonating a member of the public, asks them (a) if they have it in and (b) if they could check with Waterstones when they confirm they don't, it's genius, as is the finishing touch (Waterstones up the road do stock it... as do 54 of their other branches - cue suitably repentent repentant sales assistant). She's a girl you want to root for immediately, someone you really want things to work out for, and whom you're just so happy for when things go right. The strong female work ethic in the book (there are no men who really feature in the story, except for Jean Claude who is really just a bit of eye candy) is refreshing precisely because you don't get either extreme rubbed in your face - it's not a "look at us women, we can do anything, who needs a bloke?" kinda story, nor a "oh no, there's no man around to help" one.
Similarly, the book manages to be about a family who are quite unique and kooky, whilst also portraying that same threesome as your average run of the mill, loving family unit. This book doesn't try to pretend that a teenage girl's life doesn't revolve around friends, enemies, boobs and boys, it just nudges you gently and reminds you there are other things out there too.
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