The Duggar's Books - reviews?

[hockeymoo]

I got all three from my local library, and here's what I thought:

 

First book (20 and Counting, I think): I was actually pleasantly surprised that it was much less preachy than I anticipated it to be, and there was a whole lot more about budgeting and daily schedules than evangelism. I got the impression that the Duggars chose their words very carefully and any overt affiliation with any particular stream of theology was downplayed.

 

The girls' book (Growing Up Duggar): The concept of a bunch of Duggar stories from the POV of the kids was so promising, but the book failed to deliver. I got about 3/4 of the way through before giving up on it. It was mostly a lot of second-hand stories, à la "Our parents told us about a heathen friend they had and this bad thing happened to them, so we've never done that bad thing!" No real life experiences were shared - besides one about Jessa getting on Jana's nerves when they were kids - because these young women have no real life experiences, for the most part. They've been so sheltered and don't really have much material to write a book about. It could've been half as long. The tone was also pretty judgy and preachy, which for some reason I interpreted as Jessa's influence (lol)! I felt like I was at a really drawn-out altar call.

 

Second book (A Love That Multiplies) : I didn't finish this one. Aside from Josie's story, it was essentially a re-telling of the first book. As I read this one, I did start to wonder if the Duggars idolize money-saving in the same way that they idolize purity and childbearing.

 

What did you all think of the Duggar's books?

[Four is Enough]

I couldn't read them, because I was afraid I'd find exactly what you found... and I love to read, and don't want to waste my time on that kind of prose.

[Mel314]

Hopefully one day we will get a true tell all from Josie!

[Alexa]

I tried to read Growing Up Duggar and only got about halfway through. It was really boring. The girls just don't have enough life experience yet to write an interesting book. The only other Duggar book I will now read will be the tell-all that one of the kids writes.

[HarleyQuinn]

The quotes I've seen from Growing Up Duggar don't even sound authentic. I hear Michelle's words when I read the, not any of the J'Slaves.

I'll wait for one of the kids' tell all.

[MatthewDuggar]

I read the first one shortly after it came out and it did keep me interested, as they shared a lot that had not been on their program yet. I took it to read on a cruise - good vacation book.

Not really interested in the 2nd for some reason.

I'll read the girl's book once I can get it for free on my Kindle.

[keepin' it sweet]

I agree with those of you who said that the first book had interesting parts. It was a glimpse into what life was like before they became hardcore fundie. The second book just made me feel sad for the sistermoms. Yes, it must be unimaginably difficult to have a preemie in the hospital, but that book really highlighted for me how much work the older girls do in the family.

I haven't read Growing Up Duggar...can't imagine there would be anything in there that hasn't been said a million times on the show. I'm not sure how many times I could read "guard your heart" or "defraud" without wanting to throw the book.

[coffeebean7]

I've read them all :embarrassed:

I don't remember much, but I do remember that the one written by the girls was the worst of the 3. It was incredibly boring and just a regurgitation of their parents (and by parents, I mean mostly Michelle's) twisted world views.

I thought the first book was the most interesting, as it had stories about Jim Bob and Michelle that I didn't know (like Jim Bob being robbed at gunpoint).

[nellautumngirl]

I thought the second one was boring, I began skipping passages after a while, it was all the same anyway and not well-written. A lot of it was about Josie and her early medical emergencies. No interesting stories about the other children as far as I can remember.

[FreeHannie!]

I tried to read Growing up Duggar to snark on it but it was just too boring.

What I want is the real, uncensored, Growing up Duggar....

[lonestarlonghorn]

I found the first two books at separate times at the thrift store. The first was interesting, didn't think too much about it. The second caught me up on what happened at Josie's birth as I didn't watch the show for several years and had only seen what was in the news at the time it happened. I actually ordered the girls' book off Amazon and it was the worst of the three. Rehash of things already said in the first two books and by the time I got to the last few chapters, I was in disagreement with what they were saying so didn't finish it.

The one piece of good advice they give is to marry a man slow to anger. That's about all I got from the book.

[CorruptionInc.]

I found the first two books at separate times at the thrift store. The first was interesting, didn't think too much about it. The second caught me up on what happened at Josie's birth as I didn't watch the show for several years and had only seen what was in the news at the time it happened. I actually ordered the girls' book off Amazon and it was the worst of the three. Rehash of things already said in the first two books and by the time I got to the last few chapters, I was in disagreement with what they were saying so didn't finish it.

The one piece of good advice they give is to marry a man slow to anger. That's about all I got from the book.

Love it how most people explain that the book was found in the Op Shop (Aussie saying for Thrift Store) or they got it on special, not most people here on FJ would pay full price. Love it!

[Dutch_girl]

Love it how most people explain that the book was found in the Op Shop (Aussie saying for Thrift Store) or they got it on special, not most people here on FJ would pay full price. Love it!

Buy used, save the difference :wink-kitty:

[N The Prayer Closet]

I found the first two books at separate times at the thrift store. The first was interesting, didn't think too much about it. The second caught me up on what happened at Josie's birth as I didn't watch the show for several years and had only seen what was in the news at the time it happened. I actually ordered the girls' book off Amazon and it was the worst of the three. Rehash of things already said in the first two books and by the time I got to the last few chapters, I was in disagreement with what they were saying so didn't finish it.

The one piece of good advice they give is to marry a man slow to anger. That's about all I got from the book.

I read Growing Up Duggar and it was awful. It sounded like a 220 page talking head of judgmental Jill.

On marrying a man slow to anger...that's good advice for anyone but people change and these girls really don't know their spouses very well when they are courting anyway. Ben at 19 isn't going to be the same guy in 6-7 years. I hope the men and women are both slow to anger unlike Michelle.

[nana sew dear]

I'm waiting for "The Dark Side of Duggar".

[FloraKitty35]

I'm waiting for "The Dark Side of Duggar".

It will be the "Mommie Dearest" of fundie memoirs. Only Michelle's wardrobe isn't a fabulous as Joan Crawford's was.

[Bluenoser]

I'm waiting for "The Dark Side of Duggar".

:lol:

What books have audio versions? Just growing up duggar? I won't devote any of my time to reading their crap, but I'll listen to it while I work.

[Georgiana]

What's really interesting in reading about someone's life is reading about the mistakes they made and how they grew from them.

The Duggar girls have never been allowed to make real mistakes, and if they did, they wouldn't be allowed to admit them.

I'm not surprised the book is dull.

[MatthewDuggar]

:lol:

What books have audio versions? Just growing up duggar? I won't devote any of my time to reading their crap, but I'll listen to it while I work.

They all do I think. We saw J'Chelle doing the recordings for at least one of them in an episode a few seasons back.

[alba]

:lol:

What books have audio versions? Just growing up duggar? I won't devote any of my time to reading their crap, but I'll listen to it while I work.

Could you handle Jichelle's baby voice that long?

[CorruptionInc.]

Could you handle Jichelle's baby voice that long?

No.

[FloraKitty35]

No.

Me neither