In Your Face: The Culture of Beauty and You

(Paperback)

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Description

A lively, thought-provoking look at the power and pitfalls of the beauty industry hype. From fairy tales and Hollywood movies to magazine ads, reality TV and the Internet, we absorb the lesson early: being beautiful is the answer to our dreams. Its harder than ever for teens to tune out the endless media messages promoting unattainable ideals, yet at no time in history have they had more tools to change the message. With In Your Face, Shari Graydon encourages readers to think critically about the culture of beauty both past and present. Whether its the different standards for guys versus girls, racial and size biases, the assumptions we have about models and celebrities, or the message that the right clothes, makeup, or surgical procedure can make you a better person, Graydons unbiased look into the realities behind our ideals will help teens deconstruct the beauty industry hype. Fully rewritten and redesigned from the 2004 edition, In Your Face has been updated to reflect the heightened pressures of beauty in the digital eraboth good and badto shape our self-image. The appealing magazine-style format, stylish illustrations, and conversational tone will draw readers into this empowering exploration of the complex subject of beauty.

Reviews

[Review of previous edition: ] An insightful examination into our consumer culture... clear and honest.--Elizabeth Shaffer"BC Parent" (10/01/2004)
[Review of previous edition: ] Does for young girls what Naomi Wolf's The Beauty Myth did for their mothers. Written in an upbeat engaging style... Puts into perspective the pervasive images of beauty pumped into our collective consciousness.--Sandy Naiman"Toronto Sun" (07/03/2005)
[Review of previous edition: ] Essentially, In Your Face: The Culture of Beauty and You endorses the old adage that handsome is as handsome does--but readers won't mind, because it does it oh, so beautifully! In her down-to-earth manner, author Shari Graydon puts on a show-and-tell of beauty past and present. Over the course of eleven chapters, [she] models healthy skepticism of beauty products and procedures, so that readers, in turn, will begin to exercise their critical thinking skills with respect to the politics of beauty... about "putting beauty into perspective" so that readers may make informed decisions... While the author arrives at a predictable conclusion, that personality and attitude are of greater value than appearance, she skillfully avoids tired cliches and takes the reader on an exhilarating ride... The concerns driving this book have less to do with a reader's arrival at a final destination than they have to do with a reader's cognitive journey. Highly Recommended.--Julie Chychota"Canadian Materials" (09/02/2005)
[Review of previous edition: ] Eye-opening guide aimed at teens that encourages them to start thinking critically about the beauty industry.--Elizabeth Payne"Ottawa Citizen" (11/13/2004)
[Review of previous edition: ] Provocative... This fabulously educational and informative book should be required reading for all teens.--Heather Acerro"VOYA" (06/01/2005)
[Review of previous edition: ] This excellent book written for teenagers explains the beauty myths... This author knows what she is talking about and the content of the book will provide her YA readers with new insights.--Nola Theiss"Kliatt" (01/01/2006)

Author Bio

Shari Graydon is an award-winning writer, educator, and activist who has authored the bestselling "Made You Look" and edited an essay collection for adults, "I Feel Great About My Hands." She lives in Ottawa, Ontario.

Karen Klassen is an illustrator and painter who has worked with a variety of editorial and advertising clients. She lives in Calgary, Alberta. Katy Lemay is a collage artist whose work has appeared in many newspapers and magazines. She lives in Quebec.