GIRLS GONE SILLY
“Everything around us is geared toward achievement,” says
Miriam Peskowitz, co-author of
The D a rin g B o o k fo r G irls.
“ We suggest women
learn how to play.” The easiest place to tap into your inner girl? Your backyard.
S
o m e g irls se e m to b e
b o rn d a rin g , all b u t
sw in g in g th ro u g h tree s.
N o t m e. I f m y p a re n ts
h a d n ’t p ra c tic a lly
p u s h e d m e o u t o f a c h a ir
to g e t a d riv e r’s lic en se
lik e a n o rm a l, s e lf-re sp e c tin g te e n a g e r, I’d
m o st likely still b e in it, rea d in g . L o o k in g
b ack , th e first tru ly d a rin g act I to o k
w a s n ’t u n til age 21, w h e n w h ile tra v e lin g
w ith frie n d s in E u ro p e a fte r co lleg e, I
s tru c k o u t o n m y o w n . W h e n I re tu rn e d
to th e S tates, ju ic e d by th is sh o rt-liv e d
a d v e n tu re , I m u s te re d th e c h u tz p a h to
m o v e to M a n h a tta n fro m N o rth D akota.
S in ce th e n I c a n ’t h o n e stly b ra g a b o u t
m a n y o th e r feats o f d e rrin g -d o , u n le s s I
m e n tio n th e tim e I sk ie d d o w n a d o u b le
b lac k d ia m o n d slo p e. T h a t, h o w ev er, w a s
a m istak e.
So, b e in g o n ly a b o u t 5 p e rc e n t d a re -
d ev il, I w a s fa sc in a te d la st w in te r w h e n
v irtu a lly e v e ry b e s ts e lle r list in A m e ric a
fe a tu re d a n in trig u in g h o w -to , c a n -d o
m a n u a l,
T h e D a r in g B o o k fo r G irls.
T h e
a u th o rs a re frie n d s a n d m o m s in
P h ila d e lp h ia . A n d re a J. B u c h a n a n o n c e
p e rfo rm e d a p ia n o so lo a t C a rn e g ie H all,
a n d M iria m P e sk o w itz is a h is to ria n a n d
fo rm e r p ro fesso r. T h e ir b o o k is g e a re d to
fe m a le s ag ed 7 to 14; n o n e th e le ss, A n d i
a n d M iria m h av e g o o d n e w s fo r us a d u lt
w o m e n : W e’re n e v e r to o o ld to b e c o m e
m o re d arin g .
SALLY KOSLOW: WHY DO WOMEN TODAY
NEED TO BE MORE DARING?
ANDREA BUCHANAN: Women are often
encouraged to be silent or unobtrusive, to
never risk being less than perfect. If we
never take risks, we never fail; without
risks we don’t learn, don’t make progress.
We need a little “daring” in our lives in
order to feel heartbreak, sadness, regret,
exhilaration, pride, love, rapture—the full
range of human experience.
SK: WHAT STOPS US?
MIRIAM PESKOW ITZ:
H e re w e a re in th e 21st
c e n tu ry , 9 0 y e a rs a fte r w o m e n g o t th e
v o te, a lm o st 4 0 y ears p a s t th e first w av e o f
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JUNE 2008 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
