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Hippie Boy: A Girl's Story
What would you do if your Mormon stepfather pinned you down and tried to cast Satan out of you? For thirteen-year-old Ingrid, the answer is simple: RUN.
Ingrid Ricks grew up in a dysfunctional Mormon family with an absent, freewheeling dad and an intensely religious mother who was desperate to ensure her family's eternal salvation. For years she yearned to escape the suffocating religion and poverty at home by joining her dad on the road as tool-selling vagabond. When her parents divorce and her mother marries Earl--a cruel authoritarian who exploits his Church-ordained priesthood powers to oppress her family--she finally gets her wish. At age thirteen, Ingrid begins spending her summers hustling tools throughout the Midwest with her dad and his slimy, revolving sales crew. He becomes her lifeline and escape from Earl. But when her dad is arrested, she learns the lesson that will change her life: she can't look to others to save her; she has to save herself.
Ingrid Ricks grew up in a dysfunctional Mormon family with an absent, freewheeling dad and an intensely religious mother who was desperate to ensure her family's eternal salvation. For years she yearned to escape the suffocating religion and poverty at home by joining her dad on the road as tool-selling vagabond. When her parents divorce and her mother marries Earl--a cruel authoritarian who exploits his Church-ordained priesthood powers to oppress her family--she finally gets her wish. At age thirteen, Ingrid begins spending her summers hustling tools throughout the Midwest with her dad and his slimy, revolving sales crew. He becomes her lifeline and escape from Earl. But when her dad is arrested, she learns the lesson that will change her life: she can't look to others to save her; she has to save herself.
244 pages, ebook
First published September 28, 2011
31 people are currently reading
1227 people want to read
About the author
Ingrid Ricks
17 books69 followersIngrid Ricks is a Seattle-based journalist, author, and teen mentor who leverages the new world of digital publishing to give teens a voice. Using her New York Times bestselling debut memoir Hippie Boy: A Girl’s Story as a catalyst, she recently co-launched WeAreAbsolutelyNotOkay.org, a nationally recognized mentoring/publishing program that helps teens find their voice by writing and publishing their personal stories.
Ingrid’s essays and stories have been published in Salon, Ladies’ Home Journal, The Advocate and a variety of other publications. She has also written extensively for The African Children’s Choir, an international relief organization that has been featured on CNN International, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and American Idol.
In addition to Hippie Boy, Ingrid is the author of Focus, a memoir about her journey with the blinding eye disease Retinitis Pigmentosa, and a memoir story collection, A Little Book of Mormon (and Not So Mormon) Stories. She is currently working on Determined to See, a memoir about her yearlong quest to heal her eyesight. She’s blogging about her journey at www.determinedtosee.com
Ingrid lives in Seattle with her husband and two daughters.
Ingrid’s essays and stories have been published in Salon, Ladies’ Home Journal, The Advocate and a variety of other publications. She has also written extensively for The African Children’s Choir, an international relief organization that has been featured on CNN International, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and American Idol.
In addition to Hippie Boy, Ingrid is the author of Focus, a memoir about her journey with the blinding eye disease Retinitis Pigmentosa, and a memoir story collection, A Little Book of Mormon (and Not So Mormon) Stories. She is currently working on Determined to See, a memoir about her yearlong quest to heal her eyesight. She’s blogging about her journey at www.determinedtosee.com
Ingrid lives in Seattle with her husband and two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
May 1, 2012
I really respect the honesty and the voice of this author. I felt Ingrid's anger, humiliation, joy and disappointment with her as I read this book. It must have been a crazy, painful walk into the past for her to capture her childhood voice like she did.
I have read some other reviews and have noticed that a few seem to think that the author is attacking an entire faith. That assumption could not be further from the truth. She does not make all people of the Mormon or LDS faith to be monsters or zealots. In fact, I was relieved to meet a few likeable ambassadors, like the second bishop and one of her friends' parents.
Her story does show how some people use religion. Her disgusting stepfather used it make up his own system of values where women come last. Her Mom, though well-meaning, hid behind the filters of her faith that were put there by others. I was left curious about Ingrid's mother and wondered if she was ever able to take ownership of her own faith without letting others (men) tell her how to have her relationship with God.
I was torn on what to think of Ingrid's Dad. I get that she put him on a pedestal. Most kids do that with one parent, even in typical two-parent homes. I just don't think that her Dad deserved that pedestal. He was so irresponsible, but at the same time I loved his energy. She eventually got it, which made me feel better about my own mixed feelings.
I hope to read more by Ingrid Ricks.
I have read some other reviews and have noticed that a few seem to think that the author is attacking an entire faith. That assumption could not be further from the truth. She does not make all people of the Mormon or LDS faith to be monsters or zealots. In fact, I was relieved to meet a few likeable ambassadors, like the second bishop and one of her friends' parents.
Her story does show how some people use religion. Her disgusting stepfather used it make up his own system of values where women come last. Her Mom, though well-meaning, hid behind the filters of her faith that were put there by others. I was left curious about Ingrid's mother and wondered if she was ever able to take ownership of her own faith without letting others (men) tell her how to have her relationship with God.
I was torn on what to think of Ingrid's Dad. I get that she put him on a pedestal. Most kids do that with one parent, even in typical two-parent homes. I just don't think that her Dad deserved that pedestal. He was so irresponsible, but at the same time I loved his energy. She eventually got it, which made me feel better about my own mixed feelings.
I hope to read more by Ingrid Ricks.
January 21, 2014
Yippie! I won this book via First Reads!
"Hippie Boy" is a smooth flowing, well-written, compelling memoir of a young girl's desperate struggle to escape and find her own path.
It's captivating and heart-breaking at some points when the family encounters difficult times.
With an authoritative abusive stepfather, a mother with a dogma of
Mormonism, a somewhat neglectful father, and siblings both older and younger than herself, Ingrid tells a real coming-of-age story; which encourages you to make your own choices for whatever life throws at you.
It is touching and a MUST read!
I was interested in this story because when I was a teen some Mormons
came to my house to "recruit" me as they do go to door to door.
I was curious about different religions, so I befriended them
and went to their church, but they were too pushy and they basically
scared me off.
"Hippie Boy" is a smooth flowing, well-written, compelling memoir of a young girl's desperate struggle to escape and find her own path.
It's captivating and heart-breaking at some points when the family encounters difficult times.
With an authoritative abusive stepfather, a mother with a dogma of
Mormonism, a somewhat neglectful father, and siblings both older and younger than herself, Ingrid tells a real coming-of-age story; which encourages you to make your own choices for whatever life throws at you.
It is touching and a MUST read!
I was interested in this story because when I was a teen some Mormons
came to my house to "recruit" me as they do go to door to door.
I was curious about different religions, so I befriended them
and went to their church, but they were too pushy and they basically
scared me off.
September 15, 2014
This book was written by a girl who grew up in my hometown, in fact she went to high school with my younger sister. Everyone who has read it has been surprised that things like this happened when we were growing up in what was then quite a small city.
June 7, 2012
It is 1979 and 13 year-old Ingrid was facing down her mother's new husband Earl. He was a Vietnam Vet and had been homeless for years. Now her stepfather, he was also a Mormon priesthood holder. This meant he had direct communication with God. Ingrid knew the rules; Mormon priesthood holder men had absolute authority. Even her mother couldn't overrule his decision. Ingrid wouldn't accept that, she wanted to be with her father.(Some spoilers if you continue reading.) A salesman who traveled the country and sold tools out of the trunk of his car.
Ingrid's father wasn't a good Mormon. He had been excommunicated from the church. That didn't matter. Ingrid adored and admired him, even though he had his faults and flaws. Besides what kind of religious sect would separate a father from his children. She was determined to be with him, and neither heaven nor earth would stand in her way.
Hippie Boy: A Girl's Story, is the tale of how Ingrid Ricks found her voice, and herself. Her father used to call her "Hippie Boy" because her long, knotted brown hair reminded him of the hitchhikers he picked up in the Seventies during his sales travels. The story is an interesting and revealing peek into a normal, economically-struggling Mormon family. It was a world away, with light years of separation, from the millionaire Mormon running for president.
It wasn't an easy journey, there were many obstacles and pitfalls. Such as the time they were pulled over in Illinois for speeding, and her father arrested for an outstanding warrant regarding a bad check. When the judge order him to be extradited to Texas, that was the moment Ingrid rose up in a packed court room and yelled "No!". The judge let her father out on bail after that outburst, but it taught her to finally speak up.
Ingrid Ricks, the author, lives in Seattle. She is self-employed, running a marketing communications business, along with having a husband, also self-employed, and two daughters. She had dreamed and talked about writing her story for years, but with time constraints and rising household expenses there was no way she could cut back on her job hours. The book remained elusive.
Nearing her 43rd birthday, her children were teasing her about getting old. They bent over walking around like an old lady with a cane; everyone was chuckling, including her good-natured husband. Until her nine year-old daughter cried out in a mocking crotchety voice…"my book, my book, I have to finish my book!" That moment cut deep, but it also made her rise to the occasion. She woke up an hour early every day for the next year and worked on the book. She cut back on clients, and the little extras that that money used to cover. She completed her book and now it is a bestseller on Amazon.
Hippie Boy: A Girl's story, is a stunning masterpiece by a first-time author. Though this is a memoir it reads like a fictional story, with all the necessary literary elements including conflict, religious strife and character arcs. Brilliant, emotional, and aspirational, you feel empowered and inspired when you reach the last page.
On her 44th birthday, the book completed, her daughter presented her with a card. The character Wonder Woman pictured on the front. Ricks had found her voice and her medium, now she's running with it.
-- eNovel Reviews
Listen to Puget Sound Public Radio KUOW interview with author Ingrid Ricks.
Real Audio
Windows Media/MP3
February 13, 2017
I set a goal this year to read as many of the older Kindle books languishing in my TBR as possible. This book has the oldest slot in that pile. I got it for free in the heyday of Amazon freebies, in December 2011.
I notice it has since been picked up by Penguin and reissued. It currently sells for $12.99.
I have to say I'm grateful I got it for free - I certainly wouldn't want to pay the top dollar price they're asking today.
The book is fine. For an early indie publish, it had only a few minor editing issues. I think I picked it up for the cool-looking retro sign on the cover. In hindsight, I'm not sure what I thought I was getting. I think I was hoping for some wild hippie-commune coming-of-age story. Like I said, I've had this one a long time, a lot has happened and I'm not even the same person I was then.
So, here are the issues I had with this book:
1. I am not a fan of organized religion. Personally, and no offense to any believers, but I don't consider the Mormon Church to be much more than a cult. Sorry. I also don't believe anyone's God or Higher Power would want them to stay in an abusive relationship because the Church says so. A Higher Power and inner faith is about becoming stronger, better and finding peace and healing. Using religion and the Church, whichever Church it may be, to rationalize putting children in any kind of abusive situation is heinous to me and indicates a lack of intelligence and selfishness to do what's best for those children. I'm not saying this to be judgmental, I understand how it happens.
2. I don't read a lot of memoirs and biographies. I read fiction because I believe it. Now, this says it's "a girl's story". That is no lie. My problem with a lot of memoirs today is, who are these people and why do I care? I don't understand this culture of telling everybody where you're going and what you're doing every minute of your day. Who cares? I don't assume anybody is that interested. Ingrid Ricks and I are fairly close in age. I was amused by her fantasy of being adopted by the Osmond family. I used to wish for the same thing.
Ingrid Ricks grew up in a dysfunctional family. However, it becomes a pissing match over degrees of dysfunction and suffering. There was yelling, and property damage and emotional distress. There was no actual physical abuse, aside from some slapping and wrangling with the step dad, Earl. There was no sexual abuse. So, I'm trying to figure out why this needs to be out there for $12.99.
3. Mostly, this is about summer road trips Ingrid Ricks took with her shyster Dad, selling tools out of a van. He was one of those don't work a real job, always scheme for that million bucks kind of guys. And I guess from the bio at the end, he got it selling 800 numbers to truckers. Ooohkaay. More power to him. They drank a lot of sugar-free Dr. Pepper, I can tell you that.
I don't mean to hate on this book, or Ingrid Ricks. I'm sure she's a great person. I just don't understand why there's a book. I guess the answer is, why not?
I notice it has since been picked up by Penguin and reissued. It currently sells for $12.99.
I have to say I'm grateful I got it for free - I certainly wouldn't want to pay the top dollar price they're asking today.
The book is fine. For an early indie publish, it had only a few minor editing issues. I think I picked it up for the cool-looking retro sign on the cover. In hindsight, I'm not sure what I thought I was getting. I think I was hoping for some wild hippie-commune coming-of-age story. Like I said, I've had this one a long time, a lot has happened and I'm not even the same person I was then.
So, here are the issues I had with this book:
1. I am not a fan of organized religion. Personally, and no offense to any believers, but I don't consider the Mormon Church to be much more than a cult. Sorry. I also don't believe anyone's God or Higher Power would want them to stay in an abusive relationship because the Church says so. A Higher Power and inner faith is about becoming stronger, better and finding peace and healing. Using religion and the Church, whichever Church it may be, to rationalize putting children in any kind of abusive situation is heinous to me and indicates a lack of intelligence and selfishness to do what's best for those children. I'm not saying this to be judgmental, I understand how it happens.
2. I don't read a lot of memoirs and biographies. I read fiction because I believe it. Now, this says it's "a girl's story". That is no lie. My problem with a lot of memoirs today is, who are these people and why do I care? I don't understand this culture of telling everybody where you're going and what you're doing every minute of your day. Who cares? I don't assume anybody is that interested. Ingrid Ricks and I are fairly close in age. I was amused by her fantasy of being adopted by the Osmond family. I used to wish for the same thing.
Ingrid Ricks grew up in a dysfunctional family. However, it becomes a pissing match over degrees of dysfunction and suffering. There was yelling, and property damage and emotional distress. There was no actual physical abuse, aside from some slapping and wrangling with the step dad, Earl. There was no sexual abuse. So, I'm trying to figure out why this needs to be out there for $12.99.
3. Mostly, this is about summer road trips Ingrid Ricks took with her shyster Dad, selling tools out of a van. He was one of those don't work a real job, always scheme for that million bucks kind of guys. And I guess from the bio at the end, he got it selling 800 numbers to truckers. Ooohkaay. More power to him. They drank a lot of sugar-free Dr. Pepper, I can tell you that.
I don't mean to hate on this book, or Ingrid Ricks. I'm sure she's a great person. I just don't understand why there's a book. I guess the answer is, why not?
January 25, 2012
I read Hippie Boy in two days and have since shared it with approximately 60 people - 40 of whom are my high school students (I teach at an alternative school for at-risk teens). I was so happy to find a coming-of-age book with a strong female voice and a positive, powerful message and just knew my students would connect with it strongly. I've been able to test my theory with a class set of books over the past two weeks, and my intuition was right times one hundred...my students are crazy about it. There are so many parts where they stop reading and say, "NO WAY!!" in response to what happens. It has fostered great classroom discussions about parental power, religious suffocation and finding strength from within to face challenges.
One 18-year old student who has never liked to read could not put it down. "This book is bomb," he told me softly after reading it through his math class (that teacher wasn't pleased). It is very accessible, easy to read, in the moment and you feel you are experiencing Ingrid's struggles along with her because she so clearly describes her emotional state throughout the events that occur. I have also given it to many of my friends (aged 30+), and they all love it, too. There is something in Hippie Boy for everyone, it seems. A great story, very well-told.
One 18-year old student who has never liked to read could not put it down. "This book is bomb," he told me softly after reading it through his math class (that teacher wasn't pleased). It is very accessible, easy to read, in the moment and you feel you are experiencing Ingrid's struggles along with her because she so clearly describes her emotional state throughout the events that occur. I have also given it to many of my friends (aged 30+), and they all love it, too. There is something in Hippie Boy for everyone, it seems. A great story, very well-told.
July 6, 2012
Hippie Boy: A Girl’s Story is a fascinating memoir written about Author Ingrid Ricks' childhood - growing up poor and Mormon in the 70s/80s. As someone who also grew up in this time period, I felt an instant connection to Ingrid, even though my own childhood was completely different. Still – I immediately empathized with young Ingrid – cheering her accomplishments, crying over her heartache, and pulling for things to get better in her dysfunctional family.
Hippie Boy: A Girl’s Story was just one of those books I could not put down. Even after the book ended, I found it really stuck with me. While Ingrid does do brief updates at the end of the book to bring us up to speed – sort of a where are they now – I still wanted more. I felt as if I were now also a member of Ingrid’s family... a true testament to her writing. Bravo to Ingrid for being courageous enough to write about some very difficult memories.
Hippie Boy: A Girl’s Story was just one of those books I could not put down. Even after the book ended, I found it really stuck with me. While Ingrid does do brief updates at the end of the book to bring us up to speed – sort of a where are they now – I still wanted more. I felt as if I were now also a member of Ingrid’s family... a true testament to her writing. Bravo to Ingrid for being courageous enough to write about some very difficult memories.
January 27, 2012
Was very slow moving and repetitive.
June 9, 2012
awesome book! that guy Earl was a jerk... I can just imagine how hideous the guy looks. I love the bond Ingrid had with her daddy. definitely recommend anyone to read this book!
October 2, 2024
The way that this story is written, formatted, and narrated is just impeccable. This book is written from the main character's, Ingrid, point of view. It is an autobiography, so the main character is also the author. Ingrid reflects back on the trauma and experiences she endured while growing up in a strict, religious household. She talks about how she felt during her childhood. How she believed that religion was the thing that was rotting everything in her life. Such as her parent's marriage, her mother's second husband, and her relationship with her mother. Ingrid reflects back on the good and the bad. The good being her spending summers with her dad, but the bad being the nasty outcomes that came along with her dad's job. From the writing style, I fully believed I was the one in the story. I resented the same people Ingrid did, and I relied on the same people that Ingrid relied on. The story evolves to show how much Ingrid had matured throughout this period of her life, and ways that she found were better to deal with her household. In all, this book changed my perspective on the people around me, and how people who appear happy at school, can always go back home to abuse.
April 19, 2014
In a nutshell, this is an amazing story and a completely engrossing read, an autobiography that reads like a novel, an intense novel.
Full disclosure, I am an incredibly distant relative of the author. I am also incredibly distantly related to nearly everyone with the surname “Ricks.” It’s a Mormon thing. I’m not Mormon but am descended from a prominent, and, shall we say, fruitful, family that was instrumental in the settling of Utah. I have never met Ingrid Ricks. If I ever get the chance, I would welcome the opportunity to tell her what an incredible book this is. I discovered this particular title during a conversation with my father regarding writers we were related to. I looked her up on Amazon, and started reading reviews. Some claimed she bashed Mormonism. That intrigued me. I put it on my wishlist, and later received it as a gift. I am not a very fast reader, but I finished this book in less than 5 days.
As I said at the start, this is an autobiography that reads an intense novel. Ingrid Ricks’ childhood was intense. Once you start this book, you have to force yourself to put it down. Stifled by a constricting religion and an abusive stepfather, Ingrid seeks to escape with her wanderlust father. Where her mother, a devout Mormon, was structured and responsible, he was carefree and irresponsible. Her mother, guided by the church elders, made decisions that she claimed were best for her children. Really she was trying to fulfill her own dream of being the dutiful wife and mother. Her father made decisions solely on what was best for him. In that way, he was much more honest, I guess. In the end, Ingrid learns to make her decisions and takes control of her own life.
I don’t want to retell her story in this review. I would rather you just read her book.
What I will say is that this is the story of a troubled teenager, searching to find her way out of the mess that is her life. It’s not, as some of the Amazon reviewers seem to think, about bashing her mother’s religion. The fact that this family is Mormon is not a crucial detail. True, it was partly due to the guidance of a bishop that her mother not only marries Earl but stays with him. The church enables Earl to torment her and her children. Still, this kind of narrative could happen, and does happen, at the hands of any religion with strict rules and regulations. This story is more universal than that, as there are many religions that dictate societal guidelines to create a unique subculture. Also, in the end, it is another bishop that helps Ingrid’s mother expel Earl from her and her children’s lives for good. The church helped create the horrible circumstances, but it also helped rectify the situation. Again, this could have been any religion.
Ingrid’s story is one of a teenager that is suffering, but no one will listen. No one can help her, not even the father she idolizes. She figures out how to help herself, to stand up for herself. By writing this book, she also found her voice. By telling her story, in her own words, Ingrid can help other teenage girls facing abuse to find the strength to help themselves. It is perhaps harder to be a teenager now than it has ever been. Every day in the news, we read about teens being abused, and not always for religious reasons. Be it abusive parents or bullies at school, each generation seems worse off than the last.
The author has used her story as an example for other teenagers to find their voices, to tell their stories. She co-founded http://weareabsolutelynotokay.org/ and works with teenagers, helping them empower themselves through personal storytelling. She and a teacher even developed a detailed lesson plan that is available for purchase. The more teenagers who find their voices, and the more who are heard through publication, perhaps the more teenagers will learn they are not alone. Perhaps the more teenagers will find strength in numbers and speak out for themselves. Maybe even a few adults as well.
Full disclosure, I am an incredibly distant relative of the author. I am also incredibly distantly related to nearly everyone with the surname “Ricks.” It’s a Mormon thing. I’m not Mormon but am descended from a prominent, and, shall we say, fruitful, family that was instrumental in the settling of Utah. I have never met Ingrid Ricks. If I ever get the chance, I would welcome the opportunity to tell her what an incredible book this is. I discovered this particular title during a conversation with my father regarding writers we were related to. I looked her up on Amazon, and started reading reviews. Some claimed she bashed Mormonism. That intrigued me. I put it on my wishlist, and later received it as a gift. I am not a very fast reader, but I finished this book in less than 5 days.
As I said at the start, this is an autobiography that reads an intense novel. Ingrid Ricks’ childhood was intense. Once you start this book, you have to force yourself to put it down. Stifled by a constricting religion and an abusive stepfather, Ingrid seeks to escape with her wanderlust father. Where her mother, a devout Mormon, was structured and responsible, he was carefree and irresponsible. Her mother, guided by the church elders, made decisions that she claimed were best for her children. Really she was trying to fulfill her own dream of being the dutiful wife and mother. Her father made decisions solely on what was best for him. In that way, he was much more honest, I guess. In the end, Ingrid learns to make her decisions and takes control of her own life.
I don’t want to retell her story in this review. I would rather you just read her book.
What I will say is that this is the story of a troubled teenager, searching to find her way out of the mess that is her life. It’s not, as some of the Amazon reviewers seem to think, about bashing her mother’s religion. The fact that this family is Mormon is not a crucial detail. True, it was partly due to the guidance of a bishop that her mother not only marries Earl but stays with him. The church enables Earl to torment her and her children. Still, this kind of narrative could happen, and does happen, at the hands of any religion with strict rules and regulations. This story is more universal than that, as there are many religions that dictate societal guidelines to create a unique subculture. Also, in the end, it is another bishop that helps Ingrid’s mother expel Earl from her and her children’s lives for good. The church helped create the horrible circumstances, but it also helped rectify the situation. Again, this could have been any religion.
Ingrid’s story is one of a teenager that is suffering, but no one will listen. No one can help her, not even the father she idolizes. She figures out how to help herself, to stand up for herself. By writing this book, she also found her voice. By telling her story, in her own words, Ingrid can help other teenage girls facing abuse to find the strength to help themselves. It is perhaps harder to be a teenager now than it has ever been. Every day in the news, we read about teens being abused, and not always for religious reasons. Be it abusive parents or bullies at school, each generation seems worse off than the last.
The author has used her story as an example for other teenagers to find their voices, to tell their stories. She co-founded http://weareabsolutelynotokay.org/ and works with teenagers, helping them empower themselves through personal storytelling. She and a teacher even developed a detailed lesson plan that is available for purchase. The more teenagers who find their voices, and the more who are heard through publication, perhaps the more teenagers will learn they are not alone. Perhaps the more teenagers will find strength in numbers and speak out for themselves. Maybe even a few adults as well.
November 8, 2011
Who doesn't like stories where the protagonists overcome difficult challenges to succeed and make their dreams come true? In this world of broken dreams that is one of the purposes of fiction, to allow us to visualize a better life for ourselves, even if it may be unrealistic and beyond our grasp. But who needs fiction when you can read Ingrid Rick's true story "Hippie Boy"?
This the tale of a young girl and her siblings immersed in the maelstrom of a family that unstitches at the seams. It is about dealing with poverty, about dealing with the imperfections of those entrusted to care for you, and about proving yourself by fighting, not only against the things without, but also against those that lurk within.
The book is engaging and well written. This is a memoir, and the author tells it like it is, both the good and the bad. She does not sugarcoat the shortcomings of the members of her family. I was particularly impressed by the contrast that Ingrid draws between the passages depicting the asphyxiating environment of the family home, where a an excessively devout mother permits the stepfather to employ religion as a means of control, and those describing the freedom that the author experiences when she is on the road selling tools with her dad. Reading the latter passages you actually feel the crisp cool morning air on your face as you drive down the highway with Willie Nelson on the radio singing "On the Road Again."
I agree with her father when he asks rhetorically, "This is the life, isn't it?" while relaxing in a motel room drinking sugar-free Doctor Pepper after a hard day's work. Indeed, nothing beats being your own boss, doing things your way, and making your own rules. But alas, while when you live on the edge and get the thrills, you also get the spills. In that sense Hippie Boy is also a tale of growing up and realizing you can't depend on others. You need to find your own way and your own voice, something Ingrid Ricks has achieved. This is her story.
Be it for curiosity, inspiration, entertainment, or to learn the life-lessons of "the road" I recommend you read Hippie Boy.
This the tale of a young girl and her siblings immersed in the maelstrom of a family that unstitches at the seams. It is about dealing with poverty, about dealing with the imperfections of those entrusted to care for you, and about proving yourself by fighting, not only against the things without, but also against those that lurk within.
The book is engaging and well written. This is a memoir, and the author tells it like it is, both the good and the bad. She does not sugarcoat the shortcomings of the members of her family. I was particularly impressed by the contrast that Ingrid draws between the passages depicting the asphyxiating environment of the family home, where a an excessively devout mother permits the stepfather to employ religion as a means of control, and those describing the freedom that the author experiences when she is on the road selling tools with her dad. Reading the latter passages you actually feel the crisp cool morning air on your face as you drive down the highway with Willie Nelson on the radio singing "On the Road Again."
I agree with her father when he asks rhetorically, "This is the life, isn't it?" while relaxing in a motel room drinking sugar-free Doctor Pepper after a hard day's work. Indeed, nothing beats being your own boss, doing things your way, and making your own rules. But alas, while when you live on the edge and get the thrills, you also get the spills. In that sense Hippie Boy is also a tale of growing up and realizing you can't depend on others. You need to find your own way and your own voice, something Ingrid Ricks has achieved. This is her story.
Be it for curiosity, inspiration, entertainment, or to learn the life-lessons of "the road" I recommend you read Hippie Boy.
June 23, 2012
I was fortunate enough to pick up A Little Book of Mormon stories, the autobiographical stories by Ingrid Ricks, a few months ago. Because I enjoyed those so much, the author forwarded me her book Hippie Boy: A Girl's Story.
This wonderful book is also autobiographical-- and I can't deny that a lot of the power in this novel is that this is Ingrid's true story. We are introduced to her family-- her mother that is struggling to make ends meet, her father who Ingrid worships as a child but then grows to realize over time that he's not as perfect as she once thought, her sister Connie, who is probably my favorite of the bunch, who teaches Ingrid the power of freedom and making things happen. Earl, her stepfather, is undeniably the evil character in the piece, and while reading, I was shocked that she had to live through such times.
I felt so satisfied reading this book. It has all the essential elements of a good YA book. We have a protagonist who is flawed, mostly just from being young and impressionable. This is the perfect example of a untrustworthy narrator-- she adores her father, but it becomes quickly apparent to the reader that he has a lot of issues and is not as perfect as she thinks. That said, she grows over time and realizes these things for herself. We see the young Ingrid change and grow, stand up for herself, and become the woman she is today.
There are some reviews that say Ricks puts down the Mormon church. I don't see that at all. She had bad experiences with bad people (there are bad people in every religion, race, walk of life), but she also had good experiences with good people, and she wrote about those as well.
It takes great bravery to put your life out there for everyone to see. This novel is strong in ways her short stories (though enjoyable) could never be, and is a powerful testament of converting harsh circumstances into a way to help other young people in tough situations. This is a wonderful book, and well worth reading.
This wonderful book is also autobiographical-- and I can't deny that a lot of the power in this novel is that this is Ingrid's true story. We are introduced to her family-- her mother that is struggling to make ends meet, her father who Ingrid worships as a child but then grows to realize over time that he's not as perfect as she once thought, her sister Connie, who is probably my favorite of the bunch, who teaches Ingrid the power of freedom and making things happen. Earl, her stepfather, is undeniably the evil character in the piece, and while reading, I was shocked that she had to live through such times.
I felt so satisfied reading this book. It has all the essential elements of a good YA book. We have a protagonist who is flawed, mostly just from being young and impressionable. This is the perfect example of a untrustworthy narrator-- she adores her father, but it becomes quickly apparent to the reader that he has a lot of issues and is not as perfect as she thinks. That said, she grows over time and realizes these things for herself. We see the young Ingrid change and grow, stand up for herself, and become the woman she is today.
There are some reviews that say Ricks puts down the Mormon church. I don't see that at all. She had bad experiences with bad people (there are bad people in every religion, race, walk of life), but she also had good experiences with good people, and she wrote about those as well.
It takes great bravery to put your life out there for everyone to see. This novel is strong in ways her short stories (though enjoyable) could never be, and is a powerful testament of converting harsh circumstances into a way to help other young people in tough situations. This is a wonderful book, and well worth reading.
February 3, 2012
I haven't received my copy yet, just received notice I had won. 1/3/12
Received my copy last night, 1/9/12 and hope to get to it soon. I hae my current read plus 6 more in front of it.
Started today 2/1/12
Finished last night 2/2/12
Ingrid is growing up in the late 70's/early 80's (I am guessing with reference to clothing, hair styles, etc.) Her parents are divorced and her mother marries a man that the children can't stand. She adores her father and wants nothing more than to leave with him on his job; Selling tools on the road.
Okay, I did read the blurb on the book. I am LDS, not highly active, and there are some issues I have with the church, but still. I was expecting Earl (The new husband) to the be only nut. I was dismayed to see that there was only one mention of the actual religion name, all the rest was Mormon, which tends to reflect negative feelings towards the religion. NOTHING she mentioned in the book reflected good on the religion . I wanted to like the book, but I didn't.
I did enjoy some of the story when she was talking about her father, but I thought really? This is like all good parent/bad parent stories. One is made out to be a saint, when he clearly is not, and the other one as satan, when she really isn't, just weak.
I have a friend that grew up in Logan and she mentioned that it was similar to the experiences Ingrid had. I grew up in St George, also mentioned in the book, and I never saw this behavior. I guess I have a hard time when anyones stereo-types a whole group into one behavior due to one or two people being like that.
Received my copy last night, 1/9/12 and hope to get to it soon. I hae my current read plus 6 more in front of it.
Started today 2/1/12
Finished last night 2/2/12
Ingrid is growing up in the late 70's/early 80's (I am guessing with reference to clothing, hair styles, etc.) Her parents are divorced and her mother marries a man that the children can't stand. She adores her father and wants nothing more than to leave with him on his job; Selling tools on the road.
Okay, I did read the blurb on the book. I am LDS, not highly active, and there are some issues I have with the church, but still. I was expecting Earl (The new husband) to the be only nut. I was dismayed to see that there was only one mention of the actual religion name, all the rest was Mormon, which tends to reflect negative feelings towards the religion. NOTHING she mentioned in the book reflected good on the religion . I wanted to like the book, but I didn't.
I did enjoy some of the story when she was talking about her father, but I thought really? This is like all good parent/bad parent stories. One is made out to be a saint, when he clearly is not, and the other one as satan, when she really isn't, just weak.
I have a friend that grew up in Logan and she mentioned that it was similar to the experiences Ingrid had. I grew up in St George, also mentioned in the book, and I never saw this behavior. I guess I have a hard time when anyones stereo-types a whole group into one behavior due to one or two people being like that.
February 14, 2012
Ingrid Rick's examination of growing up in a world split between her Mother's religious rigidity, and her Dad's free wheeling life on the road is a moving, honest, gripping story which pulled me into it and didn't let me stop until the last word had been read. Because her writing is refreshingly honest and personal, I had to care about her and her siblings. She incorporates so much of the world around her, and the time period into her memoir that I almost felt like I had lived through it with her. The details which applied to my own childhood were immediately familiar and true and so I trusted her perception of the arts of her life which were unlike anything I had lived through. She could have resorted to stereotypes, and yet there is an individuality to even the most stereotypical characters.
I grew up in a town in a small community with a lot of Mormons, and I had seen for myself, that like all people, there were good and bad among them. Ingrid can show this in one Bishop who is remote and prejudicial and another who helps rescue the family from "Earl." She shows that even the best intentioned of us make mistakes and that we can survive them with hope and determination and a little support from each other.
I highly recommend this book to those who love honest writing and memoirs and humor. The style reminded me some of "the Help" and the moving forward and finding one's own strengths was similar to the books I love by Kris Radish. It also reminded me of one of my personal favorites, Gringa" by Melissa Hart.
I grew up in a town in a small community with a lot of Mormons, and I had seen for myself, that like all people, there were good and bad among them. Ingrid can show this in one Bishop who is remote and prejudicial and another who helps rescue the family from "Earl." She shows that even the best intentioned of us make mistakes and that we can survive them with hope and determination and a little support from each other.
I highly recommend this book to those who love honest writing and memoirs and humor. The style reminded me some of "the Help" and the moving forward and finding one's own strengths was similar to the books I love by Kris Radish. It also reminded me of one of my personal favorites, Gringa" by Melissa Hart.
November 21, 2011
Although I thought I was familiar with the term hippie, I must say Ingrid Ricks has clearly & concisely clarified the term for me. She does a fine job bringing to life her inborn fiery spirit and drive to set her own pace in life. The thing here is, I'm almost certain, even without the suffocating environ, the hippie part came with her mold. It's written all over her voice.
I also must admit not being familiar with the Mormon religion, or culture, which exploring more on the subject was one of the first notes I made while reading. Actually, even as I read I consulted with others on the practices of Mormons. Family was mentioned foremost, and fondly, which ironic as it was, this facet cogently staples Ingrid's poignant memoir, albeit from varying perspectives.
Overall, I really felt for her mother. The father was a character, but I found him a likeable character, and very much a father. I applaud Connie. In fact, I really, really applaud Connie, as well as I found Ingrid's decision to stay with her younger siblings most admirable. And not to leave off with any spoilers, but aside from the smooth pacing and structured flow, the ending is one to savor. I can read that ending over and over. What a moving page-turner.
I also must admit not being familiar with the Mormon religion, or culture, which exploring more on the subject was one of the first notes I made while reading. Actually, even as I read I consulted with others on the practices of Mormons. Family was mentioned foremost, and fondly, which ironic as it was, this facet cogently staples Ingrid's poignant memoir, albeit from varying perspectives.
Overall, I really felt for her mother. The father was a character, but I found him a likeable character, and very much a father. I applaud Connie. In fact, I really, really applaud Connie, as well as I found Ingrid's decision to stay with her younger siblings most admirable. And not to leave off with any spoilers, but aside from the smooth pacing and structured flow, the ending is one to savor. I can read that ending over and over. What a moving page-turner.
April 21, 2012
I really love memoirs, the stories of people, every-day people. I especially enjoyed this memoir because it I think it is a story that is, in parts, more true and common in the states than most would perhaps realize. Poverty, religious-fanaticism, broken homes and the amazing ability of children to love their fathers/mothers. Having worked in a school with the poorer students of a small town, I felt like I was offered a glimpse of their lives, the stories they couldn't express and the humanity of us all. I suppose, in parts, I could even glimpse my own life at various intersections of the novel.
One passage that stood out, especially for the imagery:
"My stomach felt like a hundred bees were buzzing inside it, angrily stinging me as they bumped up against their prison walls." (location 142)
One passage that stood out, especially for the imagery:
"My stomach felt like a hundred bees were buzzing inside it, angrily stinging me as they bumped up against their prison walls." (location 142)
January 22, 2014
Yippie! I won this book via First Reads!
"Hippie Boy" is a smooth flowing, well-written, compelling memoir of a young girl's desperate struggle to escape and find her own path.
It's captivating and heart-breaking at some points when the family encounters difficult times.
With an authoritative abusive stepfather, a mother with a dogma of
Mormonism, a somewhat neglectful father, and siblings both older and younger than herself, Ingrid tells a real coming-of-age story; which encourages you to make your own choices for whatever life throws at you.
It is touching and a MUST read!
I was interested in this story because when I was a teen some Mormons
came to my house to "recruit" me as they do go to door to door.
I was curious about different religions, so I befriended them
and went to their church, but they were too pushy and they basically
scared me off.
"Hippie Boy" is a smooth flowing, well-written, compelling memoir of a young girl's desperate struggle to escape and find her own path.
It's captivating and heart-breaking at some points when the family encounters difficult times.
With an authoritative abusive stepfather, a mother with a dogma of
Mormonism, a somewhat neglectful father, and siblings both older and younger than herself, Ingrid tells a real coming-of-age story; which encourages you to make your own choices for whatever life throws at you.
It is touching and a MUST read!
I was interested in this story because when I was a teen some Mormons
came to my house to "recruit" me as they do go to door to door.
I was curious about different religions, so I befriended them
and went to their church, but they were too pushy and they basically
scared me off.
January 8, 2012
It is really hard to search for a good book within the new Kindle lending library that Amazon offers its prime members, but I lucked out with this one. The story of a young girl overcoming the failures of her parents to grow and mature into an independent, capable young woman never gets old. It provides hope that a child can overcome an unhealthy home situation and break the cycle of dependency, poverty, and/or laziness. It is a reminder that no one has a perfect family, and we all are broken in one way or another. How we handle the cards we are dealt is what makes the difference, and I think Ingrid handled it admirably and was smart enough to know what was true and what wasn't when the adults around her forgot to protect her.
May 25, 2012
Why someone chooses one religion over another has always fascinated me, so when I picked this up it was more to learn about the Mormon religion than to learn Ingrid's story. So I was pretty shocked to discover I really wanted to know what happened to Ingrid more than the other stuff pretty quickly.
This story takes us through the hard teen life of a young woman from a broken home. Very well written!
This story takes us through the hard teen life of a young woman from a broken home. Very well written!
July 6, 2013
Ingrid's book is mesmerizing! Her tale of fatherly worship and betrayal is riveting and poignant, but the overlay of her mentally abusive Mormon stepfather and the environment in which she grew up is even more dramatic. She does an incredible job sharing a sense of place - you feel like you are right there in the living room with her! I'm hooked and can't wait to see where it all goes.
January 14, 2014
So... if you already hate Mormons and think religion is just oppressive wishwash, you will LOVE this book. For the rest of us who have grown up enough to realize that individual people are never perfect representations of an ideal and that mothers deserve compassion not criticism, you will likely find this book very disappointing.
March 11, 2012
It took me forever to get through this book. The story of Ingrid's relationship with her father was compelling, but I wanted to slap her mother through most of it. Coming of age story? Perhaps. A book I would recommend to others? Probably not.
March 11, 2012
Read this book on 2days. Enjoyed it but not what I expected. Glad I stumbled onto it. Her memoirs are truly believable. Can mirror many, many coming of age with many different circumstances. Will recommend.
January 23, 2012
I don't understand why this book has so many high ratings... I wasn't impressed with it at all.
July 7, 2012
Ricks has written a taut, tension paced book that I couldn't put down.
June 14, 2023
A real nothing of a book, don't waste your time on it. There is little that happens beyond the typical crazy-Mormon-household stories that you've heard before. The author makes an incredibly bad choice by only focusing on her childhood and not including adulthood (essentially stopping the book's timeline 27 years before publication).
In the end I said to myself, "That's it?" She could have summarized this in a couple pages or a short magazine article. Her one-page update of what has happened to the characters in the decades since was the most interesting part of it!
I can give you the story in a paragraph. Loser Mormon dad that's a traveling salesman cheats on crazy super-religious foreign-born stay-at-home mom. He gets excommunicated and runs off to marry other women, only seeing his kids for a few days a year. The mother marries a gross homeless guy who insists on being the ruler of the household under Mormon law, and the author recounts how much she as a child hated everything except her strange summers riding with her dad on sales calls.
The only drama is that she is unaware her father is wanted by the cops, has swindled people, cheats with various women, and uses an alias. Now if that part sounds interesting to you, it's not. We only find out about it in a rushed section close to the end of the book that raises more questions than provides answers.
Ricks doesn't focus on the things that could have made this a good story; instead, she reveals the everyday bad choices everyone makes without taking responsibility for them, including females who cling to abusive men instead of running away permanently or standing up for themselves.
It's ultimately a sad, depressing book with nothing inspirational about it. I think it was supposed to make Mormon hierarchy and paternalism look bad, but with so many wasted pages devoted to the women and girls who allow themselves to be mistreated it's actually an indictment of those who continually make wrong choices in the name of God.
In the end I said to myself, "That's it?" She could have summarized this in a couple pages or a short magazine article. Her one-page update of what has happened to the characters in the decades since was the most interesting part of it!
I can give you the story in a paragraph. Loser Mormon dad that's a traveling salesman cheats on crazy super-religious foreign-born stay-at-home mom. He gets excommunicated and runs off to marry other women, only seeing his kids for a few days a year. The mother marries a gross homeless guy who insists on being the ruler of the household under Mormon law, and the author recounts how much she as a child hated everything except her strange summers riding with her dad on sales calls.
The only drama is that she is unaware her father is wanted by the cops, has swindled people, cheats with various women, and uses an alias. Now if that part sounds interesting to you, it's not. We only find out about it in a rushed section close to the end of the book that raises more questions than provides answers.
Ricks doesn't focus on the things that could have made this a good story; instead, she reveals the everyday bad choices everyone makes without taking responsibility for them, including females who cling to abusive men instead of running away permanently or standing up for themselves.
It's ultimately a sad, depressing book with nothing inspirational about it. I think it was supposed to make Mormon hierarchy and paternalism look bad, but with so many wasted pages devoted to the women and girls who allow themselves to be mistreated it's actually an indictment of those who continually make wrong choices in the name of God.
September 28, 2019
This book while I know the author. Still gripped me completely. The writing style flows beautifully and the story will have you laughing one second and crying the next. It is a truely poetic roller coaster of emotions. At many points it is hard to believe/remember that it's a biography because the writing style is so gripping and because some of the darker moments in the story. Over all it is gorgeous, and I couldnt be more proud of the author for being brave enough to share these deatils of her life with the public. Love you Auntie Ing!
December 10, 2023
ive read it a long time ago before but re read it again this year, maybe around october/september
realllllly good book, I do love Ingrid, I looked at my copy of this book again and was suprised that it was a true story, so yknow, Im happy for
realllllly good book, I do love Ingrid, I looked at my copy of this book again and was suprised that it was a true story, so yknow, Im happy for
March 27, 2025
read this as a recommendation from Mia who knows the author and it was a joy to read. i’ve been trying to get into reading more nonfiction and life writing this year and this was a great start for that goal. this book was so interesting and i was held in it so intensely the entire time. it has a oddly nostalgic feel to it as well which was unexpected but i enjoyed
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