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Supergirls Speak Out: Inside the Secret Crisis of Overachieving Girls
Some girls seem to have it all...
The top grades
The best clothes
A great body
A cute boyfriend
But they may also have...
Exhaustion
Anxiety
Eating disorders
Crippling insecurity
From grammar school girls to working women, the pressure to be perfect is spreading like a disease. These Supergirls feel the unrelenting need to succeed -- sometimes at the cost of their own happiness and sanity. A recovering Supergirl herself, Liz Funk exposes the dangerous consequences that can come from striving for perfection. By closely following five girls and interviewing nearly one hundred more, she takes us inside the Supergirl psyche, explaining the causes of this phenomenon and showing how Supergirls can let their (sleek and shiny) hair down and find some time to relax and enjoy life!
With practical advice, biting humor, and the sensitivity of someone who's been through it all, Funk's Supergirls Speak Out is the absolutely necessary companion for any girl who thinks 100 percent just isn't enough.
The top grades
The best clothes
A great body
A cute boyfriend
But they may also have...
Exhaustion
Anxiety
Eating disorders
Crippling insecurity
From grammar school girls to working women, the pressure to be perfect is spreading like a disease. These Supergirls feel the unrelenting need to succeed -- sometimes at the cost of their own happiness and sanity. A recovering Supergirl herself, Liz Funk exposes the dangerous consequences that can come from striving for perfection. By closely following five girls and interviewing nearly one hundred more, she takes us inside the Supergirl psyche, explaining the causes of this phenomenon and showing how Supergirls can let their (sleek and shiny) hair down and find some time to relax and enjoy life!
With practical advice, biting humor, and the sensitivity of someone who's been through it all, Funk's Supergirls Speak Out is the absolutely necessary companion for any girl who thinks 100 percent just isn't enough.
- GenresNonfictionSelf Help
256 pages, Paperback
First published February 11, 2009
4 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 30, 2015
While the "supergirl" phenomenon is certainly one that needs to be addressed, Liz Funk is not the author to do so. She is unclear about her thesis and the definition of her subject, her writing is sub-par (how many ellipses does one book need?), she has a very naive and often offensive view of the world, and she is unable to remove herself from the equation. Rather than objectively addressing an issue, this book reads like a love letter to the author. She uses the subject matter to point out her own achievements and work through her own issues. She reminds us over and over again that she was only 18 when she started writing this book and that she is a supergirl herself, but that reminder reads more as a bragging point than a way to let us know that this subject is personal to her. She seems to relish in her role in what she calls an epidemic rather than being concerned with her subjects. Most of what was written would have been better addressed in a counselor's office than a published manuscript.
Though she does bring up some interesting and important points, most of them are buried in the convoluted and non-nonsensical chapters. She attempts to address the supergirl issue as a problem facing young women, but we never feel as if she actually sees is as thus. Despite pointing out that there are supergirls of all ages and that it can cause issues later in life, she never delves into that nor gives any justification for that claim. In fact, many of her claims aren't backed by anything other than anecdotal evidence.
In all, this was a thoroughly disappointing read.
Though she does bring up some interesting and important points, most of them are buried in the convoluted and non-nonsensical chapters. She attempts to address the supergirl issue as a problem facing young women, but we never feel as if she actually sees is as thus. Despite pointing out that there are supergirls of all ages and that it can cause issues later in life, she never delves into that nor gives any justification for that claim. In fact, many of her claims aren't backed by anything other than anecdotal evidence.
In all, this was a thoroughly disappointing read.
February 21, 2010
This book is terrible. While the premise is good --I'm sure that the "Supergirl" phenomenon exists, but I don't think she does a good job representing it. She is totally dismissive that any hard-working "over-achieving" young person might be working hard because he/she actually cares about what he/she is working on. Plus, Liz Funk gives absolutely no reasonable suggestions on how to address this so-called crisis. She seems to have completely forgotten that a supportive community is possible. Women's lives don't actually have to revolve around competition.
Perhaps the worst part about this book is Liz Funk. She clearly has an inferiority complex about the women she features, and she uses this book as a place to work through her issues and make herself feel better.
She also says Katie Roiphe is one of her feminist role models, and that made me want to puke.
Perhaps the worst part about this book is Liz Funk. She clearly has an inferiority complex about the women she features, and she uses this book as a place to work through her issues and make herself feel better.
She also says Katie Roiphe is one of her feminist role models, and that made me want to puke.
September 15, 2010
Since nobody reads my reviews, I'm not going to write one.
October 6, 2009
I'll write a proper review when I feel like being in a really bad mood by reliving this book. As another reviewer wrote, I and many, many of my friends are considered perfectionist, overachieving women, but this book just isn't for or about us. The author makes sweeping generalizations and says, over and over (usually implicitly, but sometimes explicitly) that only very privileged women can be "supergirls." She says in interviews that this is not true, but her book says otherwise. (She specifically says that low-income immigrants, girls with acne, and girls who don't visit tanning salons CANNOT be supergirls, for example - and that's just the start.) I guess it shouldn't surprise me that the author paints supergirls only in terms of her own experiences, and only interviews others with nearly identical experiences. I also can't understand how the author is minoring in Women's Studies, because so much of it seems blatantly sexist and lacking the insight I've found in even introductory gender studies classes - there is certainly no concept of intersectional feminism in this book, and the author makes no room for dissenting voices on topics as basic as female sexuality. (According to Funk, only men can enjoy casual sex, but women cannot, and yes, Funk can speak for ALL women. And that's feminist how...?)
The editing is sloppy, and although there are a few places where Liz Funk absolutely shines, she pisses me off too often to redeem herself. I have hesitated to publicly write anything negative about this book, because the author herself has published articles on how wrong and mean it is to criticize a writer online - but I feel like this book deals with such an important topic so poorly that I can't be silent, plus, hey, I love talking about literature. The point is for "supergirls" to speak out, isn't it?
This is the only book that has upset me enough to actually keep a reader's journal - I just needed a place to write down all my objections.
To be fair, this book was labeled "Self Help," and I am rarely impressed by this genre. Also, to be fair, despite my privilege, I am not Funk's audience - I have already graduated from college (recently though it was), and I'm not rich enough to read this book. I took out student loans and pay my own bills, my god! I can't be a supergirl!
I hope someone else writes on this topic in a form that can be labeled Gender Studies. I'll wait till then...
The editing is sloppy, and although there are a few places where Liz Funk absolutely shines, she pisses me off too often to redeem herself. I have hesitated to publicly write anything negative about this book, because the author herself has published articles on how wrong and mean it is to criticize a writer online - but I feel like this book deals with such an important topic so poorly that I can't be silent, plus, hey, I love talking about literature. The point is for "supergirls" to speak out, isn't it?
This is the only book that has upset me enough to actually keep a reader's journal - I just needed a place to write down all my objections.
To be fair, this book was labeled "Self Help," and I am rarely impressed by this genre. Also, to be fair, despite my privilege, I am not Funk's audience - I have already graduated from college (recently though it was), and I'm not rich enough to read this book. I took out student loans and pay my own bills, my god! I can't be a supergirl!
I hope someone else writes on this topic in a form that can be labeled Gender Studies. I'll wait till then...
August 10, 2009
figured this would be a good foil to american nerd, as they're two totally different subsets of people that i totally identify with... or thought i did until i read books about them.
so much of this book is actually a love letter from the author to herself and the particular era of supergirl she grew up alongside. she's 19, did you know? you don't even need to read the book, the year she was born is listed on the back cover in her author bio. and again in her author bio in the book. and it's the first question in the included q&a.
i'm a supergirl, most of my best friends are supergirls, yet nothing in this book really speaks to our experience. there's much more emphasis on the outward apperance and actions of supergirls, then the instrinsic question - why do we feel we need everything and need it know? is micromanging your life really just a way of saying you don't know your priorities but you can knock off a to-do list like no one's business?
the book is catalogued as an adult non-fiction title, but i really believe it belongs in ya. there's no discussion at all about the implosion some supergirls face once they are separated from the linear structure of school, one they stop taking the prescribed program their friends are, whether that is marrying when they don't or staying single while they do. i would have much rather read a title from someone outside of her 20s (the author was 19, did you know?).
so much of this book is actually a love letter from the author to herself and the particular era of supergirl she grew up alongside. she's 19, did you know? you don't even need to read the book, the year she was born is listed on the back cover in her author bio. and again in her author bio in the book. and it's the first question in the included q&a.
i'm a supergirl, most of my best friends are supergirls, yet nothing in this book really speaks to our experience. there's much more emphasis on the outward apperance and actions of supergirls, then the instrinsic question - why do we feel we need everything and need it know? is micromanging your life really just a way of saying you don't know your priorities but you can knock off a to-do list like no one's business?
the book is catalogued as an adult non-fiction title, but i really believe it belongs in ya. there's no discussion at all about the implosion some supergirls face once they are separated from the linear structure of school, one they stop taking the prescribed program their friends are, whether that is marrying when they don't or staying single while they do. i would have much rather read a title from someone outside of her 20s (the author was 19, did you know?).
October 10, 2010
Supergirls Speak Out: Inside the Secret Crisis of Overachieving Girls by Liz Funk tells the true story of high school and college girls (and even some young professionals) who are extreme overachievers.
Think you’re an overachiever? Think again. When you read the stories of these young women who put so much pressure on themselves to succeed, you may just re-think your own work ethic.
I’ve always considered myself an overachiever. When I picked up this book, I even thought that I might be a “supergirl” but after reading the entire book, I’m pleased to say that I may have struck the happy balance between overachiever and the extreme.
The young women that Liz Funk profiles want to have it all. Liz traveled up all throughout the country and followed several different girls (5 main “characters”) throughout their busy high school days or at their college internships. She spoke with their friends and families and observed them at school and work.
These supergirls are usually beautiful; they have the perfect grades; they are involved in several school organizations; they are often athletes. In other words, they literally “have it all” But, having it all, of course, comes with a heavy price. These girls often wear themselves out so early in life that they end up in the hospital with a severe eating disorder or exhaustion. They don’t enjoy life to the fullest because they are too busy trying to out-do others.
The book is broken into different sections. The first few chapters of the book discuss high school, then college and finally breaking into the real world. Next, the book tackles issues of looks, eating disorders, sexuality, being known as “a bitch” and dealing with family pressures. The book wraps up with Liz’s suggestions of what should be done about this problem.
My only tiny problem with this book was that it seemed to be a little repetitive towards the end. I felt like I was reading the same thing over and over again.
Liz Funk is a fabulous writer. Did you know she is only 22? A self-proclaimed “recovering supergirl” Liz is a bit of an overachiever herself. She wrote this awesome book and contributes to several different magazines and newspapers.
There was one line towards the end of the book that particularly struck me:
So much of my identity is wrapped up in being blonde, being Carrie Bradshaw-ish, and being overcaffeinated and micromanaged.
I just related so much to this line. I feel like Liz Funk and I have a lot in common and reading her suggestions on how to “get over” being a supergirl really spoke to me. Women have come a long way, but we can’t overcompensate for lost time by being crazy overachievers. Funk discusses the delicate balance between being successful and being an insane supergirl. It’s a very fine line to walk, but it’s possible.
Think you’re an overachiever? Think again. When you read the stories of these young women who put so much pressure on themselves to succeed, you may just re-think your own work ethic.
I’ve always considered myself an overachiever. When I picked up this book, I even thought that I might be a “supergirl” but after reading the entire book, I’m pleased to say that I may have struck the happy balance between overachiever and the extreme.
The young women that Liz Funk profiles want to have it all. Liz traveled up all throughout the country and followed several different girls (5 main “characters”) throughout their busy high school days or at their college internships. She spoke with their friends and families and observed them at school and work.
These supergirls are usually beautiful; they have the perfect grades; they are involved in several school organizations; they are often athletes. In other words, they literally “have it all” But, having it all, of course, comes with a heavy price. These girls often wear themselves out so early in life that they end up in the hospital with a severe eating disorder or exhaustion. They don’t enjoy life to the fullest because they are too busy trying to out-do others.
The book is broken into different sections. The first few chapters of the book discuss high school, then college and finally breaking into the real world. Next, the book tackles issues of looks, eating disorders, sexuality, being known as “a bitch” and dealing with family pressures. The book wraps up with Liz’s suggestions of what should be done about this problem.
My only tiny problem with this book was that it seemed to be a little repetitive towards the end. I felt like I was reading the same thing over and over again.
Liz Funk is a fabulous writer. Did you know she is only 22? A self-proclaimed “recovering supergirl” Liz is a bit of an overachiever herself. She wrote this awesome book and contributes to several different magazines and newspapers.
There was one line towards the end of the book that particularly struck me:
So much of my identity is wrapped up in being blonde, being Carrie Bradshaw-ish, and being overcaffeinated and micromanaged.
I just related so much to this line. I feel like Liz Funk and I have a lot in common and reading her suggestions on how to “get over” being a supergirl really spoke to me. Women have come a long way, but we can’t overcompensate for lost time by being crazy overachievers. Funk discusses the delicate balance between being successful and being an insane supergirl. It’s a very fine line to walk, but it’s possible.
November 10, 2012
Reviewed by Allison Fraclose for TeensReadToo.com
What is a Supergirl?
They're the high school class president with the constantly shiny hair who applied to over twenty Ivy League schools and always brings homemade goods to every bake sale. They're the college girl involved in a million clubs who shows up five minutes before the 8 a.m. class with no signs of her late night out, followed by many more hours of studying. They're the gotta-have-it-all twenty-something who busted her butt in college and is already on the same level as women ten years older in her field.
They're any girl who has packed her schedule, keeping herself busy with volunteer activities, who always manages to look perfect, regardless of how tired, stressed, or anxious she feels.
This is the plight of the Supergirls, the slew of young women who have decided that nothing short of perfection will do. By following the stories of five overachievers from different walks of life, and interviewing almost a hundred more, this book examines the lives of these girls to find out why they feel this need for perfection, and what they can possibly do to avoid the eventual burnout.
This book disappointed me by placing most of the blame on faceless entities such as "societal conditioning," rather than offering more concrete advice to young women who may be stuck in this harmful cycle of achievement and compliment addiction. Regardless, the stories in this book were an interesting foray into the psyche of a population that is often stereotyped and ignored, for the simple reason that "they have it all; how can anything be wrong in their lives?"
What is a Supergirl?
They're the high school class president with the constantly shiny hair who applied to over twenty Ivy League schools and always brings homemade goods to every bake sale. They're the college girl involved in a million clubs who shows up five minutes before the 8 a.m. class with no signs of her late night out, followed by many more hours of studying. They're the gotta-have-it-all twenty-something who busted her butt in college and is already on the same level as women ten years older in her field.
They're any girl who has packed her schedule, keeping herself busy with volunteer activities, who always manages to look perfect, regardless of how tired, stressed, or anxious she feels.
This is the plight of the Supergirls, the slew of young women who have decided that nothing short of perfection will do. By following the stories of five overachievers from different walks of life, and interviewing almost a hundred more, this book examines the lives of these girls to find out why they feel this need for perfection, and what they can possibly do to avoid the eventual burnout.
This book disappointed me by placing most of the blame on faceless entities such as "societal conditioning," rather than offering more concrete advice to young women who may be stuck in this harmful cycle of achievement and compliment addiction. Regardless, the stories in this book were an interesting foray into the psyche of a population that is often stereotyped and ignored, for the simple reason that "they have it all; how can anything be wrong in their lives?"
Read
January 2, 2010What a joke. The book's about her being obsessed with herself and how wonderful SHE is. I actually found some of her comments offensive: there's a section she talks about how Supergirls get ignored in class because the teacher feels bad for black students. What?! This book reeks of elitist, better-than-thou-because-we-have-money-and-thus-deserve-attention attitude. I thought I'd be reading something with depth but was wrong. Read "Overachievers" instead. Her tone reminded me of all of those airheads who thought they were so great in school ... she wonders why they don't get respect.
I also like that she makes a comment about booze in her red bull. The girl's not even legal! For a 20 year old, she has a LOT of growing up to do.
I also like that she makes a comment about booze in her red bull. The girl's not even legal! For a 20 year old, she has a LOT of growing up to do.
February 16, 2015
I downloaded this because of the reference made to it in "The Confidence Code." Had a few interesting things, but unfortunately the approach was uninspiring. I'm not sure that the author has figured out any solutions or if she just wanted to write a book to "overachieve." A lot of focus on eating disorders, but without perspective on the gifts of a wholesome body image. Almost seemed to glorify what she was criticizing, with class-oriented statements throughout. Also: for a younger crowd. She does identify an epidemic of sorts amongst American girls, and I myself remember a busy busy time of AP tests and sports and social life juggling. But she doesn't quite meet the mark as to how to deal with those pressures. She does have good references throughout.
December 31, 2010
This slim book turned to be a disappointment despite the intriguing concept. It's an exploration of overachieving girls, but the limited focus and the absence of thorough research hurt the writing. The author dwells too much on herself and repeatedly mentions that this is her first book published at a young age. Overachievers are also narrowly portrayed as superficial and conforming through the author's emphasis on popularity, looks, and brand name clothing. Check out The Overachievers by Alexandra Robbins for a more realistic and compelling take on this subject.
July 13, 2012
I was shocked when I saw some of the other reviews on here for this book. I read this book and stopped, looked in the mirror, and said, "Goodness, this is so me." Granted, this research isn't scientific, but her description and interviews capture what my friends and I were like in high school, and how many of us have continued to lead our lives. I will say that this phenomenon is probably subculture/community/school-specific and thus, many of the other raters and readers out there will not have the strong identification with the girls interviewed and described in the book.
April 26, 2010
Really great ideas and thought put into the book. There is no doubt that these ideas about the culture imposed on young girls is a big problem after reading this. BUT - there are many contradictory statements in this book that made me cringe. When you consider the author's age at the time of writing, it's pretty great overall. Would love to see some more work from her with better (more scholarly) support!
April 2, 2010
Interesting look at girls who are overachievers. Not the most scholarly research but very realistic and well-written.
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January 17, 2016I read this one before, but this past time I had to return before I got it done. I really saw myself in this book.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews