Sweet Tooth

by Christine Green

Sweet Tooth is a collection of lyric essays and poetry about Green's life as an anxiety ridden little girl in 1970s California who grew up to be an anxiety ridden writer in Western New York. It weaves traditional essays with everything from instructions on how to comb your hair to a discussion about how Jell-O is a symbol of grief. Green delves into the world of dreams and birth, the cosmos and ancient Mexican folklore, family and nostalgia - all without getting saccharine.

Genres: Short Stories, Memoir

100 pages, Paperback

Published July 28, 2024

About the author

Christine Green is the managing editor for Rochester's (585) magazine, (585) Kids magazine, and Upstate Gardeners' Journal. She was also the founder and host of the popular reading salon, Words on the Verge.

Christine grew up in San Jose, CA and holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from U.C. Berkeley and an MA in anthropology from the College of William and Mary. Christine was a member of the Listen to Your Mother 2017 Rochester cast. She was also a member of the Listen to Your Mother 2020/2021 Production Team.

Her essays, articles, poetry, and creative nonfiction appear in several literary journals and magazines.

Her debut novel Sweet Tooth is available now from Zaftig Press.

christinejgreen.com

Reviews

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Tooth by Christine Green is a heartfelt memoir that explores moments that shape our lives. From her connection to her ancestral heritage to her relationships with the people in her life, Green explores deep into the experiences that have defined her. Her honest and lyrical writing style captures the nuances of her memories with vivid detail. Reflections on her life resonated deeply with me, and I appreciated her willingness to share her personal stories with such vulnerability.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed reading anything written by Christine Green and this book of lyrical essays and poems did not disappoint as it was like sitting down and having a conversation with an old friend. From childhood memories, first loves and the complexities of parenthood and life, Christine brought out all the emotions through her humor, wisdom and vulnerability. If you enjoy heartfelt memoirs, I highly recommend this book!

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Tooth by Christine Green is a memoir that really hits "all the feels". It is a book that could seemingly be finished in one sitting but you find yourself rereading sections because you recall your own past. When you do put it down it cannot be left on the shelf or table for long as it draws you back in for another read. Every word is relatable and captures your heart as each moment unfolds. Christine puts the reader within the memory as if you were living that moment.

[Alicia Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this sweet memoir. Green's lyrical essays and poems capture a time I find nostalgic ~ the 80's and 90's. Green explores what it's like to be a girl growing into a women, moving from CA to NY, parenthood, the loss of a parent, and more. Her prose style is accessible yet poignant ~ I found myself contemplating each essay long after it was gone - the way a delicious confection lingers on the tongue. The book itself is gorgeous, too. Quality paper and cover art from Zaftig Press.

[David Seaburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christine Green has written a beautiful book that takes the reader on a lyric ride through changes that span a lifetime. She is tender and wise and honest in what she has to say, and she says it in an engaging and enlightening manner. She captures the bittersweetness of life's transitions and changes in a way that both captures your heart and makes you think. I couldn't put Sweet Tooth down. You won't be able to either. I highly recommend it.

[K.E. Semmel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic memoir that you can read in one sitting. I especially enjoyed the way Green eschews a straight linear narrative in favor of one structured on what I’d describe as a thematic one. It makes the writing crisp and fresh.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

So tasty! 💜

[Regan Uhrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughtful, poetic, and heartfelt. My favorite of these short stories is “Sisters Call.”

A quick excerpt: “Sisters call each other sobbing with worry about their mother who is in the hospital so far away. They ache with worry and love and curse the miles, because while the distance doesn’t weaken the love they have for each other and their mother it makes everything so damn hard.”

❤️❤️❤️

[Sarah Mead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down and ended up reading it in one sitting. I was drawn in by Christine's gorgeous writing and the way she captured the small moments of her childhood on into becoming a parent to her own children. It read like an autobiographical novella but the structure and word choice felt comforting like a familiar book of poetry. Those of us who grew up in the 80's or 90's can especially identify with so many of the stories captured in Sweet Tooth. I highly recommend this book and can't wait for her next one!

[Deena Lipomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family, identity, loss, love, and growing up in California are the themes in this unique memoir told in short stories. Many were published solo in other journals, but when bound together, they show a more complete story of the writer throughout the 1970s, 80s, and 90s and her friends and family members. There are photos interspersed throughout the pages that add credence to the relatable tales. A lovely anthology packaged in a beautiful book.

[Gregory Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christine Greene’s Sweet Tooth earns its title. Like a bowl of wrapped chocolates, each short essay gives us a delicious bit of the author’s life experiences. From the first to the last, the reader is invited to stop and visit at points along her life’s path—and we celebrate and mourn with her. The “Age of Innocence” struck me as the heart of the collection, but there is truly enough heart here to flood every page.

[Melissa Kleehammer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in awe of Christine's memories...they are so vivid, it feels as if I am right there with her. Each entry evokes something different -- hope, endless love, grief, anger, complete understanding, but no matter what, my heart feels full each time I read from her book. Oh, and I will never clean a bathroom the same!

[Erin Julian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Tooth, as the title states, is charming and thoughtful and a delight. Each page, both in texture and word, is laid out with intention. The images, both imagined and in pictures, enhance each word.

Thank you for this incredible gift of your life in pages.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put this down until the very end, except for the times I had to pause, close my eyes and allow myself to be swept away into the vivid environments Christine’s wordscapes took me to. Such a tender, detailed, and precious gathering of memories she has shared with us.

[Kierstin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written from heart ❤️ As a fellow east side San Jose native, I felt like I was at home. I love this piece of art!

[Kathryn Lalley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of essays, deeply personal and relatable. I especially enjoyed the essay on women's hair and the personal nature of our hair choices. Easy read that stays with you.

[Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written, lyrical memoir. Green is so adept with language. She pulls you into her memories, and lets the reader see and taste them. I love her perspective as a woman, as a Californian, as a member of the LatinX community, as a NY transplant, as a mother, as a grieving daughter… her insights and vulnerability are wonderfully unique. And having lost my own father too, this book helped me think about how to use writing to process the pain and beauty of who he was.