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Confessions of a Bone Woman: Realizing Authentic Wildness in a Civilized World
Lucinda White is a happy-go-lucky nature child raised by a young single mother in the 1960s. In a dramatic turn of events, her wild nature is broken. She is shaped into a yuppie and becomes the wife of a prominent Silicon Valley CEO and a glamorous socialite. Successful by all accounts of external measure, she feels trapped by the shallow values of a dominant culture and ever more alienated from her true nature.
Something primal awakens in Lucinda when she unearths and touches an ancient buffalo bone, and the experience impels her to secretly collect dead animal parts and learn the art of curing their decomposing flesh. As Lucinda challenges convention, her curiosity about the animal kingdom leads to wild and unlikely adventures rescuing road kill, tracking wolves, and encountering lions face to face.
Confessions of a Bone Woman is one woman's story of how she recognizes and learns to express her authentically wild nature in order to heal bone by bone and become her full self, redefining what it means to be a modern woman.
Something primal awakens in Lucinda when she unearths and touches an ancient buffalo bone, and the experience impels her to secretly collect dead animal parts and learn the art of curing their decomposing flesh. As Lucinda challenges convention, her curiosity about the animal kingdom leads to wild and unlikely adventures rescuing road kill, tracking wolves, and encountering lions face to face.
Confessions of a Bone Woman is one woman's story of how she recognizes and learns to express her authentically wild nature in order to heal bone by bone and become her full self, redefining what it means to be a modern woman.
152 pages, Paperback
Published February 20, 2018
3 people are currently reading
914 people want to read
About the author
Lucinda Bakken White
1 book20 followersAuthor Lucinda Bakken White began her professional career with an MBA and a coveted position at IBM. Now, as an Inner Wildness Guide, she is an expert in the process of self-discovery and personal transformation. Through public speaking, private coaching, teaching and writing she inspires and guides her clients through large and small journeys of change that are triggered by depression, anxiety, exhaustion, heartbreak, identity crisis, life stage transitions, unintended curve balls or the desire to live a more meaningful life.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 23, 2018
Wow! This book was different than almost any other book that I have read before. I have to admit, it has left me a bit confused and flustered. But, isn't that what we hope a book will do? Make you think, open your eyes to things you haven't experienced or thought of? If that is what you want, then this book delivers it!
The first half of the book was great. The author describes her life from early childhood into adulthood. There were parts that really struck home with me. For example, the fact that society expects us to wear different "masks", depending on the situation we are in, or who we are with. She also has a very unique way of describing her time with her biological family as opposed to her family with her step-father. Wolf pack vs. lion pride. Wonderful! She leaves you with a sense of exactly who she is, and what she experienced. Her experiences as a young adult, and the roles she filled, were also very good.
The second half of the book was where things got, well, a bit weird. The author begins to relate, on a very deep level, with different qualities and characteristics of animals. A wolf, a buffalo, an owl, a turkey vulture, a raccoon, and on and on. She goes with a theory of animal symbolism, as "an animal totem is any animal a person feels closely associated with during their life. Like dreams, totems speak the language of the soul and link humans to the spiritual realm". It seemed strange to me, but very intriguing.
I can't say that the author's practices and beliefs are anything that I would consider for myself, but, hey, they obviously work for her. She comes across as a very intelligent person and a very deep thinker. She's found her place in the world where she is comfortable. And that is really what we are all searching for, isn't it?
I received an advance copy of this book from Smith Publicity, in exchange for a fair review.
The first half of the book was great. The author describes her life from early childhood into adulthood. There were parts that really struck home with me. For example, the fact that society expects us to wear different "masks", depending on the situation we are in, or who we are with. She also has a very unique way of describing her time with her biological family as opposed to her family with her step-father. Wolf pack vs. lion pride. Wonderful! She leaves you with a sense of exactly who she is, and what she experienced. Her experiences as a young adult, and the roles she filled, were also very good.
The second half of the book was where things got, well, a bit weird. The author begins to relate, on a very deep level, with different qualities and characteristics of animals. A wolf, a buffalo, an owl, a turkey vulture, a raccoon, and on and on. She goes with a theory of animal symbolism, as "an animal totem is any animal a person feels closely associated with during their life. Like dreams, totems speak the language of the soul and link humans to the spiritual realm". It seemed strange to me, but very intriguing.
I can't say that the author's practices and beliefs are anything that I would consider for myself, but, hey, they obviously work for her. She comes across as a very intelligent person and a very deep thinker. She's found her place in the world where she is comfortable. And that is really what we are all searching for, isn't it?
I received an advance copy of this book from Smith Publicity, in exchange for a fair review.
March 13, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley and WildWomen Books for an e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. The cover and the title were both so intriguing that I couldn't help but want to dive in. It was a very interesting story of one woman's journey in Southern California as a teen and going into the tech bubble in Silicon Valley. I, too, am weary when I think about conforming and trying to not give in to the pressure of today's society in Southern California. The message of this book is about finding your authenticity, and I felt the author was very genuine. Very interesting read!
March 12, 2018
The synopsis for this book sounded fascinating but the reading experience didn't live up to my hopes. I found the writing quite strange and discombobulated. I would have appreciated a more in-depth treatment of the subject matter. The writer did not seem to be fully invested in communicating her thoughts and experiences. I feel the kernel of the story is fascinating but needs more feeling and detail to bring it to life.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 15, 2018
I enjoyed the journey Lucinda has experienced but at times, I got a little tired of the metaphysical jargon.
August 12, 2018
Intuitive and spiritually engaging, Confessions of a Bone Woman is one woman’s authentic story of realizing her life’s higher purpose in becoming a spiritual elder. This is a memoir like no other, leading the reader along a subjective path of wonder, opening their mind to where primal instinct and vivid dreams connect to the animal kingdom, symbolism, reincarnation, and all things metaphysical, helping the reader embrace the true spirit of healing and self-discovery. As a young girl, Lucinda Bakken White’s soul is broken when her mother remarries, changing life dramatically. Forced to leave behind her carefree spirit and nurturing connections of family and place that once provided the rich profound early connection she once had with nature, the author finds life further disrupted when her step-father enforces unfamiliar influences that see her plummet into a disconnected world of false values, where personal appearances and possessions unwillingly replace free-spirit.
It’s not until Bakken White realizes that living “the dream” of material success and popularity didn’t provide her with the personal value she had hungered for, confessing, “I know Wolf appeared in my dream as a symbol of my authentic wildness. Her haunting lonely howl was calling me back to my original self,” reigniting her call to the wild. And for the first time, she discovers the divine connection between animal and human when she unearths an ancient buffalo bone. This bone becomes a talisman she keeps close to her in order to stay attuned to harmony, describing bones to be symbolic where, “In my research, I read that, symbolically speaking, flesh is temporary and represents life on Earth. Bones, on the other hand, are regarded as eternal like the soul and never die.”
Bakken White creatively weaves her readers through each chapter using sharp imagery that explores the alignment and unity between human, animal, and universe, making this memoir incredibly captivating. It’s hard not to be absorbed reading passages such as, “In many native cultures, Owl is considered a bridge between worlds: flying through the ethers communing with Spirit and walking on the earth plane with two legs like a mortal.”
What I loved most was the teaching by way of comparison of the distinct patterns and parallel behaviors humans have in common with carnivores. “Wolves thrive in cooperative family lifestyle, reminiscent of ancient indigenous tribes.” It’s a lesson in reconnecting with what is important and meaningful and not taking for granted the abundance of beauty and significance nature grants. This is a beautiful spiritual homecoming, taking us back to our roots, teaching the truths and importance of how closely aligned humans and nature are and how easily our lives get caught up in the superficial materialism of the money-driven, egotistical world that encompasses us if we allow it.
It’s not until Bakken White realizes that living “the dream” of material success and popularity didn’t provide her with the personal value she had hungered for, confessing, “I know Wolf appeared in my dream as a symbol of my authentic wildness. Her haunting lonely howl was calling me back to my original self,” reigniting her call to the wild. And for the first time, she discovers the divine connection between animal and human when she unearths an ancient buffalo bone. This bone becomes a talisman she keeps close to her in order to stay attuned to harmony, describing bones to be symbolic where, “In my research, I read that, symbolically speaking, flesh is temporary and represents life on Earth. Bones, on the other hand, are regarded as eternal like the soul and never die.”
Bakken White creatively weaves her readers through each chapter using sharp imagery that explores the alignment and unity between human, animal, and universe, making this memoir incredibly captivating. It’s hard not to be absorbed reading passages such as, “In many native cultures, Owl is considered a bridge between worlds: flying through the ethers communing with Spirit and walking on the earth plane with two legs like a mortal.”
What I loved most was the teaching by way of comparison of the distinct patterns and parallel behaviors humans have in common with carnivores. “Wolves thrive in cooperative family lifestyle, reminiscent of ancient indigenous tribes.” It’s a lesson in reconnecting with what is important and meaningful and not taking for granted the abundance of beauty and significance nature grants. This is a beautiful spiritual homecoming, taking us back to our roots, teaching the truths and importance of how closely aligned humans and nature are and how easily our lives get caught up in the superficial materialism of the money-driven, egotistical world that encompasses us if we allow it.
April 4, 2018
Confessions of a Bone Woman: Realizing Authentic Wildness in a Civilized World was an interesting book as well as inspiring. At first, it struck me as a bit weird, but the more I read, the more I could relate to Mrs. White.
We all have a person that we are meant to be. Sometimes we are allowed to fully grow into that person. Other times, we are forced to swallow who we are in order to please those around us. This has been the case for Mrs. White, for myself, and for countless others.
Confessions of a Bone Woman is the memoir of Lucinda Bakken White’s journey back to who she was meant to be. Some parts may seem a bit weird or “out there”, but some parts I understand completely. She thrives on nature and connects with it on a deeply spiritual level.
If you enjoy reading about others’ journeys to find themselves, you will not be disappointed with Confessions of a Bone Woman. We give it 5 stars.
Blog reader warning: There are mentions of things not in keeping with Christianity in this book. Some parts feel somewhat pagan in nature.
We all have a person that we are meant to be. Sometimes we are allowed to fully grow into that person. Other times, we are forced to swallow who we are in order to please those around us. This has been the case for Mrs. White, for myself, and for countless others.
Confessions of a Bone Woman is the memoir of Lucinda Bakken White’s journey back to who she was meant to be. Some parts may seem a bit weird or “out there”, but some parts I understand completely. She thrives on nature and connects with it on a deeply spiritual level.
If you enjoy reading about others’ journeys to find themselves, you will not be disappointed with Confessions of a Bone Woman. We give it 5 stars.
Blog reader warning: There are mentions of things not in keeping with Christianity in this book. Some parts feel somewhat pagan in nature.
June 8, 2019
Parts of this book really resonated with me, such as, finding ways to celebrate the elders in our communities, transitioning between phases of life and becoming an elder with power & grace, and the continual journey of being our most authentic selves.
I also enjoyed the animal imagery & connections between different animals and different phases or periods of life.
I'm glad that Bakken White has taken time to heal herself, her family, and in some cases, the land. And this book felt very tone-deaf to the amount of privilege she has. It made me uncomfortable that she used pieces of Native American and African culture as spectacle or miracle. White people can identify with animals, and honor the earth, our fellow humans & creatures without taking and colonizing what isn't ours.
I want white folks, especially with privilege, to do better & be better, and I think they can.
I also enjoyed the animal imagery & connections between different animals and different phases or periods of life.
I'm glad that Bakken White has taken time to heal herself, her family, and in some cases, the land. And this book felt very tone-deaf to the amount of privilege she has. It made me uncomfortable that she used pieces of Native American and African culture as spectacle or miracle. White people can identify with animals, and honor the earth, our fellow humans & creatures without taking and colonizing what isn't ours.
I want white folks, especially with privilege, to do better & be better, and I think they can.
March 13, 2018
From the striking cover art to the beautiful affirmation in the final pages this book had me captivated! Lucinda, a child growing up surrounded by loving extended family suddenly finds her world dramatically changed when a new step-father enters her life. From the hills and fields of her family's farms to being isolated, prepped and groomed to "succeed" in the corporate world of Silicon Valley of the 70s and 80's. This is Lucinda's story of finding and healing her wild heart through her deep and heartfelt connections with the animals whose bones she finds and honors. I feel such deep resonance and admiration to Lucinda, who role models one of the truly hardest ways to be, to be present in both worlds, the world of wildness and the world of civilization. Bless you Lucinda for this beautiful, inspiring work!
April 23, 2018
I won this book on a Goodread’s giveaway! I enjoyed reading about Lucinda’s journey to being an elder. Through all her ups and downs, and wonderful discoveries along the way. A very eye opening experience. This book will help you navigate your way to learning how to be more your authentic self in today’s harsh world.
March 12, 2018
I could not put this book down, it is wonderfully written. I need to reread it just to savor anything I might have missed. Lucinda makes a whole circle discovering who she is and who she wants to be, and realizes who she wants to be is who she has been all along
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March 27, 2018Quick read!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews