At the start of the month, I mentioned a summer reading program that Tyndale Media Center is running. You can win a few different prizes, including free books. I never turn down free books.
After perusing the list of books you can read for the program, I hit my typical sources to find the ones in which I was interested. Still Lolo made it into my hands first.
If you do not keep up on celebrity gossip, the fashion world, or entertainment news, you have likely never heard of Lauren Scruggs. In December 2011, an airplane propeller hit her. As a result, she lost her left hand and eye. Though I did not realize it at the time her accident made headlines, Scruggs and her family have shared an incredible journey of faith. Still Lolo does not share just Lauren's story, but her whole family joins in the telling of their history.
As many books do, this one begins with the moment that launched the author into the spotlight. As the story progresses through the night of Lauren's injury and her recovery, each family member takes turns reflecting on both the accident and older family history. The Scruggs share a unique story; the parents were divorced when Lauren and her twin sister Brittany were young. In their years apart, however, both became Christians and eventually were remarried, uniting the family once again. To subtitle the book 'A Family's Journey of Hope' is quite appropriate. Their hope and faith has carried them through quite a few difficult periods, Lauren's accident just being the most recent.
While the book does tell the story of the whole family, it clearly focuses on Lauren, who is nicknamed Lolo. I found it interesting that the plane accident was not Lauren's first battle with health issues. Both in her childhood and in her early twenties, she grappled with mysterious illnesses.
Her interest in fashion took her from Texas to New York City during her college years. She worked at Michael Kors' design studio and interned in the costume department for Gossip Girl. Eventually, she made strong enough connections to begin fashion journalism, including stints at Fashion Weeks in NYC and Europe. She started Lolo Magazine online as a way to continue her reporting while staying in Texas. Ultimately, it would be these connections that would get her name in headlines as an injured "model" back in December 2011.
I did not find the book to be anything spectacular; but its simplicity and genuine heart turned out to be what I enjoyed most about it. Despite their time in the spotlight, the Scruggs family clearly has a grounded faith and a down-to-earth attitude. Lauren demonstrates honesty and transparency in discussing her struggles to stay pure and not get sucked into the negative aspects of the fashion world. Young girls looking to a career in the entertainment and fashion worlds would benefit from reading her story.
I enjoyed reading the story behind the headlines, especially since, in this case, the headlines got a lot of things wrong. The Scruggs family demonstrates true grace and faith in their writing. They come across as truly genuine in both their struggles and triumphs. Now that Lauren's journey of healing is well on its way and the book has come out (seemingly a natural step in any news-worthy situation these days), I will be interested to see how Lauren's story plays out. Will she remain a name in occasional headlines and continue working in the fashion industry? God clearly has preserved her life through multiple battles and must have a special plan for her. Is this story the culmination of her life in the public eye or does He have even more planned for this perseverant young woman?
After perusing the list of books you can read for the program, I hit my typical sources to find the ones in which I was interested. Still Lolo made it into my hands first.
If you do not keep up on celebrity gossip, the fashion world, or entertainment news, you have likely never heard of Lauren Scruggs. In December 2011, an airplane propeller hit her. As a result, she lost her left hand and eye. Though I did not realize it at the time her accident made headlines, Scruggs and her family have shared an incredible journey of faith. Still Lolo does not share just Lauren's story, but her whole family joins in the telling of their history.
As many books do, this one begins with the moment that launched the author into the spotlight. As the story progresses through the night of Lauren's injury and her recovery, each family member takes turns reflecting on both the accident and older family history. The Scruggs share a unique story; the parents were divorced when Lauren and her twin sister Brittany were young. In their years apart, however, both became Christians and eventually were remarried, uniting the family once again. To subtitle the book 'A Family's Journey of Hope' is quite appropriate. Their hope and faith has carried them through quite a few difficult periods, Lauren's accident just being the most recent.
While the book does tell the story of the whole family, it clearly focuses on Lauren, who is nicknamed Lolo. I found it interesting that the plane accident was not Lauren's first battle with health issues. Both in her childhood and in her early twenties, she grappled with mysterious illnesses.
Her interest in fashion took her from Texas to New York City during her college years. She worked at Michael Kors' design studio and interned in the costume department for Gossip Girl. Eventually, she made strong enough connections to begin fashion journalism, including stints at Fashion Weeks in NYC and Europe. She started Lolo Magazine online as a way to continue her reporting while staying in Texas. Ultimately, it would be these connections that would get her name in headlines as an injured "model" back in December 2011.
I did not find the book to be anything spectacular; but its simplicity and genuine heart turned out to be what I enjoyed most about it. Despite their time in the spotlight, the Scruggs family clearly has a grounded faith and a down-to-earth attitude. Lauren demonstrates honesty and transparency in discussing her struggles to stay pure and not get sucked into the negative aspects of the fashion world. Young girls looking to a career in the entertainment and fashion worlds would benefit from reading her story.
I enjoyed reading the story behind the headlines, especially since, in this case, the headlines got a lot of things wrong. The Scruggs family demonstrates true grace and faith in their writing. They come across as truly genuine in both their struggles and triumphs. Now that Lauren's journey of healing is well on its way and the book has come out (seemingly a natural step in any news-worthy situation these days), I will be interested to see how Lauren's story plays out. Will she remain a name in occasional headlines and continue working in the fashion industry? God clearly has preserved her life through multiple battles and must have a special plan for her. Is this story the culmination of her life in the public eye or does He have even more planned for this perseverant young woman?
Pages: 248
Date Completed: June 9, 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment