The Infinite Wisdom of Harriet Rose - Diana Janney

"It was an unusual time for a rising star. How many celebrities spend their day arguing with the headmistress while their mother, their publicity manager, organises their first television appearance?" When Harriet Rose declines the offer of birthday presents for her 14th, and ask for donations to charity instead, she has no idea that it's her life that's going to change unspeakably as a result. Her mother and grandmother have had an unusual idea for a gift for her - they take her personal notebooks of thoughts and "meditations", which she's been scribbling down for years, and get these published. Properly. In a book. With a smashing front ...  Read the complete review

After reading the first 7 pages of this book, I realised it had not only made me laugh out loud twice but had also brought tears to my eyes! I was pretty impressed with this, and continued to enjoy the book greatly as I read more. The plot is as follows: Harriet Rose is a very well-read, slightly pretentious 14 year old whose father has just died and who lives with her mother and grandmother. For her birthday she announces that she does not want a birthday present but wants her mother to donate money to a charity instead. Her mother is a little perturbed by this and so decides that instead of a normal present, she will have Harriet's collection of teenage ...  Read the complete review

As someone who not only took Philosophy A Level and studied Kant, but also wants to become a published writer herself, I was really intrigued by this book. I was, however, somewhat disappointed when I read the book. There are some very funny moments, which redeem it somewhat, but overall, I did not really get involved as I love to do, with other books. I appreciated the layout though, which made it easier to read; there being less words on a page, and better spread out, was easier on me when I was tired. The author has done her homework and I did enjoy the spattering of factual elements from studies of Philosophy, but this was from my own perspective as someone who ...  Read the complete review