I was initially interested in this book because of the cover. How fun is it?! The truth is, I haven't read a lot of compilations of essays or short stories, but I really wanted to give this a chance. The topic of the book is hair and why we care about it. The essays range from narrative to academic in tone and nature. Overall I really enjoyed reading most of the essays. I thought that (even as a non-hair-obsessed person) it was very relate able. We all battle our hair, worry about it, and change it from time to time. I found myself laughing or smiling from time to time, feeling like the essays really grasped what it's like to be a woman when it comes to hair. I particularly enjoyed the ones written in a narrative tone.

Overall I really enjoyed reading this book, it was very different than most things I have read recently. The non-fiction and essays alone make it different, and each story different from one another. I liked that I could read one essay and then go to fiction on and off as well. It broke up my reading time. When it came to the essays, I really enjoyed them - but felt like they could have used more diversity. There were a few written by women of color, or minorities, but not nearly as many as there could have been. I felt like a handful of them were written by white women in their sixties who live in New York... which made them fairly similar stories to read. I would have loved to read more from women of different ages, and from different cultural backgrounds. Also, there is one essay almost entirely about pubic hair. I'm not being fussy about it, but it felt a little off topic to me.

Loved this book. It made me laugh out loud at all the things we women do to our hair; especially those of us with curly hair.

I have always been interested in how people view their hair and the relationship between women and their hair. It has always been a topic that has interested me, so I was really interested in this book.

However, as is the case with many essay collections, this was hit or miss. While I overall enjoyed the topics covered, I just wasn't engaged in this collection.

I think the main issue I experienced was with diversity, and not necessarily when it comes to race. Every woman who had an essay in the collection is way older than I am. I would have loved to read an essay from a woman actively going through the struggle at the age I am (20s).

I'm obsessed with my hair. I attempt to take care of it, but also shell out my fair of abuse. This book seemed ideal and on a whim I purchased it.

I loved all the stories, culture and ethnic significance of peoples hair. I have thick hair, a wonderful family trait and it was interesting to know how others strive for a certain hair types or what it means when they change their hair. It could be a new phase in there life, estrangement from their parents etc...I skipped two chapters for obvious reasons if you every crack the book, but otherwise it was interesting.

I guess it's comforting to know that most women, no matter how successful, are a little crazy about their hair, but the essays in this collection become a little tiring after awhile as themes start to repeat - women who learn to accept a natural look; women who defiantly color and don't care who knows it's fake; women who were obsessed with their hair when younger but have mellowed into acceptance with age. There are some highlights (ha ha). "My Black Hair" by Marita Golden succinctly illustrates that "Black women's hair is knotted and gnarled by issues of race, politics, history, and pride." No matter what they decide to do with their hair, it's sure to be controversial from some segment of their friends, family, or co-workers. On the lighter side of the spectrum, Jane Smiley writes about the time she had a makeover and looked fabulous for a couple weeks. Her advice? "Try to look your best as infrequently as possible." Because, no matter how you look, the people who see you all the time will become accustomed to it. So, if you only make an effort for special occasions, your friends may be in for a pleasant surprise. "No, they didn't know you had any taste. No, is was not clear that you were actually pretty, but you are! This is not the same as letting yourself go. It is more like being dormant, so that from time to well-chosen time you may blossom." This collection is best read one essay every few days instead of all at once.

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of essays. Most of the women I know--myself included--spend a lot of time and money on our hair. Sometimes that's because of vanity, but these essays show that sometimes hair is about culture, illness, attachment, or self-worth. Usually it's some kind of combination. This book proves the stories of our hair are far more fascinating than we might have realized.

I really enjoyed this collection of essays. Interesting to read the different cultural implications of hair. My favorite observation was from a midpoint essay - that women's hair, unlike that of men, cannot be displayed or taken neutrally. No matter the style, a message is interpreted, whether intended or not.

I really enjoyed this book. I think I had always been stuck in my own hair bubble, only noticing bits and pieces of how other women think about and do with their hair. This book was fantastic in how each of the different essays contributed some kind of cultural aspect to the general concept of hair. I learned a lot form this book, felt comforted that it's not only my mother who obsesses over what I do with my hair, and found myself thinking a lot about what story my hair tells and what I might do with it in the future.

Despite the wide range of authors and experiences, I can’t say I saw myself in any of these women. It seems like the majority of the essays were written by women who are much older as they reflect back on their decades long hair journey. Which is fine. But that’s definitely not the point that I’m at. I’m more looking for an essay about a girl who’s never paid more than $15 for a haircut at Great Clips/Supercuts and has had more or less the same hairstyle for the past 20 years (it me).