Check out my review of this book at:
http://shannonsbookbag.blogspot.com/2011/11/not-afraid-of-life-palin.html ( )

We all make mistakes when we are teenagers and often it seems to us like the whole world knows about our mistakes. For Bristol Palin, the whole world did find out about her mistakes when her life was thrust into the spotlight when her mother, Sarah Palin, was announced as nominee for Vice President of the United States.
Very quickly, everyone knew she was an unwed and pregnant teenager.
In this well-written, easy to read book, Bristol tells about growing up in Alaska, how her parent's careers affected her life, her son's father, Levi, and her experience being on Dancing With the Stars.
She makes Levi and his family out to be the bad guys and her family to be wonderful and the press to be horribly intrusive and I am sure that there is truth in all of that.
I found the book to be very interesting and I read it in one day.
I think that Bristol seems like a spunky young mom who is getting her life together and doing her best to raise her son well.
I wish her luck in life. ( )

I found this memoir to be brave and open. While many wonder what she could possibly have to say, given her age and the publicity surrounding her. However, I think that is precisely her reason for this memoir. Perhaps Bristol felt the need to explain or even defend herself and her son. I respect that.

While reading the book, one needs to remember this is a memoir based upon the experiences, memories, and thoughts of a very young woman. We need to keep that perspective while we read her memoir.

Bristol shares her feelings of being in the political spotlight of her famous mother, the moral spotlight of being an unwed mother, the social spotlight of being linked to a seemingly narcissistic young man, all while coming of age in the tornado of what is the paparazzi.

I give her credit for doing as well as she is, and for not giving up. I give her credit for her perseverance, for maintaining grace and beauty under pressure. I wish her and her son well. I hope she continues to be brave enough to live her life honestly and fearlessly. ( )