Rafkin, Louise

Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures

Average customer rating:

No Dirt Here
Waste of time
good clean fun
The Real Dirt
Do I want to have a maid?

Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures
Louise Rafkin
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Cleaning, Caretaking & Relocating | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0452280818

Amazon.com

Housecleaner extraordinaire Louise Rafkin reads her own work as efficiently as she cleans bathtubs and snoops through the letter pile. Rafkin's voice is pleasantly modulated and well suited to her dry humor in Other People's Dirt, a parallel tale of her cleaning habits and socio-spiritual explorations. Vacuum-cleaner sound effects demarcate chapters in this nearly unabridged version, whose brief chapters are punchy and well suited to audio. (Running time: three hours, two cassettes) --Barrie Trinkle

Book Description

"Alone in a house, I piece together strands of life stories as if I were an archaeologist, the home a midden... I don't read diaries, I read clues." After earning an M.A. in Comparative Literature, Louise Rafkin, facing a career choice, took the road less traveled. She became a housecleaner. The money was better than teaching, the lifestyle intriguing for someone with an insatiable curiosity about her fellow human beings. And while she quickly became an expert on the best vacuum cleaner in the world--and the most efficient paper towels--she also saw the unseen parts of people's lives.

In this fresh, funny, strikingly original memoir, she talks about her invisible status as a domestic worker in a world of illicit sex and secret livees, of closet alcoholics and binge eaters, unlikely spiritualists and revealing celebrities.

In Other People's Dirt, Louise Rafkin reveals something about our values, our society, and ourselves. And, from the detritus of our lives, she gives us something at once delightfully entertaining and profound.

"Rafkin is a wonderful storyteller." --The Wall Street Journal

"Rafkin delivers the dirt on cleaning with investigative zeal and remarkable depth. A!" --Entertainment Weekly

"A wonderfully odd-ball memoir...Rafkin delights in the absurdities of her profession and has a keen eye for the peculiarities of human behavior." --The San Francisco Chronicle

Customer Reviews:

No Dirt Here.......2006-12-01

I'm not sure what this book is supposed to be -- a tell-all? An exploration of the history of cleaning and its place in western culture? A treatise about the underclass? I think part of the problem is that the author herself is not sure where she is, in the metaphysical sense. I couldn't tell why she was a cleaner. If she liked it. Even where she lived! And as far as "other people's dirt," there was precious little here. Not at all what I expected. I was more than a little annoyed at the curious tone the book took towards the idea that those who hire cleaners are somehow exploiting them... Very confusing. I was looking for an author who was going to dish some dirt and instead got an earful about Marxist theory.

Waste of time.......2006-05-17

I should have cleaned my house instead of reading this haphazardly written mess.

good clean fun.......2005-07-16

Entertaining, and easily read in one sitting. It isn't particularly deep or meaningful, but certainly jaunty and fun. Ms. Rafkin has an eye for the absurd. She briefly mentions a book about the history of maids, and more information about that would have made the book more interesting. I liked the tips on what to do if you hire a housecleaner; that's worth the price of the book.

The Real Dirt.......2005-04-20

This book should be required reading for not only every person in the business of cleaning houses, but also for those who have their houses cleaned. "Other People's Dirt" portrays a truthful, funny, occasionally aggrieved, but always intelligent story of occupation--an occupation often overlooked and stereotyped.

As the owner of a vacation resort, a mom and pop operation where I'm not only the "glamorous" hostess but (on Saturdays) the very unglamorous cleaning woman, I could relate to the tales exposing sometimes surprising (sometimes revolting) lifestyles. While the author seemed to dive into lives of her clients far more than I would ever consider, it's clear she did so with the purpose of studying human nature. To call her "grumpy" or even resentful by exposing these stories in the book, critics fail to see the pure entertainment value of this quick, little read.

On the other hand, I've had weekly cleaning ladies enter my personal home(s) for many, many years. Through Louise Rafkin's book, I have learned how to keep anything truly personal, personal. For example, you bet I strip my own bed lest anyone attempt to get an inside look at my sex life!!!

Particularly because of the controversy and strong reader reactions it has caused, I think this book is a gem and I highly recommend.

From the author of "I'm Living Your Dream Life," and "The Things I Wish I'd Said," McKenna Publishing Group.

Do I want to have a maid?.......2004-04-27

I thought it was very interesting how the author's described what she witnessed, and what evidence she saw of people's lives. The insight she gave into her own life and the lives of other house cleaners was also interesting and insightful. I thought the book ended a little strangely but I have learned that these types of books and their authors often end strangely.

Different Daughters 3 Ed: A Book by Mothers of Lesbians

Average customer rating:

A Disappointment
An excellent and worthwhile resource
A wonderful collection of understanding!

Different Daughters 3 Ed: A Book by Mothers of Lesbians

Manufacturer: Cleis Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Parenting & Families | Gay & Lesbian | Subjects | Books

Motherhood | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Beyond Acceptance: Parents of Lesbians & Gays Talk About Their Experiences
Now That You Know: A Parents' Guide to Understanding Their Gay and Lesbian Children, Updated Edition
Straight Parents, Gay Children: Keeping Families Together
Always My Child: A Parent's Guide to Understanding Your Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered or Questioning Son or Daughter
My Child Is Gay: How Parents React When They Hear the News

Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer
Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

ASIN: 1573441279

Amazon.com

Among the watershed books for lesbians in past fifteen years, Louise Rafkin's Different Daughters provides support for the rainbow notion that love is what makes a family. When the book first appeared in 1987, there were very few resources for the parents of gays and lesbians, and even the best-intentioned parent could end up confused and angry after a trip to the Sexual Deviance section of the public library. Revised and expanded to include a few more contemporary issues like transgenderism, bisexuality, and gay parenting, these 30 brief memoirs by mothers of lesbians will comfort any mother who worries that her daughter will never be happy, or find a long-term, stable love, or be accepted by those around her. Even hostile parents can find some reassurance here in stories about mothers who were at first horrified by their daughters' lesbianism and have struggled to achieve an uneasy peace with them. A wonderful gift, especially for mothers of lesbians who are newly out of the closet.--Regina Marler

Book Description

Coming out to Mom is a lesbian rite of passage. In the third edition of this landmark anthology, 34 remarkable women face their fears and confusion, prejudice and misunderstandings, and speak honestly and bravely about the difficulties and joys of life with their “different daughters.” Among the topics of discussion are family, community, religion, grandchildren, bisexuality, transgenderism, and coming out.

Customer Reviews:

A Disappointment.......1999-11-17

I suppose it may be helpful for some mothers to simply know that they're not the only moms whose daughters are gay; however, I was disappointed that not one of the essays actually went into exactly why these women were all so initially distraught. Most wrote about how they came to terms with "the myths and misconceptions," but nobody actually says what they are and how they delt with them! Overall, I didn't find this book to be helpful at all.

An excellent and worthwhile resource.......1999-08-02

This book is intimate and open and extremely valuable. While many lesbians are "out" and have been "out" for what seems like forever, this book is for those who aren't yet there, and the people who care about them. While it may seem fairly repetitive, (my mother certainly thought so)the recurring themes are a lesson; we are not alone, we are not the only ones, and what we are going through IS survivable. This book includes many stories similar yet different in their own way just as each woman's "coming out" story is hers,and hers alone. This book can be a great "jumping off place" for discussion between a mother and daughter, a teacher and student, coach and player.... there are many mentors out there who can reach out and help young women searching for a way out of the closet. This book is an honest map of the ways these women stayed on the path of life with their daughers. Their writing is sometimes amateur, and reflects that some are still trying to find acceptance within their hearts, and a road back to love for their daughters, but they are trying, and in this book, they've put themselves out there for others to see and from which to find comfort. Friends have told me that now they are aware this book exists, they will retain it in their libraries to call on when a friend or colleague says, "I think my daughter is gay.." or "I'm a lesbian, how do I tell my mom?" and if you haven't yet come out to your mother, this may be the book you should read. If it's been years and your mother is no longer here to talk, read it anyway and share it with friends or relatives in her place. It's a wonderful collection, and a wonderfully powerful book.

A wonderful collection of understanding!.......1998-04-06

I came out to my mom and then read the book, and gave it to her also. I loved it, so did she! The diversity of the contributors is one of the best things about the book, as well as the updates to some contributors to the first edition. Every lesbian should read this book, and give it to her mother!

Average customer rating:

What do dogs dream
Role Reversals
What fun!
How Disappointing.....

What Do Dogs Dream?
Louise Rafkin , and Alison Bechdel
Manufacturer: Andrews Mcmeel Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cats, Dogs & Animals | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0836267745

Book Description

There lies Rover-or Lily, Goofs, or Spot-sleeping on the couch, slightly woofing, then growling, now twitching, as he naps. Most dog owners wonder, "Oh, I bet he's dreaming that he's chasing a bunny-how cute!" and let it go at that. In What Do Dogs Dream?, author and observant dog owner Louise Rafkin unleashes her vivid imagination on what dogs might actually be dreaming if they could tell us, and the dreams are a lot more fun than chasing furry creatures. Coupled with witty illustrations by artist Alison Bechdel, the result is a hilarious look at what dogs' fantasies might be.

Customer Reviews:

What do dogs dream.......2000-11-02

For any one who loves dogs, this book was so funny and true. A great stocking stuffer for Christmas

Role Reversals.......2000-10-11

Apparently what dogs dream about is being either human, or having the circumstances of their lives switched. Many humorous ones occur in this well-done book.

For example, "I dreamed I showed up at the park and I was naked, only the other dogs were, too -- Angel, Pekingese, three." This is clearly a dream that a human would have. The dogs are coyly posed to cover their more private areas with daffodils and such.

On the other hand, a Dalmatian dreamed "I was black with white spots" which is another type of reversal, while still being a dog.

Sometimes the relationship with humans is reversed to take a dog-centered approach as in this dream about training school, "[W]e were learning . . . how best to annoy cats."

The human reversal shows up with a sheep dog who "was taken off the farm and given a desk job."

The reversal of roles with humans shows up in a cartoon of dogs eating in a restaurant while noting "our people had to wait for us [outside], and it was raining."

The cartoons are cleverly and beautifully done by Alison Bechdel and add much to the book.

I have two complaints which led to the book being graded down two stars. First, the style is nicely done so that it could appeal to adults or children. The only problem is that some of these cartoons have "adult" humor in them in the form of sexual references, which make the book inappropriate for children from my point of view. That was a shame since children like to have fun with cartoons even more than most adults. If you want to show this to your children, be sure to censor those parts.

Second, cartoon books greatly benefit from an introduction to put the work into context. Since I always grade down The New Yorker cartoon books for this, I felt that I must do so for this one also. By the way, The New Yorker dog cartoon collection is better than this one both because it has more cartoons and because they are on more varied themes. On the other hand, this one is much less expensive if you are on a budget for a gift. Almost any dog lover would enjoy this book, except those who are easily offended by sexual references.

The idea of role reversals is an interesting one. I suggest that you think about your spouse, sibling, or best friend, and imagine reversing roles with that person. What humorous situations can you think of? What improvements in your life come to you?

Keep laughing! Laughter is very healthy for you according to Dr. Dean Ornish.

What fun!.......2000-05-04

The author of this book has clearly heard lots of people describe dreams, and knows dogs well, too. It was so much fun to look at the ideas she came up with for various breeds, and touching that the "mutts" got star billing, too. I have, and will, give this book as a gift.

How Disappointing............1999-03-22

First of all, I'd like to say the concept of the book is a good idea. The format isn't even too bad, but the sunject matter is poor. Some of the dreams suggested are even pretty good. The problem is that the book is written in an almost child's book fashion and yet still contains offensive material. I was shocked to find that a book protrayed to be lighthearted contained a nightmare from a standard poodle where she was "made to be with" a male apricot poodle without even being able to get to know him and "everyone was watching." What an awful thing to put in a book of this nature. Perhaps the author was trying to make some sort of statement with this, but I think it was in poor taste.

Different Mothers: Sons and Daughters of Lesbians Talk About Their Lives

Average customer rating:

A positive, supportive book for kids and moms alike!
A Nice, Positive Book About Lesbian Moms And Their Kids
A Wonderful Book!

Different Mothers: Sons and Daughters of Lesbians Talk About Their Lives

Manufacturer: Cleis Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Parenting & Families | Gay & Lesbian | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Parenting Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

How It Feels to Have a Gay or Lesbian Parent: A Book by Kids for Kids of All Ages

Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer
Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

ASIN: 0939416417

Customer Reviews:

A positive, supportive book for kids and moms alike!.......1997-11-13

My daughter read this book when she was in high school. She was so excited to find out that so many kids had experiences and feelings like hers! She has had all her closest friends read the book so they would understand her and her life better. There are essays in here that are suitable for nearly any age child.

A Nice, Positive Book About Lesbian Moms And Their Kids.......1997-10-19

Non-fiction book with the personal stories of sons and daughters of lesbian mothers. I liked it a lot, it's a positive book for anyone who has a gay or lesbian family or anyone who is interested in the topic.

A Wonderful Book!.......1997-05-19

An absorbing compilation of stories of the lives of sons and daughters of lesbian mothers. The diverse group of authors range in age from seven years to middle aged and they all provide a wonderful record of how they feel about having "different" mothers

Average customer rating:

What Do Cats Dream
Louise Rafkin , and Alison Bechdel
Manufacturer: Andrews Mcmeel Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cats, Dogs & Animals | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

What Do Dogs Dream?
Invasion of the Dykes to Watch Out for
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic

ASIN: 0836278720

The Tigers Eye, the Birds Fist: A Beginner's Guide to the Martial Arts

Average customer rating:

Tigers Eye Birds Fist
entertaining, but somewhat limited - a good beginner's book

The Tigers Eye, the Birds Fist: A Beginner's Guide to the Martial Arts
Louise Rafkin
Manufacturer: Little Brown & Co (Juv Pap)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0316734640

Customer Reviews:

Tigers Eye Birds Fist.......2002-08-02

My two children have studied Aikido for three years.
In this book, there are stories of different martial artists.
The reason I like this book is that it does not have stories that accept the product of aggression to be violence. Rather one should seek a way of non-violence to avoid aggression whenever possible.

entertaining, but somewhat limited - a good beginner's book.......1998-10-19

This book was entertaining and well written, including refreshing stories of real people and their experiences. Almost everything concerning martial arts is touched upon, but Only touched upon; subjects get a couple of pages at the very most. Nevertheless, it was very enjoyable, and I recommend it highly for the beginning martial artist as casual reading.

Queer And Pleasant Danger - Writing Out My Life

Average customer rating:

Queer And Pleasant Danger - Writing Out My Life
Louise Rafkin
Manufacturer: Cleis Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JZZH7W

Madres Lesbianas/ Lesbian Mothers: Hijos E Hijas De Lesbianas Hablan De Sus Vidas

Average customer rating:

Madres Lesbianas/ Lesbian Mothers: Hijos E Hijas De Lesbianas Hablan De Sus Vidas
Louise Rafkin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Queer and Pleasant Danger: Writing Out My Life
Louise Rafkin
Manufacturer: Cleis Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Other People's Dirt: A Housecleaner's Curious Adventures
Louise Rafkin
Manufacturer: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O82PRO

Authors:

Authors

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