Recently Read: Hippie Boy: A Girl's Story by Ingrid Ricks

Hippie Boy: A Girl's Story by Ingrid Ricks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

(This is a review of a book I read in October, 2013.)

In a nutshell, this is an amazing story and a completely engrossing read, an autobiography that reads like a novel, an intense novel.

Full disclosure, I am an incredibly distant relative of the author. I am also incredibly distantly related to nearly everyone with the surname “Ricks.” It’s a Mormon thing. I’m not Mormon but am descended from a prominent, and, shall we say, fruitful, family that was instrumental in the settling of Utah. I have never met Ingrid Ricks. If I ever get the chance, I would welcome the opportunity to tell her what an incredible book this is. I discovered this particular title during a conversation with my father regarding writers we were related to. I looked her up on Amazon, and started reading reviews. Some claimed she bashed Mormonism. That intrigued me. I put it on my wishlist, and later received it as a gift. I am not a very fast reader, but I finished this book in less than 5 days.

As I said at the start, this is an autobiography that reads an intense novel. Ingrid Ricks’ childhood was intense. Once you start this book, you have to force yourself to put it down. Stifled by a constricting religion and an abusive stepfather, Ingrid seeks to escape with her wanderlust father. Where her mother, a devout Mormon, was structured and responsible, he was carefree and irresponsible. Her mother, guided by the church elders, made decisions that she claimed were best for her children. Really she was trying to fulfill her own dream of being the dutiful wife and mother. Her father made decisions solely on what was best for him. In that way, he was much more honest, I guess. In the end, Ingrid learns to make her decisions and takes control of her own life.

I don’t want to retell her story in this review. I would rather you just read her book.

What I will say is that this is the story of a troubled teenager, searching to find her way out of the mess that is her life. It’s not, as some of the Amazon reviewers seem to think, about bashing her mother’s religion. The fact that this family is Mormon is not a crucial detail. True, it was partly due to the guidance of a bishop that her mother not only marries Earl but stays with him. The church enables Earl to torment her and her children. Still, this kind of narrative could happen, and does happen, at the hands of any religion with strict rules and regulations. This story is more universal than that, as there are many religions that dictate societal guidelines to create a unique subculture. Also, in the end, it is another bishop that helps Ingrid’s mother expel Earl from her and her children’s lives for good. The church helped create the horrible circumstances, but it also helped rectify the situation. Again, this could have been any religion.

Ingrid’s story is one of a teenager that is suffering, but no one will listen. No one can help her, not even the father she idolizes. She figures out how to help herself, to stand up for herself. By writing this book, she also found her voice. By telling her story, in her own words, Ingrid can help other teenage girls facing abuse to find the strength to help themselves. It is perhaps harder to be a teenager now than it has ever been. Every day in the news, we read about teens being abused, and not always for religious reasons. Be it abusive parents or bullies at school, each generation seems worse off than the last.

The author has used her story as an example for other teenagers to find their voices, to tell their stories. She co-founded http://weareabsolutelynotokay.org/ and works with teenagers, helping them empower themselves through personal storytelling. She and a teacher even developed a detailed lesson plan that is available for purchase. The more teenagers who find their voices, and the more who are heard through publication, perhaps the more teenagers will learn they are not alone. Perhaps the more teenagers will find strength in numbers and speak out for themselves. Maybe even a few adults as well.

View all my reviews