Shine on You Crazy Diamond is a book written especially for women. Through inspirational quotes and personal experiences, Catherine shares lessons learned as she went through the process of clearing out the debris of shame, guilt, unrealistic expectations from self and others, social stigmas and conditioning, childhood traumas, and all the other unnecessary and unrealistic pressures that we as women often put on ourselves. Catherine’s hope in writing this book is to inspire you to use your personal experiences, circumstances, past decisions, hurts and disappointments, as opportunities for healing and growth. She knows it is possible to free yourself from the cages that keep you from believing in yourself, to live your life with intention, joy, love and purpose, to stand in your truth and light and to become the incredible woman that you are meant to be. Shine On You Crazy Diamond: Even When Your Crown Feels Heavy Catherine L. Owens, and this incredible book that felt as if it was written just for me has managed to make my 'top ten' list of 2021. There are many out there who write books that are focused on helping females in this world. They address a variety of issues, like being seen as the "underling" to a man; attempting to be an equal in the workplace; balancing a career and motherhood so that you can be successful at both, and more. But when it comes to a majority of those tales, the information is either seen from a clinical point of view or an emotional one that leaves us more disappointed than we were before we chose to read that particular book. In "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," however, we are offered a collection of poignant and witty stories, quotes, experiences, and even journal entries by the author that help a woman increase her self-esteem, laugh out loud, and find a way to embrace her flaws while building confidence at the same time. And there's nothing clinical about it. Strength and boldness are taught to us by this author, who shares personal lessons she has learned throughout life. Whether it be the over-the-top expectations people had for her that added extra stress to her days or trying to get over the social issues and beliefs that negatively affected her, Catherine's stories have the ability to advise and help women in all stages of life. The author splits her book up into collections; throughout the collections you will find poems, statements, famous quotes, and more that will address the wide range of subjects that females face. "Behind These Castle Walls", "Burn the Box and Live for YOUR Purpose", "Flaws Are the New Fabulous", and "Failure Is Not the Other F-Word" are just a few examples of the perfectly titled collections that make up the book. On each page, the author shows how to transform disappointments into opportunities; she teaches ways that women can escape the "cage" society puts them in and allows them to see the incredible person they were born to be. One of my absolute favorite sections in this book is titled, "Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall, Who's the Fairest of Them All?" The subject matter is not only helpful for a woman turning fifty, but it also would equally help the millions of young girls out there who need someone to talk to—a mentor who will help them through the most difficult times in early life where self-worth is lost due to the fact that young girls are inundated with the pressure of being slim, pretty, and popular. An example of the great words that can be found here are as follows: "You will never speak to anyone more than you speak to yourself in your head. Be kind to yourself. Be your own supporter." "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" is definitely a work I wish I had been given back in the day. The empowerment it gives to women, I believe, has no equal on bookshelves today. I would recommend reading this and then passing it to all generations of females in your family. Enjoy! Reviewed by Amy Lignor for Reader Views Shine On, You Crazy Diamond: Even When Your Crown Feels Heavy by Catherine L. Owens is a phenomenal self-help book. It was written originally for women but is suited for anyone and everyone who needs help finding themselves again, needs some guidance, advice, or just wants to read someone's life story and get inspired. While sharing her life stories, Owens talks about subjects such as shame, guilt, religion, self-love, societal expectations, and so much more. Owens writes honestly, and there is no better way to connect with a reader than being 100% honest. She shares her raw emotions, even giving readers parts of her personal diary entries. She puts into words thoughts we have all had at some point in our lives. The focus is not on fixing flaws but accepting that we are flawed and still have value despite those flaws. The book is lengthy. However, the chapters are written so perfectly that you will read them in no time. In addition to that, the book is overflowing with all sorts of self-love and acceptance quotes that