The Bag Lady Papers is a memoir of exactly what the book cover says, “the priceless experience of losing it all”. Alexandra Penney, bestselling author and former editor-in-chief shows how a single parent’s worst nightmare became her reality. In December 2008, the woman who had feared all of her life of becoming a destitute bag lady became just that overnight. A more vocal victim of Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, Penney lost almost everything she had ever earned. She channeled that anger to blog posts on The Daily Beast. The Bag Lady Papers tells her journey from having it all, to having nothing at all, and facing it. I cannot say that everyone has been in a position like Penney, but her honest struggle and strength portrayed in this work is not only admirable but inspiring. Seeing someone up so high, fall so far, and come back again should show us all that there is nothing we can’t overcome with the determination and focus had by Alexandra Penney.
I will work harder than I ever have before – which was pretty hard indeed – and see what happens. I have the feeling something good will come of it: tough, challenging work and laserlike focus have always paid off for me…. Was it better to have it and then lose it? Yes, yes, yes! Even though I lived with horrible bag lady fears of losing it all, now that those financial fears have materialized, I’m in good shape and looking to what’s next. Experiences – good and bad, exciting and boring, tragic and absurd – make up a life. Not to have lived to the fullest is the saddest, most irresponsible life I can think of. ~Alexandra Penney
The McNaughton Collection can be found near the stairs leading to the second floor of the main library. Every month up to 20 new books will be added to the shelves. So if there isn’t anything that catches your attention now, revisit the shelves next month for more interesting titles.
Guest Blogger: Tiana Chatmon, CSU Student