The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters

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The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters

3.62 of 5 stars 3.62 · rating details · 1,068 ratings · 264 reviews

The New York Times bestselling journalist and author of The Girls from Ames, Jeffrey Zaslow, takes us to a multi- generational family owned small-town bridal shop to explore the emotional lives of women in the 21st century.

You may not have heard of Fowler, Michigan, much less Becker's Bridal. But for the thousands of women who have stepped inside, Becker's is the site of...more

Hardcover, 304 pages

Published December 27th 2011 by Gotham

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Jan 13, 2012 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was thrilled to get this book, and it turned out to be even better than I expected. I'd never heard of Becker's Bridal in Fowler, Michigan until reading this story. But as it's mentioned in the book, unless you live in Michigan, you probably haven't head of the place either. The book really sucked me in with the various stories of women and their journey to finding love and their wedding dress. Readers also get a background in the history of the bridal shop and the previous/current owners. I w...more

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Dec 17, 2011 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I reviewed Jeffrey Zaslow's book The Girls From Ames, I liked it (very much, as a matter of fact) but was surprised about how little of Jeffrey Zaslow leaked into the content of the pages. The Magic Room is quite different: although Zaslow does not talk about himself and his daughters except in the preface, his tenderness for parents and daughters seemed to infuse warmth and grace into the stories he tells.

The Magic Room in question is a softly lit, mirror-filled room in Becker's Bridal, a...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

A quaint little shop where I bought my wedding dress. I do remember feeling like the only woman in the world when I stood in the magic room with my mom looking over my shoulder.

The stories were moving especially when you had some connections to the characters (albeit it not close connections--such as our nursing supervisor's sister Julie or Meredith who worked at Wolverine which is where my parents worked until they retired). Every girl has a story and you just never know it most of the time.

Bro...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Kassie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Fine. Sweet, I suppose.

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Feb 18, 2013 Susie rated it 4 of 5 stars

My church book club read this; I found it especially poignant, especially the very last paragraph in the acknowledgements when Zaslow talks about walking his daughters down the aisle, knowing that he never got to do it. I did not expect all the insights into family life and how things have changed. I wondered how many brides he followed but did not include in the book; the stories that he chose are all pretty interesting. It seemed almost odd at the end when he actually detailed some wedding cer...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Denise rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was drawn to this book because the sub-title is "A Story About the love We Wish for Our Daughters". I have two daughters so I had to get this. Plus the fact that Jeffrey Zaslow is the coauthor of The Last Lecture which was fabulous.

I have to admit when I first started the book I thought I had made a mistake. The introduction (the first 24 pages) and even a few pages into the first chapter didn't "hook" me. I'm glad I persevered though because the book turned out to be pretty darned good.

It wa...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is not typically the type of book I'd seek out - a somewhat sappy, overblown tale of the magic of wedding dresses, as seen through the eyes of 8 brides who journey to the "magic room" at Becker's Bridal, a family-owned business since 1934 in rural Michigan, to try them on. However, I've enjoyed Zaslow's previous books and reading this became all the more poignant knowing he had been killed this past February in a car accident while on tour for the book. He ends the book talking about the po...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Sue Avis rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book is the story of a small, family run bridal shop in Michigan which has served the Midwest for nearly 80 years. Not only does it tell the story of the history of the shop and it's owners, but
also tells us about the brides-to-be who come to buy their dresses. All their stories are different, of course, and nearly all the brides the author chose to write about have overcome some kind of adversity or
have a unique story to tell. But all the stories share the common thread of the strength of...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Denise rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Women, Mothers and Daughters

Recommended to Denise by: My Mom

Shelves: read-in-2012, non-fiction

I am still in tears after finishing this book. My mother gave me this book to read after she finished it. She had found out that the author, Jeffrey Zaslow, had tragically died in a car accident and had seen an article about him and this book and knew that it was something that we should both read. This book was something special that my mother and I could share and bond over. My mother and I were already close but after reading this we became closer.

This book isn't just about a small bridal sto...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Cornmaven rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, non-fiction

This book was so much more than I thought it would be. I expected some nice, poignant stories about brides who come to Becker's Bridal in Fowler, Michigan to pick out their dresses. A lot of awwwwws and moist eyes. Instead, I got some very interesting sociological observances about how our society has changed over decades and decades. I got stories about the bridal store's owners, their various histories, which were almost pure paradoxes when set up against what the store is selling: the promise...more

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Feb 23, 2012 Shirley Freeman rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've always enjoyed Jeffrey Zaslow's human interest articles in the WSJ and I loved his collaboration with Professor Randy Pausch on The Last Lecture. So when I saw this book in the bookstore, I wanted to get it but talked myself out of it the first time. A few days later, I was very saddened to see that Zaslow, age 53, was killed in a car accident while on his way home from a book promotion visit. It seemed especially sad since the book is about the love we, as parents, wish for our daughters-a...more

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Jan 16, 2012 Lizz Wodrich rated it 5 of 5 stars

First of all let me just say that I don't give 5 stars out lightly. When I first started on Goodreads I handed them out happily to every cute book I read, but then that left nothing for books that I found to be truly exceptional. This is one of those books. I have to confess that I love weddings, the dresses, the cakes, the invitations, the drama and the pageantry, all of it. I've been married two times, and neither wedding was anything like the wedding that my mother and I used to plan while ly...more First of all let me just say that I don't give 5 stars out lightly. When I first started on Goodreads I handed them out happily to every cute book I read, but then that left nothing for books that I found to be truly exceptional. This is one of those books. I have to confess that I love weddings, the dresses, the cakes, the invitations, the drama and the pageantry, all of it. I've been married two times, and neither wedding was anything like the wedding that my mother and I used to plan while lying around on lazy mornings. Those weddings featured scores of bridesmaids in beautiful floaty dresses, and me, in a gown befitting a princess, as the star of the show. Sadly my mom died just after I turned 15, and so the dreams that we dreamed never came to be. Both of my wedding dresses I shopped for, and purchased alone. How sad that is was brought home to me when my daughter's eyes met mine in the dressing room of a bridal shop when she found THE dress. I cried not only for how stunning Keli was, but for how much I missed my mom.

The book follows the family who owns Becker's Bridal and the lives of a group of brides who chose to shop there. While doing so, the author also includes a good deal of, to me, fascinating information on how weddings, and wedding gowns, have changed in the past century. These brides are all very different in their choices, their circumstances, and in how they came to be standing on the pedestal in The Magic Room in their chosen dress. I was perhaps most touched by the story of the bride who lost her mother at the age of 14. A statistic included in her story is that 57% of people who lost a parent before age 20 would give up a YEAR of their live for one more day with their dead parent. I know I would.

The author also reminds us that the women who sell the bridal gowns, the wedding dreams, are real people with problems and unhappy endings of their own. Just because your job involves happily ever after doesn't guarantee a happy ending for you.

I've gotten totally sidetracked here as far as the review, but any of you who follow my reviews know that tends to happen. I was moved by this book, and fascinated by it, give it a try.(less)

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Jan 15, 2012 Donna Brown rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

I often read non-fiction but mostly current affairs or history, so I’m not sure what possessed me to request to take part in Crazy Book Tour’s virtual book tour for The Magic Room. I suppose all I can say is that every now and again a book ‘speaks’ to you and cries out to be read (much like the cookies that – ahem – cry out to be eaten).

The Magic Room was one such book. I was intrigued by the description and the idea of a book that examined such a wide range of relationships: the relationship be...more I often read non-fiction but mostly current affairs or history, so I’m not sure what possessed me to request to take part in Crazy Book Tour’s virtual book tour for The Magic Room. I suppose all I can say is that every now and again a book ‘speaks’ to you and cries out to be read (much like the cookies that – ahem – cry out to be eaten).

The Magic Room was one such book. I was intrigued by the description and the idea of a book that examined such a wide range of relationships: the relationship between marriage and the modern world. The relationship between mothers or fathers and daughters. The relationship between the bridal dream and the fiscal reality.

Jeffrey Zaslow chose to set his book about “the Love We Wish for Our Daughters” in a bridal shop and I think doing so was a masterstroke. In that one decision he opened up boundless possibilities and the book embraces many of them fully. The Magic Room is a wonderful mix of anecdotes, family history, economic history and statistics. The book is related with warmth and humour, with touching stories interspersed with tongue-in-cheek media story mentions or interesting cultural references. It is neither preachy nor too touchy-feely but instead is a wonderful balance of all the things a marriage is: some ups, downs, worries, good times, cross words, touching speeches, advice, memories and, perhaps most importantly, hope.

It’s now coming up to two years since I got married. I ordered my gown via the internet and decided to forego the full bridal experience of bridal shop, dress fittings etc. Despite not having had the experience, I can see the magic behind The Magic Room (in terms of both the book itself and the ‘magic’ room within the bridal store Beckers) and understand why it is so important to the people that frequent the store, the owners, the community. Don’t be lured into thinking this is ‘just’ a tale of a bridal store, though. The history of Beckers is, indeed, fascinating but even beyond that, this is a work that offers so very much more.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review. I did not receive any additional compensation. All views are my own.(less)

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Jan 01, 2012 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: recommended

Jeffrey Zaslow, author of The Girls From Ames, another book about a bunch of women. The Girls From AMes focused on a friendship among 19 women and it was hard to follow all of their stories and their interconnectedness. This book focuses largely on the owner of a family bridal shop in the midwest, Shelly, and her struggles with her own marriage, running a business that has been in her family for 4 generations, and her conflicted feelings about whether she wants to hold her own daughter close to...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Alice rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biographic, feelgood, fam-marriage-parent, non-fiction, usa

Let me start this review by telling you that I got married 10 days after we decided to tie the knot. The day after deciding that we didn't want to wait any longer, I ran into a local wedding-dress shop and asked for something simple and cheap. I tried on one dress off the clearance rack and said "I'll take it." I shopped alone and I called my then non-official fiance (he never really proposed) and asked him if he would o.k. me using $200 from my paycheck to buy the blasted dress.

I felt it approp...more Let me start this review by telling you that I got married 10 days after we decided to tie the knot. The day after deciding that we didn't want to wait any longer, I ran into a local wedding-dress shop and asked for something simple and cheap. I tried on one dress off the clearance rack and said "I'll take it." I shopped alone and I called my then non-official fiance (he never really proposed) and asked him if he would o.k. me using $200 from my paycheck to buy the blasted dress.

I felt it appropriate to start this review with my own wedding dress story as this book is a compilation of wedding dress stories. In The Magic Room Zaslow did a great job of telling the story of Becker's Bridal in Fowler, Michigan. In this teeny tiny barely thriving US town, there are a few constants, Beckers is perhaps the most impressive, only outlasted by the loyal long-standing families that reside there.

Even though I am not much of a romantic, I really enjoyed this book. I thought the author did a great job of interlacing the stories of various recent brides with the stories of the Beckers' royal family. For five generations the Beckers have faithfully served a very large portion of the bridal industry within the United States, many times selling dresses to mothers who years later bring in their own daughters to the same shop to purchase a dress of their own.

Unexpectedly, I learned a lot about the worldwide and US trends of marriage in this book. Zaslow has a knack for making statistics interesting, statistics like "25% of first-time brides have children. Another 7 to 8 percent are pregnant" and "forget the seven year itch, UofM researchers have found that more divorces now happen in the fourth year of marriage than any other."

Overall, this is a great book jam-packed with various intriguing biographies, families' dreams and losses, wedding magic, and like it says on the cover it's mostly "a story about the love we wish for our daughters." Indeed, I do hope to one day take one of my four daughters to this magic room or at least one just like it in my own region of residence.(less)

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Oct 03, 2012 Doreen rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Diane, Kate, Stephanie, women in general, and my sons

Recommended to Doreen by: recognized the author's name and grabbed it at the library

The book's title fits the content perfectly. Zaslow succeeds in writing a story about 'the love we wish for our daughters', as stated in the title. While reading the book, I cried and became quite emotional as many stories mimicked either my own experiences or those of women I have known or met. Zaslow captures the voices, thoughts, emotions, and life circumstances that create us as women. And still, as a mother of sons, I know that so much of what is written here, pertains to me and to the love...more The book's title fits the content perfectly. Zaslow succeeds in writing a story about 'the love we wish for our daughters', as stated in the title. While reading the book, I cried and became quite emotional as many stories mimicked either my own experiences or those of women I have known or met. Zaslow captures the voices, thoughts, emotions, and life circumstances that create us as women. And still, as a mother of sons, I know that so much of what is written here, pertains to me and to the love I want for my sons and their wives. We all want what is best for our children, but there are different definitions of 'what is best'.

Zaslow centers this journey into the world of bride's/mother/grandmothers/sisters/FATHERS around Becker's Bridal shop in Fowler, Michigan. He simultaneously tells the stories of the shop's owners and the unique stories of the women who come to select a wedding dress. The marriage and bridal stories are alternately funny and heartbreaking, much like life itself.

Zaslow's great writing is immediately evident. In the introduction alone, he explores the importance of saying, "I love you" and of showing love through actions; especially in parents' actions toward their children. Still in the Intro, he writes, "...a dad's job...to remind a daughter of her strengths and to guide her into womanhood." So much of what is written in this book rings true. In life there is much sadness, yet much joy and happiness, too.

Zaslow incorporates China's "gendercide"... the great Red Sox hitter, Ted Williams... the author, Robin Jones Gunn... and references to television's sensational programs, Bridezilla/Say Yes To the Dress/Jersey Shore, to produce a tender insight toward love, marriage and all the positive and negative possibilities associated with that! This book will mean a lot to women and to fathers, especially. Zaslow's daughters are fortunate to have this written testament of their father's love and devotion to them. It's sad that he will not be physically escorting them down the aisle when they marry, but I'm guessing they'll know that he will accompany them throughout the rest of their lives. (less)

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May 26, 2012 Kricket rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, marriage, michigan, non-fiction

mixed feelings about this book, which could have been aptly titled "chicken soup for the stereotypical michigan bride's soul." one day it was on the hold shelf for me, and i hadn't even remembered putting it on hold. but it takes place in a family owned bridal store in michigan, and the author died shortly after its publication...so i guess that explains my interest (ie i like michigan and also i'm morbid.)

zaslow follows a handful of engaged white ladies shopping for dresses at becker's, the af...more mixed feelings about this book, which could have been aptly titled "chicken soup for the stereotypical michigan bride's soul." one day it was on the hold shelf for me, and i hadn't even remembered putting it on hold. but it takes place in a family owned bridal store in michigan, and the author died shortly after its publication...so i guess that explains my interest (ie i like michigan and also i'm morbid.)

zaslow follows a handful of engaged white ladies shopping for dresses at becker's, the aforementioned store in fowler, michigan. each bride has her own story: one waited until engagement to even kiss her boyfriend, one mangled her hand in a car accident shortly after choosing her dress, one is 40 and thought she'd never meet mr. right, one is a widow with five horrible bratty young adult children who don't support her remarriage, one's mother died when she was in high school so she's doing the whole wedding planning thing with her grandma, etc. we also get the story of shelley becker mueller, the store's owner, and her daughter alyssa, who may take over from her someday but isn't sure she believes in marriage.

as evidenced by the subtitle, zaslow is also framing this from a parent's perspective. in one way, that's the part that got me- that his own three daughters can read his introduction and epilogue now that he's dead, and be able to see how much he loved them and wanted them to be happy in a pretty white dress, marrying a nice solid dude. but then, that gets kind of creepy. zaslow even says on the video posted on goodreads that "the purchase of the wedding dress is the culmination of the bride's life until that moment." uhh...what? that's not every daddy-daughter story at all. one of my friends recently lost her father, and although he couldn't have had expectations of his badass daughter swanning down the aisle in white lace, he was fiercely proud of her, who she was, and where she was going. so to me this isn't really an accurate portrayal of "the love we wish for our daughters." who exactly is "we"?

anyway. it's not my intention to say this is a bad book. it's just a book for a certain set of people of which i- contrary to appearances, as i am a happily married white lady from michigan with a daddy who loves her- am not one.

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Mar 12, 2012 Roxanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Immediately after finishing this book I learned that Jeffrey Zaslow died on February 10, 2012. He lost control of his car and was hit by a semi on a snow-covered road in Northern Michigan.

He leaves his wife and three daughters behind.

The Magic Room was written specifically by Jeffrey Zaslow to help all of us understand the best way a father can show his love to his daughters. Zaslow's wife Sherry gave Jeffrey the "wedding dress" theme with which to write his book.

I have such a heavy heart knowi...more Immediately after finishing this book I learned that Jeffrey Zaslow died on February 10, 2012. He lost control of his car and was hit by a semi on a snow-covered road in Northern Michigan.

He leaves his wife and three daughters behind.

The Magic Room was written specifically by Jeffrey Zaslow to help all of us understand the best way a father can show his love to his daughters. Zaslow's wife Sherry gave Jeffrey the "wedding dress" theme with which to write his book.

I have such a heavy heart knowing what has happened to the Zaslow family. The irony that in the book, car accidents impacted several of the characters Zaslow wrote about.

This book follows the history of a bridal shop located in Fowler, Michigan. Zaslow follows four generations of the Becker family who still currently own the store. Zaslow also follows eight brides-to-be in their quest for their wedding gowns. The reader is allowed into each life just long enough to grasp the lesson to be learned.

I personally liked reading about the statistical information. I thought it was captured in a logical manner and adapted well into the storyline.

I had the hair on my arms stand to attention when I found out Shelley and I were married on the same date. September 7, 1985. I live across Lake Michigan from Shelley in Wisconsin, but what stood out for me is that whenever I think of my wedding day, the first thing that pops into my head is the memory of how hot and humid the weather was. I had long sleeves on my wedding dress and I literally wanted to rip them off. There was a lot of sweating going on at my wedding also.

I visited the Becker's Bridal website after finishing the book. I was very impressed and pleased to see a picture of all of the Becker Bridal employees. Shelley should be very proud of the business.

The book was a very emotional read for me. The vehicle Zaslow used to convey his message was absolutely brilliant.

Jeffrey Zaslow's body of work is outstanding. I am sad that there will not be anymore books in the future.

Rest in peace.(less)

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Feb 20, 2012 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Magic Room is located in a bridal salon in a small town in Michigan not far from Detroit. This particular store is a destination stop for brides throughout the Midwest. But this story is not the story of bridezillas and their families as they are portrayed on television. This book goes into the back story of a number of young women who are arriving at this particular moment in their lives (impending marriage) surrounded by love in all its many forms. Some have gone through hardship to arrive...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Lucy Montgomery rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bfs-bookclub

I loved this book! I worked in the bridal business for two years (in PR for David's Bridal, whose depiction was surprisingly pleasant given the chain's "category killer" reputation) so I thought the book would be interesting, but it is really more about relationships than about bridal gowns (or the bridal business). I definitely recognized the writing style, having read both The Girls from Ames and The Last Lecture (as well as Mr. Zaslow's newspaper column). He has a definite aptitude for descri...more

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Dec 30, 2011 Janssen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, blogher, non-fiction

I thought this might be a cheese fest, but it was really SO interesting and occasionally quite moving. Full review here: http://everydayreading.blogspot.com/2...

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Feb 26, 2012 Joanne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books-read

The Magic Room is a former bank vault upstairs at Becker's Bridal. Shelley Becker, the owner, has purchased the business from her mother, making her the fourth generation owner. Shelley created this magical room for brides to enter, wearing the gown that they have chosen for their special day. The room has a pedestal in the middle and is surrounded by mirrors, so the bride can catch herself at all angles and feel very special.

Becker's Bridal has been open for business since 1934 in Fowler, Michi...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Anita Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Becker's Bridal, located in rural Fowler, Michigan, has welcomed 100,000 brides-to-be and their mothers since it opened in the 1930's. The same family has operated the business out of the same sturdy, stone building, a bank that closed during the Depression. Shelley Becker Mueller, owns the business and is hands-on every step of the brides' way, as were her mother and grandmother. There is a special place in the store, dubbed the Magic Room, that used to be the bank vault. It is where girls take...more

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Jan 26, 2012 Carol rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

The Wedding Dress! Three simple words packed with such feeling, mystique and expectation.

Many of us, the female persuasion, have thought about our wedding days from the time we were little girls. Though The Dress was not high on my list, I can appreciate its significance in the wedding plans.

In a series of essays, Zaslow, the father of three girls, brings to life reflections on love, using the backdrop of Becker’s Bridal in Fowler, Michigan. He describes Fowler as a town with 1,100 residents an...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a nonfiction book about Becker's Bridal in Fowler, Michigan, a fading small town not far from Lansing. Becker's Bridal has been owned by the Becker family for several generations and serves a mostly midwestern clientele, but draws from all around the region. The author follows the stories of several brides who try on or ultimately buy gowns at Becker's Bridal and traces the story of the Beckers themselves at the same time. I was not 100% sure what the real message of the book was, but I...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Mamers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, adult-non-fiction, its-my-party-and-ill-cry-if-i-want, michigan, parenting

4.5 Stars

This book made me tear up no less than ten times and at first I couldn't decide if this was because of the touching stories or because I knew the author would never get to walk his daughters down the aisle for their weddings. I've decided it was both and that almost makes me love it more. I also must add that I'm from Grand Rapids, MI, so some of the stories hit pretty close to home. I'm one of those crazy people who has a hard time separating her love for nostalgia from her intellect...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jeffrey Zaslow has written a book capturing women and their families as they embark on buying a wedding dress / marriage at a small town shop, Beckers Bridal, in Fowler, MI.

As soon as I saw this, I had to read it. I went to Becker's to try on dresses for MY wedding. While, I did not end up getting a dress there, I will say the shop is super cute and completely overwhelming with the amount of gowns! I think I tried on 3 or 4 there and wasn't impressed and so we continued on to a couple other sho...more Jeffrey Zaslow has written a book capturing women and their families as they embark on buying a wedding dress / marriage at a small town shop, Beckers Bridal, in Fowler, MI.

As soon as I saw this, I had to read it. I went to Becker's to try on dresses for MY wedding. While, I did not end up getting a dress there, I will say the shop is super cute and completely overwhelming with the amount of gowns! I think I tried on 3 or 4 there and wasn't impressed and so we continued on to a couple other shops before I found my dress.

The book talks a lot about 'the one.' I just never got that feeling, yet I completely adored my wedding dress. I just never got the tears or breathlessness that others talk about. I just though, hey it's what I was looking for, I look good in it. Hmm, works for me! But, I'm not a romantic. I'm a realist.

"Couples are more successful in marriageif they see themselves as helpmates rather than soulmates. " pg. 20

I really agree with the above. So many people stay single because they are searching for a 'soulmate' or someone who will knock them off their feet. But marriage isn't always rosy and romantic. It's work. It's sharing the same ideals and goals. It's supporting each other. It's teamwork.

The book jumped back and forth with telling the history behind Beckers, statistics about marriage / women/families, and individual brides. The beginning started out kind of slow but by the middle I was engrossed.

An Excerpt from the book's website

One hundred miles northwest of my home, in a tiny, rural town with one stoplight, I found a place where 100,000 daughters, along with their mothers and fathers, have found themselves reflecting on the word “love.”

It’s a place where, every day, parents can’t help but be enveloped by a swell of emotion as they think back to the love they felt when their daughters were little girls. They think ahead, too, contemplating the love needed to carry their daughters onward from here. These parents know the disappointments and betrayals associated with the word “love,” especially these days. They know the losses that define life. Still, most make their pilgrimage here with a sense of hope and optimism.

My favorite sections where when he talked about the individual brides and their journey to Beckers.

It was a quick read and I would recommend it to those who've made the search for a wedding gown, those who've dreamed of it and those who like the history of a place and a thriving family business.
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Nov 26, 2011 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, nonfiction

In a small town in Michigan, there is a room. This room is on the second floor of a bridal shop that's been a cornerstone of Maine Street for decades. This room is lovingly called the Magic Room and this is where generations of future brides have looked upon themselves in the dress they have decided is the perfect one.

Zaslow seems to have made his writing career by focusing on stories that are intended to pack an emotional punch - he was the coauthor of "The Last Lecture" and wrote another book...more

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May 16, 2012 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars

On the face of it, this is a simple recounting of how a bridal shop works. Becker's Bridal has been in the hands of the same family for four generations. The book tells the story of the owners, the shop, changes in America. Mostly it tells the stories of brides... and how they look when they step into The Magic Room, the final dressing room at Becker's Bridal. The Magic Room is lined with mirrors so the reflection of the bride goes into infinity--like the love they hope to have in their marriage...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Mae R rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: firstreads-wins

I was not surprised to learn that this book was written by the co-author of "the last lecturem." "The magic room" is an extended take on Rhodes themes set forth in "the last lecture" chapter entitle "I won the parent lottery." This book details what a great father the author is, all the little things he does to make sure his daughters know how much he lives them. It then tells the story of several of the brides buying their wedding gowns at a particular bridal shop in the Midwest. Honestly, this...more

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About Jeffrey Zaslow

Through his Wall Street Journal column and bestselling books, Jeffrey Zaslow has told the stories of some of the most inspirational people of our time.

The Last Lecture, written with Randy Pausch, has been translated into 48 languages, and was #1 on best-seller lists worldwide. Five million copies have been sold in English alone, and the book has remained on The New York Times best-seller list for...more

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Books by Jeffrey Zaslow

The Girls from Ames: A Story of Women and a Forty-Year Friendship

Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters

Tell Me All about It: A Personal Look at the Advice Business

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title link	preview: The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters
avg rating	preview: The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters Goodreads rating: 3.62 (1068 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11755917-the-magic-room?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1309233331l/11755917.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11755917-the-magic-room?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters by Jeffrey Zaslow[/url]

The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters

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