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Succulent Wild Woman
This book is my glowing invitation to you—to live a rich, succulent life!
I explore love, sexuality, romance, money, fat, fear and creativity. It's a little bit like reading my diary -- with permission. Succulence is powerFull! and so are we as women.
I explore love, sexuality, romance, money, fat, fear and creativity. It's a little bit like reading my diary -- with permission. Succulence is powerFull! and so are we as women.
184 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
104 people are currently reading
6820 people want to read
About the author
SARK
34 books496 followersSARK (a.k.a. Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy) is an American author and illustrator of self-help books. Five of her sixteen books have been national bestsellers, and she has sold more than two million copies of her books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 349 reviews
February 3, 2016
A friend lent me this book because she said it reminded her of me. I know she meant it - and I took it - as a compliment, and there are a some good ideas and thoughts within. But I have a few issues.
For one, my brand of feminism is that every woman can choose what her best life involves without judgement or criticism. You do what makes you happy, I'll do what makes me happy, and we'll be nice to each other and supportive and authentic.
Maybe a woman can't/won't/doesn't have the means/doesn't feel safe/doesn't fucking want to go on vacation alone, or walking at midnight, or (I'm paraphrasing) frolicking naked in a field of organic sage. Not every woman finds her true self (or whatever) in wearing a wacky hat or bold colors. Some women find stripping fun and empowering or like the money or ANYTHING. The point is, there is no one size fits all approach to living an authentic and awesome life that makes you happy.
I hate the idea of women reading this book and thinking that damn, they have never eaten mangoes naked whilst living alone on a desert island, so they must be missing some fundamental pieces of what makes them alive and powerful and fabulous. I mean, Jesus, think about the fucking stickiness and the sand and my god, the BUGS. And I just don't want any of that all up in my business. AND THAT IS OKAY. I am fucking awesome and you are fucking awesome, even if we never do one of the things that Sark lays down in this book as an example of wonderful succulence (gag).
Repetitive and walls of hand-written (seriously) text. No es bueno.
For one, my brand of feminism is that every woman can choose what her best life involves without judgement or criticism. You do what makes you happy, I'll do what makes me happy, and we'll be nice to each other and supportive and authentic.
Maybe a woman can't/won't/doesn't have the means/doesn't feel safe/doesn't fucking want to go on vacation alone, or walking at midnight, or (I'm paraphrasing) frolicking naked in a field of organic sage. Not every woman finds her true self (or whatever) in wearing a wacky hat or bold colors. Some women find stripping fun and empowering or like the money or ANYTHING. The point is, there is no one size fits all approach to living an authentic and awesome life that makes you happy.
I hate the idea of women reading this book and thinking that damn, they have never eaten mangoes naked whilst living alone on a desert island, so they must be missing some fundamental pieces of what makes them alive and powerful and fabulous. I mean, Jesus, think about the fucking stickiness and the sand and my god, the BUGS. And I just don't want any of that all up in my business. AND THAT IS OKAY. I am fucking awesome and you are fucking awesome, even if we never do one of the things that Sark lays down in this book as an example of wonderful succulence (gag).
Repetitive and walls of hand-written (seriously) text. No es bueno.
November 24, 2008
I love all of Sark's books. I feel like she is my friend:) Sort of how I feel about Annie Lamott.
July 23, 2011
Sark was my favorite inspirational writer as a teenager, and I just revisited this one and was surprisingly pleased by how well it held up. Sure, she is a lot more hippy-dippy, new age-y than I would want were I to discover her writing now as a 33-year-old, but rereading her distinctive voice was like discovering an old letter from a beloved aunt: familiar, comforting, inspiring, only a wee bit cringe-inducing.
July 8, 2014
I am not the type of person who aspires to being a succulent wild woman. I'm looking forward to dried up old crone, actually.
June 8, 2009
If you are a free spirit, uncomfortable with structure, then this book is for you. I don't happen to be a free spirit, and structure is what makes me comfortable. This is why I only gave the book 3 stars. There are certainly insightful and thought-provoking quotes in this book, and if one is suffering from feeling "not good enough" then this book could be very useful. But you should know what to expect. Basically, this is a composition of relatively unrelated thoughts by a woman who has obviously given a great deal of thought to a large number of issues. It is not a "how-to" book, or even a self help book. Rather it is a collection of thoughts that shine a new light on many topics important to women. But, it isn't for everyone.
August 7, 2016
Absolutely love books like this! Makes me love being a woman.
January 17, 2009
Anything written by SARK will make you feel like a fantastic person, cheer you up from your deepest sorrows, and make you want to dance in the rain.
March 21, 2022
“No matter how dry and tame and nice we live, we will die. We will also suffer along the way.”
I love SARK and her writing. It’s extremely raw and authentic and feels like reading a letter from your close friend. A mentor, perhaps, helping you through life.
I know that some women will not agree with everything she recommends for becoming a, “succulent wild woman”, and that’s okay! SARK is fucking outrageous and quirky and strange, and if you’re not into that then you probably won’t jive with her outlook and ideas. Examples being; wearing out there clothes, eating fruit naked and bathing in its sticky juice, midnight naps under the moon, etc. You get it, lol. But for those of you that got a tingle reading that, becoming more intrigued by the wacky SARK character…. She’s the author for you.
Note: the chapter on money was a bit tone deaf and outdated.
I love SARK and her writing. It’s extremely raw and authentic and feels like reading a letter from your close friend. A mentor, perhaps, helping you through life.
I know that some women will not agree with everything she recommends for becoming a, “succulent wild woman”, and that’s okay! SARK is fucking outrageous and quirky and strange, and if you’re not into that then you probably won’t jive with her outlook and ideas. Examples being; wearing out there clothes, eating fruit naked and bathing in its sticky juice, midnight naps under the moon, etc. You get it, lol. But for those of you that got a tingle reading that, becoming more intrigued by the wacky SARK character…. She’s the author for you.
Note: the chapter on money was a bit tone deaf and outdated.
July 16, 2024
I can't remember how I stumbled across this author/motivational speaker. Maya Angelou might have mentioned her somewhere; she writes a blurb on the book: "we, in this world, and this weary old world itself, have a great, gaping need for SARK. Let's call for more and more SARK to fill every child's book bag and each attache case." It is hard to describe her books, but I can say I always need to write something in my journal after reading her because she makes me think, think differently about most anything, and I learn and grow. She teaches how to live absolutely passionately and creatively and fully and richly and deliciously. She and her books are exuberant and extravagant and over the top which is so fun!
August 18, 2025
This book wasn't perfect but I think that's why I enjoyed it so much. It inspired me to get out of my comfort zone and try things on my own as a Succulent Wild Woman.
May 4, 2020
Wtf is this?! Just b/c you have a therapy journal you color in doesn't mean it's a grand idea to spread copies of the thing around to everyone. This is some kind of mess for which were sacrificed perfectly good trees. Somewhere in here she mentioned that she "hangs out" with millionaires (or possibly billionaires, i don't remember exactly). I'm guessing that has something to do with why this thing ever managed to be made. Printed in 1997. In the back there are tear out order forms for a newsletter (she calls it a "Magic Museletter") subscription, which of course would require the forking over of some cash to receive. This is nonsense published to try & sell more nonsense. If you come across one of these, my suggestion is to pop it in the recycling bin. That's where this copy is going.
September 22, 2012
This should be mandatory reading for all women. There are few books that I read again and again, but Succulent Wild Woman is one that I come back to with a new perspective each time; as life changes, different passages jump out at me. SARK knows how to appeal to the artist, the little girl, the vulnerable human, the "power-full" woman, the fresh-faced teen, and more in each of us. It's so personal, honest, joyous, bittersweet, optimistically sad...it's REAL. I dare you to not find something in this book that speaks to your heart.
January 16, 2016
This book basically advises women on how to quash their 'inner critic' and how to release their 'inner goddess' or 'succulent self.' The words that SARK writes are very practical, and make perfect sense when you read them. You just never think of things in such a way normally. This book helps us to look past our social conditioning, and reach out to our spiritual roots, leading to happier, richer, more exciting lives.
January 17, 2011
Loved this book enormously - I love SARK's humour, her appreciation of the smaller things in life which most people gloss over and the fact she makes you realise you ARE SIMPLY AMAZING! Should be required by reading by all teenage girls in their last three years at school!
December 2, 2013
Can all books be written like journals and with pictures and doodles and lots of colors, please?!?
January 14, 2016
A pleasure to read. Reenergizing and positive. Now I want to go out and start a fun and funny new journal - maybe I can be a writer.
April 6, 2025
crying this was so good
April 25, 2025
sometimes I need sark when I’m having a bad month.
May 15, 2017
There are essentially two kinds of responses to life that cut across the usual divisions.
You can retract yourself, or you can let yourself go. If you want a juicy life, you might have to accept that the way to go is not always entirely rational. If you like your life to be under control, you might not care for this approach.
Certainly there are times when restraint is advisable.>>>>>Ultimate safety lies in the acceptance of safety as an illusion. p39
That said, we are free to experiment.
>>How can we be open to the hard parts and still function? p32
>>>>Choosing succulence is a deliberate act of personal revolution.
It means waking up and embracing your most alive self. p19
It entails taking responsability for your own being, facing the fears that can stop a person from enjoying the life they have created. This book is full of suggestions, from the well-worn hippy days to the goofy to some serious lifesaving advice.
Actually, maybe SARK would say that sometimes being goofy is lifesaving. But although this book is full of lists, these are of possibilities, never admonishments. It offers tips for jumpstarting your creativity that you may dismiss today and remember in the perfect moment when the time is right.
>>Being positive does not mean being accepting of the negative or ignorant of the issues or the world situation, or anything else. It means seeing the grace in as much as you can see. p19
You can retract yourself, or you can let yourself go. If you want a juicy life, you might have to accept that the way to go is not always entirely rational. If you like your life to be under control, you might not care for this approach.
Certainly there are times when restraint is advisable.>>>>>Ultimate safety lies in the acceptance of safety as an illusion. p39
That said, we are free to experiment.
>>How can we be open to the hard parts and still function? p32
>>>>Choosing succulence is a deliberate act of personal revolution.
It means waking up and embracing your most alive self. p19
It entails taking responsability for your own being, facing the fears that can stop a person from enjoying the life they have created. This book is full of suggestions, from the well-worn hippy days to the goofy to some serious lifesaving advice.
Actually, maybe SARK would say that sometimes being goofy is lifesaving. But although this book is full of lists, these are of possibilities, never admonishments. It offers tips for jumpstarting your creativity that you may dismiss today and remember in the perfect moment when the time is right.
>>Being positive does not mean being accepting of the negative or ignorant of the issues or the world situation, or anything else. It means seeing the grace in as much as you can see. p19
October 10, 2022
Succulent Wild Woman-Dancing With Your Wonder-Full Self
by SARK
Published January 1, 1997
<3 It had its moments, it was just Mediocre IMO. <3
This book is my glowing invitation to you — to live a rich, succulent life! I explore love, sexuality, romance, money, fat, fear and creativity. It's a little bit like reading my diary — with permission. Succulence is powerFull! and so are we as women.
SARK, an author, artist, and incest survivor with many years of therapy and self-healing behind her, wishes to shine her "beacon of hope to the world" as she encourages and inspires women of all ages to become "succulent." She defines this as transcending past pains and feeling the freedom of full self-expression. Very candidly she shares the tragic, the glorious, the intimate, and the adventurous in her life, dispensing sage advice and a lengthy menu of readily doable suggestions for arousing creativity and nurturing self-discovery.
by SARK
Published January 1, 1997
<3 It had its moments, it was just Mediocre IMO. <3
This book is my glowing invitation to you — to live a rich, succulent life! I explore love, sexuality, romance, money, fat, fear and creativity. It's a little bit like reading my diary — with permission. Succulence is powerFull! and so are we as women.
SARK, an author, artist, and incest survivor with many years of therapy and self-healing behind her, wishes to shine her "beacon of hope to the world" as she encourages and inspires women of all ages to become "succulent." She defines this as transcending past pains and feeling the freedom of full self-expression. Very candidly she shares the tragic, the glorious, the intimate, and the adventurous in her life, dispensing sage advice and a lengthy menu of readily doable suggestions for arousing creativity and nurturing self-discovery.
June 13, 2013
Thank goodness I followed Sabrina Ward Harrison's advice and checked this book out from the library!
You, like me, might look at the cover of this book and think, "Oh man. That looks totally cheesy." But you'd be wrong. (Okay, it's a little cheesy.) When I woke in the middle of the night, worried about this and that, and decided to flip through for lack of anything better to do, I was immediately grateful this book exists. Everything by the gallon!
Do yourself a favor and find this book in one of your sadder (or happier!) moods. I think you'll like it too.
You, like me, might look at the cover of this book and think, "Oh man. That looks totally cheesy." But you'd be wrong. (Okay, it's a little cheesy.) When I woke in the middle of the night, worried about this and that, and decided to flip through for lack of anything better to do, I was immediately grateful this book exists. Everything by the gallon!
Do yourself a favor and find this book in one of your sadder (or happier!) moods. I think you'll like it too.
November 28, 2009
I think it is true: self-help is masturbation. That being the case, this book really got my rocks off. It is handwritten with doodles and bits of colour and it's very light hearted and whimsical. Written by an amazing woman named SARK, it's almost like reading her journal in which she shares her little ways of making the most of life and seeing beauty in all things. I love it, and I'll forever keep it and read it again and again, passing it along to the passionate women that I love. I know I have a long hard road to travel before I have half the nards of this woman who comes off as genuine and forthcoming, creative, free and adventurous.
September 19, 2007
I liked this book for several reasons...i actually think I should read it again soon! It is great for a little self-esteem booster. It is also a great reminder that you don't need to look like a twig in order to be attractive or to feel good about yourself. At times it was a little uncomfortable (when talking about sexually related things, they weren't odd or anything, just not something you consciously think about), but you get over that pretty quick.
December 20, 2008
I wish I could give it 3.75 stars, lol. There were parts I *really* liked and thought everyone could profit from. However, the new-age aspects were a little over the top at times for my tastes. I love her illustrations, use of color and especially the joy that flows from the pages. The handwriting is a tad hard to read at times but it's nowhere near as difficult to read as some of her other books.
April 27, 2008
I read this book first in college at a time in my life when I needed an unbiased female figure to yank me out of self-pity and force me into the beautiful world.
SARK is everyone's best friend, and somehow knows the secret to our secret self. Her other books are delicious, but Succulent Wild Woman is among my favorites.
SARK is everyone's best friend, and somehow knows the secret to our secret self. Her other books are delicious, but Succulent Wild Woman is among my favorites.
June 22, 2009
Succulent is a fantastic word! I really enjoyed this book and "Transformation Soup," both by SARK. SARK has down to earth and beyond the sky ideas of how to celebrate life. Her books are like reference books for joyful healing and letting your inner-child out to play. They're great to refer to whenever you feel that your zippy self is MIA.
September 30, 2012
I want to start off by saying that Sark is a goddess. Her books are incredibly motivating and creative. The beauty that is her just oozes from the pages. This book was the first of them that I read and because of this, I went on to read more and even signed up for her newsletter. Just reading it changed the way I felt about myself and the world around me.
January 8, 2014
A marvelous book that should inspire every woman to be their best self, yet! I love SARK. She understands women. From the shyest and most introverted woman out there, to the loud, crazy women out there. She has so much to teach from her personal experiences. I admire her, too, for her courage to speak about the things that are hard for her to share. Thank you, SARK.
January 6, 2017
Although slightly dated, this book is an excellent guide for anyone looking to let their hair fly free and eat mangos naked. Take this gift from the godmother of throw your cares in the wind crazy glitter covered bodies. Listen to the words she gifts to the world and take from them what you need in order to lift yourself and others up to the thrones we deserve to sit in.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 349 reviews