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Get the Girls Out
A rousing, funny, straight-talking, inspirational and generally awesome book from social entrepreneur Lucy Bloom, part memoir, part life-lessons, which urges us all to find our courage, take joy in life and celebrate our extraordinary ordinariness...
Lucy's openhearted interest in the world has taken her from jillarooing on a cattle farm to maternity hospitals in Ethiopia, from marshalling a cross-country carnival in northern Uganda to CEO briefings in the back of a tuk-tuk in Cambodia. Hers has been a life of fighting for the underdog only to find out that, sometimes, the underdog is actually her. Taking all dramatic life-turns, side-steps and face-plants in her stride, Lucy has rebuilt her life every time, with love and adventure at its heart, plus a side order of mischief.
Rollicking, rude, brimful with joy, and written with a take-no-prisoners, bare-all honesty, this book is a call to arms - a book to make you laugh out loud, nod your head in recognition, re-charge your life and let loose.
'My deepest wish is that reading this book makes you want to do cool stuff, make plans, launch that business, pack your bags, shave your head, ride that horse, date that hottie, apply for that job, chuck that party - and, most of all, get your girls out, whatever that means for you.'
Lucy's openhearted interest in the world has taken her from jillarooing on a cattle farm to maternity hospitals in Ethiopia, from marshalling a cross-country carnival in northern Uganda to CEO briefings in the back of a tuk-tuk in Cambodia. Hers has been a life of fighting for the underdog only to find out that, sometimes, the underdog is actually her. Taking all dramatic life-turns, side-steps and face-plants in her stride, Lucy has rebuilt her life every time, with love and adventure at its heart, plus a side order of mischief.
Rollicking, rude, brimful with joy, and written with a take-no-prisoners, bare-all honesty, this book is a call to arms - a book to make you laugh out loud, nod your head in recognition, re-charge your life and let loose.
'My deepest wish is that reading this book makes you want to do cool stuff, make plans, launch that business, pack your bags, shave your head, ride that horse, date that hottie, apply for that job, chuck that party - and, most of all, get your girls out, whatever that means for you.'
256 pages, Paperback
Published March 18, 2019
10 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Bloom
15 books32 followersLUCY BLOOM is an international keynote speaker and consulting CEO with a background in advertising and international aid. She was born in Africa but grew up in Australia. She is the mother of three teens and lives by the beach in Sydney. Lucy is an Ambassador for Australia Reads, is a member of the Australian Society of Authors, the Australian Writer’s Guild and the Country Women’s Association.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
March 22, 2023
So disappointing. The fat phobia is very apparent. This author is also incredibly problematic.
March 23, 2023
I could feel fragments of my soul die with every page I read
March 13, 2023
If I could rate it 0 I would.
June 17, 2019
Review originally published on a A Keyboard and an Open Mind 17 June 2019:
I want to preface this review with a quick story about Lucy Bloom. A couple of years ao, she gave a talk at my workplace. I can't even remember the topic. Maybe it was Women in Leadership or something? Anyway, it was very inspiring and I wrote down a lot of quotes like "Fear should never stop you having an adventurous life".
It also actually gave me the last push I needed to request the info pack, and eventually register, for the UN Women Trek for Rights in Nepal, and thus I found myself hiking through the Annapurna region in the pouring rain and the mud in April 2018. Thanks, Lucy. :P
I happened to email Lucy later that day about something else she had said in her talk, and mentioned the Nepal trip. Her response was so enthusiastic, with a capslock "WHOOO YOU'RE GOING TO NEPAL" (I had only requested the info pack at this point but she was sure already) followed by "Drag me into your fundraising!" Me, the random person she had never met before who had sent her a single email. I never did drag her into my fundraising (though I raised $5500 regardless) but I have no doubt that if I had approached her, she would have thrown herself behind it because she is that kind of person.
Okay, so maybe that story wasn't so quick but I wanted to give you an idea of why I was so keen to read this memoir when I saw a staff recommendation on my local library's Facebook page.
A lot of this memoir is about the last four or five years of Lucy's life. In 2015, she was fired from her job as the CEO of a high-profile charity, and soon after, her husband of twenty years asked hehr for a divorce. While this tore her apart, it also gve her the opportunity to pursue opportunities and a side of herself that she may never have otherwise, instead always bowing to obligation.
Lucy is incredibly gutsy and that really comes through in this book. She writes in a really conversational way; you feel a bit like you've been friends with her for years and you're sitting around a table on her back porch with a drink while she tells you these stories from her life.
The only problem I found with this was sometimes we'd be in the middle of one story and the narrative would go off onto something else entirely... only to come back around to the original point at the end of the section. It is definitely a memoir in terms of organisation, with chapters based around themes of attributes that Lucy aspires to, rather than an autobiography with a linear story.
Much like Lucy's talk which I went to a few years ago, picking up this book may inspire you to the next adventure in your life. I encourage you to check it out!
This review is part of my 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge. Click here for more information.
I want to preface this review with a quick story about Lucy Bloom. A couple of years ao, she gave a talk at my workplace. I can't even remember the topic. Maybe it was Women in Leadership or something? Anyway, it was very inspiring and I wrote down a lot of quotes like "Fear should never stop you having an adventurous life".
It also actually gave me the last push I needed to request the info pack, and eventually register, for the UN Women Trek for Rights in Nepal, and thus I found myself hiking through the Annapurna region in the pouring rain and the mud in April 2018. Thanks, Lucy. :P
I happened to email Lucy later that day about something else she had said in her talk, and mentioned the Nepal trip. Her response was so enthusiastic, with a capslock "WHOOO YOU'RE GOING TO NEPAL" (I had only requested the info pack at this point but she was sure already) followed by "Drag me into your fundraising!" Me, the random person she had never met before who had sent her a single email. I never did drag her into my fundraising (though I raised $5500 regardless) but I have no doubt that if I had approached her, she would have thrown herself behind it because she is that kind of person.
Okay, so maybe that story wasn't so quick but I wanted to give you an idea of why I was so keen to read this memoir when I saw a staff recommendation on my local library's Facebook page.
A lot of this memoir is about the last four or five years of Lucy's life. In 2015, she was fired from her job as the CEO of a high-profile charity, and soon after, her husband of twenty years asked hehr for a divorce. While this tore her apart, it also gve her the opportunity to pursue opportunities and a side of herself that she may never have otherwise, instead always bowing to obligation.
Lucy is incredibly gutsy and that really comes through in this book. She writes in a really conversational way; you feel a bit like you've been friends with her for years and you're sitting around a table on her back porch with a drink while she tells you these stories from her life.
The only problem I found with this was sometimes we'd be in the middle of one story and the narrative would go off onto something else entirely... only to come back around to the original point at the end of the section. It is definitely a memoir in terms of organisation, with chapters based around themes of attributes that Lucy aspires to, rather than an autobiography with a linear story.
Much like Lucy's talk which I went to a few years ago, picking up this book may inspire you to the next adventure in your life. I encourage you to check it out!
This review is part of my 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge. Click here for more information.
May 1, 2019
A gutsy but heartfelt series of Lucy's most experiences in an action-packed memoir that reminds us we are truly ordinary and extraordinary all at once. I couldnt put it down. Lucy has an ability to be real and raw without compromising her own self or those in the book. She's a cracked speaker and author.
March 23, 2023
shit was ass ngl
March 27, 2023
I really didn’t like this book. I don’t have much to say, it was just a terrible time.
And to top it off, this review will likely be deleted quite quickly because this author doesn’t take kindly to negative reviews.
And to top it off, this review will likely be deleted quite quickly because this author doesn’t take kindly to negative reviews.
April 14, 2019
A great read on subjects I had no idea about - birthing, third world doctoring, the problems of running a charity etc. Bloom handles the dichotomies of being a mother and a carefree spirit with great aplomb. Bloom has an infectious wit and a funny, tell-it-as-it-is, no holds barred style of writing that never lets up from the start. How much living can one person do? Bloom proves you can do a hell of a lot if you really want to. A rollicker.
March 23, 2023
Just get the book out of Goodreads. It sucks monkey testicles!
November 15, 2022
Get the Girls Out
is an easy to read recount of the life of a larger than life character, Lucy Bloom. Her life features many ups and down which she confronts with copious amounts of energy and optimism. The colourful, colloquial language is perfect for the story's delivery and is a feature of this unusual memoir.
Unfortunately, Get the Girls Out did not meet with much enthusiasm at a recent Book Club meeting.
Unfortunately, Get the Girls Out did not meet with much enthusiasm at a recent Book Club meeting.
April 29, 2019
Entertaining and easy read. Conversational style. Good holiday reading. Adventures abound. Take aways: Do the things...all the things. Fuck the haters. Live life on your own terms. Stay Humble.
May 14, 2019
As a bloke reading this book there were short parts that were a little uncomfortable to read, and that’s OK because life is filled with uncomfortable truths. What’s important is the book is still an excellent read for blokes, even though I’m not quite sure how the title translates for us? And getting our balls out is probably more criminal than liberating. But whatever, it’s the spirit of the book that’s important and Lucy’s journey is an epic one. I’d seen snippets of her over the years but reading behind the scenes was hilarious, inspiring and horrifying... and probably other stuff as well. Personally, I found it all pretty inspiring, and a great read. Definitely a fan. 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼
January 12, 2022
LOVED this book. As someone who lives with anxiety and depression, I always find it remarkable but so refreshing to come across people like Lucy who grab life by the tits and seem to bounce so easily back from adversity and blaze through shitstorms headfirst. Hashtag 'belikelucy'! But none of us is superhuman. Far from it. And this memoir provides us with a poignant glimpse into the life of, simply, a fellow human, woman, mum, daughter, boss, colleague, and lover. Lucy's trailblazing, professional success, and personal evolution have been hard-won. She makes mistakes, lots of them, and learns and grows from them with good humour, grace, and humility. Get the Girls Out describes a woman who lives, learns, and loves with her eyes, arms, and heart wide open - something we can all aspire to.
March 26, 2023
Honestly just boring. Everything was so cliche and some of her comments were borderline gross. I forced myself to finish this book just so I wouldn’t have to DNF but I actually wish I hadn’t finished it. It lacks any insight. I understand I may not be her target audience, though I really don’t know anyone who would enjoy this train wreck. Would not recommend
March 28, 2023
My 1 star reviews go to books that I found to be horrible, problematic or a complete waste of my time. This book checked all of those boxes
January 24, 2020
We are all ordinary. Every single one of us is an ordinary person who has a set of talents, opportunities, challenges and experiences to work with. Whether we turbocharge those into greatness or lie on the couch is usually entirely up to us. But to start with, we are all ordinary to the core.
When I use the word 'ordinary', I mean normal, human, grounded, real. I don't mean average, mediocre or dull. — Lucy
The first thing you need to know about Get The Girls Out is that Lucy Bloom writes exactly how she presents. I have been lucky enough to see her and her wit and humour does translate from the spoken to the written with ease. If you do get the chance to see her present do it, it will be worth your money and your time (one of only two presenters I will say that about). This is such an inspirational book. Lucy has some different and arguably enlightened views on the role of men in childbirth, sexual assault and motherhood. While these views it may be widespread they aren't commonly expressed.
The format of the book combined with the writing style makes this such a readable book. The book is broken down by theme rather than a timeline. The overarching themes are A kick where it hurts, Chasing squirrels, Ordinary, Kindness, Charity, Courage, Optimism and Saying yes. Beyond the themes the people in her life are astounding. Her kids, Hudson, Harlow and Sheba, made me smile, Lucy has been so lucky with them. They have adjusted well to a mother who travels a lot leaves them to their own devices more and is to put in mildly unconventional. Catherine Hamlin is in an inspiration, I can see why she attracts the people she does. Lucy's men, Mr Perry, Doc, Rob and Captain India, are all so different, all suit different sides of her. The way she wrote them all with dignity and respect says more about her than anything else.
Lucy Bloom has lived a life you cannot make up and have to read to understand. testifying at a royal commission (which still causes her professional issues), Harlow's birth, meeting and loving Rob and Captain India, her accident and the resulting scars, all her travels and charity work. But what results is a book that makes you want to get out and act, to do something for people. She achieved her goal. If the blurb appeals to you, if you like to travel, if you like strong women. Read this it is a romp.
Lucy, there will always be a woman who is younger and more beautiful than you. ALWAYS. There are girls being born now right who in twenty years will be drawing attention from men you are. So don't bother comparing yourself with young and beautiful. Those things fade. Smarts, experience and maturity trump looks and youth every time. no young thing can ever compete with that. — Snowy
A representative gif:
January 6, 2021
A triumphant validation of life. For every soul yearning for flight but afraid to take the leap, this is your Bible. When Lucy Bloom tells us we are all ordinary she is opening the gateway to dreams. When Lucy Bloom tells us that everything we want is on the other side of fear she is sirening us from across the void. Lucy Bloom and the marvelous people who populate her story like Dr Catherine Hamlin, Doc, the Indian Captain, Harlow, Sheba, Hudson, surfer brother Pete, Wendy Whiteley and finally, Lucy's angelic mother are all ordinary in the most extraordinary way. So few people live fearless lives. Henry David Thoreau said "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to their grave with their song unsung." Lucy Bloom has found traction in flight and her life is a siren song for the rest of us who feel too ordinary to take that leap of faith and trust that our wings will unfurl. Read it and face the fear.
October 19, 2020
Funny, raw, courageous and conversational writing!
In this book, Lucy explores her personal and professional journey through her travels around the world. She was born in South Africa and then moved to England then to Australia as her father tries to find a perfect place to raise the family. Her stories about raising funds for charity organizations she led are fascinating. I used to think charity was about people being rich and nice enough to contribute but after reading this book it is actually about management and team work to get to the deep hearts of people.
Her stories also made me realize that although we live in completely different realities, as women, the emotions and hardships we experience are very similar. We all want to be loved and respected and cared for but at the same time be seen as human beings who can handle and manage oneself.
Once passed the second chapter, it is really hard to put down this book because it gets to the personal and deep stories of the author which I enjoy to learn more about when reading such books.
In general, this book tells us to find courage and joy in life with all its dramas and hardships in a funny and conversational writing style.
Thanks Lucy for sharing and your honesty!
In this book, Lucy explores her personal and professional journey through her travels around the world. She was born in South Africa and then moved to England then to Australia as her father tries to find a perfect place to raise the family. Her stories about raising funds for charity organizations she led are fascinating. I used to think charity was about people being rich and nice enough to contribute but after reading this book it is actually about management and team work to get to the deep hearts of people.
Her stories also made me realize that although we live in completely different realities, as women, the emotions and hardships we experience are very similar. We all want to be loved and respected and cared for but at the same time be seen as human beings who can handle and manage oneself.
Once passed the second chapter, it is really hard to put down this book because it gets to the personal and deep stories of the author which I enjoy to learn more about when reading such books.
In general, this book tells us to find courage and joy in life with all its dramas and hardships in a funny and conversational writing style.
Thanks Lucy for sharing and your honesty!
April 30, 2020
Well sometimes all you need is a book like this. The kind of book that makes you thrilled about what's coming next. That makes you wonder if you're serving your purpose in this life. That makes you want to write about your own journey, because it empowers you as a women with an unique story to tell. This kind of honesty and compassion is all around us, and Lucy does an amazing job showing us just that through her mesmerizing writing. Thanks girl!!
November 9, 2019
I absolutely loved this book. Raw, real and downright hilarious. For those wanting more from life, a little inspiration and a good kick up the arse.
October 19, 2019
Thoroughly entertaining, for both men and women. Lucy speaks from the heart and shares the highs and lows in her life, which is like no other. Beautifully written, she holds nothing back and this is one of the most refreshingly honest and entertaining books I have ever read.
June 11, 2019
Listening to the author read out their own memoir is surely the very best way to experience a memoir.
So thank you Lucy for reading this, lisp and all with your very Aussie roughness. It is all YOU and this added immensely to your stories of your colourful (PINK) life!
What I now know about Lucy from this book, is that this woman, whom I had never heard of, is wonderfully down to earth but smarter than almost everyone, Aussie to the point of almost ocker, insightful, pink haired, capable and caring but with flashes of selfishness and basically just REAL. Her life is at once both ordinary and extraordinary. She is proud of being CEO, but it is only for charities, she is a celebrity but in that Aussie kind-of-a-celebrity way, she is a mother but often absent, she was a wife but maybe not quite committed... and that to me is all ok... let's be honest it is how we all are, thinly spread leading a life that is too busy and too wanting and very human.
Her stories however are not everyday, her daily life is not the norm or the usual.
It involves travel to places most have never been, assisting people in the most genuine ways and experiencing things that are far from mundane. In this way, she is so far from "me" that I was a little afraid that I am the most boring person on the planet and am now in the aftermath of listening, trying to come to terms with that. I know for sure I don't want to be like her, but yet I am a little in awe of her.
Well done Lucy Bloom... it's a rollicking good read and wonderful to listen to too.
So thank you Lucy for reading this, lisp and all with your very Aussie roughness. It is all YOU and this added immensely to your stories of your colourful (PINK) life!
What I now know about Lucy from this book, is that this woman, whom I had never heard of, is wonderfully down to earth but smarter than almost everyone, Aussie to the point of almost ocker, insightful, pink haired, capable and caring but with flashes of selfishness and basically just REAL. Her life is at once both ordinary and extraordinary. She is proud of being CEO, but it is only for charities, she is a celebrity but in that Aussie kind-of-a-celebrity way, she is a mother but often absent, she was a wife but maybe not quite committed... and that to me is all ok... let's be honest it is how we all are, thinly spread leading a life that is too busy and too wanting and very human.
Her stories however are not everyday, her daily life is not the norm or the usual.
It involves travel to places most have never been, assisting people in the most genuine ways and experiencing things that are far from mundane. In this way, she is so far from "me" that I was a little afraid that I am the most boring person on the planet and am now in the aftermath of listening, trying to come to terms with that. I know for sure I don't want to be like her, but yet I am a little in awe of her.
Well done Lucy Bloom... it's a rollicking good read and wonderful to listen to too.
September 18, 2019
This is one of those life stories that packs a punch. One minute you're laughing out loud, the next you're catching your breath with tears in your eyes, then you want to punch the sky and yell "hell yes!". And ultimately you just want to meet Lucy Bloom and give her a huge cheeky grin and a massive high five!
This woman is awesome in the true, jaw-dropping sense of the word. There's nothing faux, pastel, meek or mild about Lucy, but equally she is a warrior with heart, conviction, empathy and she is a truth seeker. And a tonne of fun and love doesn't go astray either.
Lucy is that person most of us secretly wish we could be if only we would crawl out from under the blankets of convention, shame and worrying about what other people think.
If you want some clues on how to be a Chaser of Squirrels, to live a life of "YES!", and live in full glorious technicolour, then READ THIS BOOK.
This woman is awesome in the true, jaw-dropping sense of the word. There's nothing faux, pastel, meek or mild about Lucy, but equally she is a warrior with heart, conviction, empathy and she is a truth seeker. And a tonne of fun and love doesn't go astray either.
Lucy is that person most of us secretly wish we could be if only we would crawl out from under the blankets of convention, shame and worrying about what other people think.
If you want some clues on how to be a Chaser of Squirrels, to live a life of "YES!", and live in full glorious technicolour, then READ THIS BOOK.
April 28, 2019
Get the girls out had me in the first few pages, when Lucy talks about a famous person who told her “don’t write a business book my dear” I knew this book was going to be richer than anything I could imagine. It was I couldn’t put it down!
I am one of those people in this book that feels like I know Lucy as a personal friend but I don’t, I have had the honor of meting her and sitting next to her at a lunch when she talked at a fundraising group in Melbourne, I have followed her on social media from when I lived and spent time with Dr Catherine Hamlin in Ethiopia 2010.
This book is an inspiration and should be read by all girls. It has captured the true essence of life in such a unique way with words. I could not stop reading, the world around me had to stop…… I was captivated. “Goodbye nice Hello, brave” summed it up for me, I am so glad you didn’t write a business book, Lucy.
I am one of those people in this book that feels like I know Lucy as a personal friend but I don’t, I have had the honor of meting her and sitting next to her at a lunch when she talked at a fundraising group in Melbourne, I have followed her on social media from when I lived and spent time with Dr Catherine Hamlin in Ethiopia 2010.
This book is an inspiration and should be read by all girls. It has captured the true essence of life in such a unique way with words. I could not stop reading, the world around me had to stop…… I was captivated. “Goodbye nice Hello, brave” summed it up for me, I am so glad you didn’t write a business book, Lucy.
August 11, 2019
I just finished reading ‘Get the Girls Out’ and I wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to Lucy Bloom.
It was a magnificent, intelligent, authentic and joyful body of work. The universe delivered it when I needed it most.
In a world that relentlessly bombards women (and girls) with messages to be everything but themselves, we need more voices like Lucy, traversing important topics such as self-worth, self-esteem, self-love and real-world resilience in its raw, unfiltered state.
I’ve often thought that maybe someone is best defined by how they make people feel around them. I have no doubt Lucy injects energy, spirit, kindness and compassion into those that enter her universe. Reading this book reminded me of everything I am and everything I'm yet to be.
It was a magnificent, intelligent, authentic and joyful body of work. The universe delivered it when I needed it most.
In a world that relentlessly bombards women (and girls) with messages to be everything but themselves, we need more voices like Lucy, traversing important topics such as self-worth, self-esteem, self-love and real-world resilience in its raw, unfiltered state.
I’ve often thought that maybe someone is best defined by how they make people feel around them. I have no doubt Lucy injects energy, spirit, kindness and compassion into those that enter her universe. Reading this book reminded me of everything I am and everything I'm yet to be.
November 13, 2021
Very highly recommended.
Lucy's memoir tells of squeezing the best out of life. I was exhausted at times... reflecting at how much this young woman has lived with her huge heart on her sleeve.
Lucy insists she's 'ordinary', but we travel with her and witness her raw real humanity, her stunning courage and the beautiful Aussie no nonsense approach to life.
Yes, all of us can take great inspiration from this woman's integrity and life lust. We may be ordinary but/and each of us can take heed (good men especially) put our worries aside..grab hold of life and get those girls out. Many thanks Lucy.
A true national treasure
Lucy's memoir tells of squeezing the best out of life. I was exhausted at times... reflecting at how much this young woman has lived with her huge heart on her sleeve.
Lucy insists she's 'ordinary', but we travel with her and witness her raw real humanity, her stunning courage and the beautiful Aussie no nonsense approach to life.
Yes, all of us can take great inspiration from this woman's integrity and life lust. We may be ordinary but/and each of us can take heed (good men especially) put our worries aside..grab hold of life and get those girls out. Many thanks Lucy.
A true national treasure
May 31, 2022
For someone who isn’t a big reader I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN.
What an amazing book and as I read it, I could hear Lucy saying every word. Every sentence I was drawn in more, every chapter I craved more. The structure of the book was so easy to read, I often don’t finish a book because I lose interest or get confused with the story line or too many ‘fancy’ words.
Lucy kept it simple and straight to the point. So much in 1 book and such an inspiring woman.
I’m now going to buy this book for all my friends for their birthdays.
Thank you Lucy x
What an amazing book and as I read it, I could hear Lucy saying every word. Every sentence I was drawn in more, every chapter I craved more. The structure of the book was so easy to read, I often don’t finish a book because I lose interest or get confused with the story line or too many ‘fancy’ words.
Lucy kept it simple and straight to the point. So much in 1 book and such an inspiring woman.
I’m now going to buy this book for all my friends for their birthdays.
Thank you Lucy x
May 12, 2019
Gutsy, raw, honest and real. Lucy takes me on the ride with her and I am hanging on to every word. I feel like I am jillarooing with her, sitting alongside when she gets the message saying she is fired. She owns her story, all of her story and doesn't sugarcoat it. Actually, she does the opposite of sugarcoating, she tells it like it is and I tell you what, that is bloody refreshing. Thank you.
June 11, 2019
Has life ever delivered you a shit-sandwich? If so, read this book. Lucy Bloom's approach to setbacks, major challenges is phenomenal. She writes with such refreshing honesty. It's so funny, insightful, moving and inspiring. This is such a great book and not just for the girls. I actually think most men would really love it too (it's actually a really important read for men). Lucy, you're awesome!
April 17, 2019
Get the girls out is pure magic! Lucy has captured such a unique and inspirational approach that will leave you wanting to seize the day and do all the things you’ve been dreaming of. This is the kind of book that you just can’t put down. Do yourself a favour, read it, say yes and throw caution to the wind.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews