'Rock What You've Got': I read it so you don't have to

Image Credit: Rick Rowell/ABCLast week, Katherine Schwarzenegger’s first book arrived in the EW offices. I checked immediately to see if she was related to this Schwarzenegger. (By the way, I’ll be referring to everyone by first name now. That’s really hard to spell!) It seemed pretty likely. Sure enough, Katherine is the governator’s oldest daughter with wife, Maria Shriver.

So I know I’m not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but when I first saw Rock What You’ve Got: Secrets to Loving Your Inner and Outer Beauty from Someone Who’s Been There and Back (whew! That’s a mouthful) I rolled my eyes. Really, Katherine? ShelfLifers, please take a look at the completely gorgeous girl at the left. Hence the aforementioned eye roll. I’m pretty sure we can all concede that she’s led a fairly privileged life. Then there’s the fact that Katherine is the ripe old age of 20. Can you truly have “been there and back” when you’re still so young? I’m not so sure.

Anyway, I definitely started chapter one with my mind already made up about how ridiculous this book was going to be. Here’s a quick look at some of the more interesting items:

• Oprah is mentioned just as many times as the phrase “Rock What You’ve Got” (four references each).
• At all costs, avoid chapter two. Katherine gives a detailed account of the arrival of Aunt Flow. Sure, it’s a natural process. But I don’t want to read about another girl’s “I got my first period” story.
• Her dad, Ahhnold, “is in great shape, but he isn’t ‘pumped up’ all the time.” Good to know!
• Do you know what an umbilicoplasty is? Apparently, it’s the “reconstruction and reshaping of one’s belly button to look more attractive.” What the what?!
• Since Arnold was elected governor of California, Katherine has had almost constant security detail (a local police officer). OK, Katherine, that sucks. Maybe you’re not a privileged as I thought.
• Best line: “Avoid late-night eating and drinking. Most likely you are not really hungry when someone says ‘Let’s order a pizza’ at midnight. You’re either bored or wasted.”

Somewhere after the period story, I finally started to come around to Katherine’s book. I realized that I was probably too quick to judge. (Learning moment!) Let me be clear: young girls everywhere deserve good role models. Not the Lindsays and Britneys of the world, but real girls who set good examples. And I knew from the beginning that Katherine was no LiLo or BSpears. Still, I couldn’t help think that the whole premise was kind of ridiculous. I mean, what girl hasn’t had a I’m fat and ugly day? But at the end of the day, there’s nothing wrong with promoting a good self image, and Katherine does just that with Rock What You’ve Got. The above bullet points are really the highlights, so you can spare yourself 200 pages of reminders to eat healthful, exercise, and be happy with what the good Lord gave you, etc. But for the pre-tween in your life, maybe Rock What You’ve Got is not such a bad read after all.