Buy it here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powells“Her book is eloquent, funny and so inspiring that readers might want to ‘attempt the impossible’ too.”--People magazine, Best New Books"Raising the Barre gets a standing ovation.”--Providence Journal“Nothing about this middle-age tale is safe, comfortable, or predictabvle. Kessler’s journey to dance The Nutcracker is brave, joyful, wise, and justy crazy enough to makle me cheer for her from page one!”--Sadie Lincoln, founder Barre3“Kessler has a wonderfully self-conscious mettle, not to mention a deft hand with the evocative expression of her inner feelings. An amusingly shrewd memoir of following a lifelong dream.”--Kirkus“Lauren Kessler grand jétés out of her comfort zone in this fascinating, funny, and inspiring book. It’s about dancing The Nutcracker only in passing; the true theme of this extraordinary, galvanizing narrative is how to conquer fear, step up, and summon the courage to pursue excellence at any age.”--Karen Karbo, The Gospel According to Coco Chanel"This delightful story of one woman’s personal quest will be enjoyed by anyone who thinks age is just a number, but Nutcracker fans will find it especially appealing."-- Library Journal“Breezy…Inspiring…Kessler’s experience…will resonate with lots of readers. Self-reflective and funny, Kessler has an infectious enthusiasm, and her struggle to [find] balance will be amusingly familiar to many.”-- Washington PostKessler, an author and journalist, was enjoying a very active midlife both professionally and personally when she decided to take up ballet again. This thoughtful shake-up of her autopilot existence brought about a new attitude toward accepting one’s flaws while embracing fear and change. As she pushes her exhausted body further from its comfort zone and closer to opening night, she inspires readers as she realizes that “you can’t feel the thrill unless you take the risk.”--Publishers Weekly“Raising the Barre is not unlike The Nutcracker itself: a delicious confection, a fast-paced romp.”--Oregon ArtsWatchWhether or not you're harboring secret fantasies of becoming the ballerina you dreamed of, "Raising the Barre" inspires you to keep pursuing personal growth, no matter how much it scares or eludes you. In fact, Kessler argues that the impossible dreams are the ones most worth chasing.--Marin Rose, Blog for Ballet"[An] adventurous immersion into the subculture of ballet, this is a great, inspirational story for someone who is looking for a push to take that leap and do that thing they have been putting off for a really long time.--Oregon ArtsWatchBuy it here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Powells