Tales from the Yoga Studio: A Novel - Softcover

Mitchell, Rain

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0452296919 ISBN 13: 9780452296916

Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, 2010

Synopsis

A sparkling new series introducing five unforgettable women who flock to yoga at turning points in their lives and find the gift of lasting friendship.

The yoga studio is where daily cares are set aside, mats are unfurled, and physical exertion leads to well-being, renewal, and friendship. An aggressively expanding chain of Los Angeles yoga "experience centers," has Lee and her extraordinary teaching abilities in its sights. They woo her with a lucrative contract, a trademarked name for her classes, and a place for her handsome musician husband. But accepting the contract means abandoning the students at the homey studio Lee runs in L.A.'s Silver Lake district- and leaving behind four women whose friendships are suddenly more important to her than retirement benefits and a salary increase.

Tales from the Yoga Studio is an insider's look at the current obsession with yoga, told with enough humor, wit, and warmth to charm and delight readers, whether or not they've ever done a Downward Dog.

About this title

About the Author

Rain Mitchell (a pseudonym) began practicing yoga as a teenager, and is currently at work on the second Yoga Novel. Rain's favorite pose is savasana.

Reviews

Yoga pants are optional for this slow series setup revolving around L.A. yoga teacher Lee and four devoted students in her orbit--Hollywood deal maker Stephanie, dancer Graciela, ex-druggie Katherine, and actress Imani. Each comes with her own personal career and romantic melodramas, but fear not: yoga will bring them together, and though it doesn't get full credit for straightening out their jumbled lives--the friendships forged by this diverse gaggle of L.A. gals does that--it helps sculpt great bods and peaceful souls. Mitchell's debut is straight out of the hobby-as-salve-for-the-soul playbook, but with yoga mats instead of knitting needles. If sweet tales of friendship, bonding, and downward facing dog are your thing, this should be an agreeable diversion. (Dec.) (c)
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“It’s all show biz,” advises a yoga aficionado’s husband in this engrossing chick-lit tale about an independent L.A. yoga studio and its core community of faithful clients. Owner and veteran instructor Lee knows that selling her studio to a Los Angeles chain, YogaHappens, means she can still teach there, albeit while obeying the corporation. But her stage fright during YogaHappens’ teaching audition suggests deeper fears. Will commercialization end her small studio’s supportive intimacy (much like that of the woman-bonding independent hair salon in the movie Steel Magnolias)? Husband Alan, chasing success in Lotus Land’s music scene, urges her to sell, and since their marriage is troubled, Lee feels even more pressure. Independent masseuse Katherine; injured dancer Graciela; Stephanie, one of L.A.’s “43,000 freelancers” trying to gain traction in film production; onetime TV star Imani, “living the dark side of the Hollywood dream,” and other clients could lose the studio’s sustaining connectedness. Seamless integration of names and explanations of yoga positions doesn’t hinder mainstream readership, while Mitchell’s smoothly advancing character development enriches this entertaining meditation on building and sustaining community. --Whitney Scott

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0452296919
• ISBN 13: 9780452296916
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288