Crowning Glory: An Experiment in Self-Discovery Through Disguise is a “one of a kind” book, just as the author Stacy Harshman is one of a kind! On a whim, she bought her first red long-haired wig on the Internet. She was stunned by the attention she received whenever she went out with her new red hair. This led her to an interesting experiment of recording reactions of people to her while wearing different-colored wigs. Soon, she hired a field research assistant, Bonnie, and the research began. Stacy developed a personality and name for each wig: Kali Amsterdam was the redhead; Nada Jolie was black haired; Raya Mer was the blonde; and Paula Isla was a brunette. The adventures began as she and Bonnie strolled through the streets, restaurants and bars of Manhattan.

The book is much more than a mere experiment; it is also the story of Stacy’s healing. As a woman who struggled with bipolar disorder and its aftermath of insecurities and anxieties, this experiment revealed to her the real strengths she possessed. Stacy is an excellent writer as she is able to transition smoothly from the multiple reactions (both positive and negative) from other people to her new looks, to how this affected her emotions, and her personal relationships. Crowning Glory: An Experiment in Self-Discovery Through Disguise is an intriguing work. It may challenge a reader to look at their own masks, the things they wear or do to develop a particular image to the outside world. This is a book one will not soon forget.

Stacy Harshman’s Crowning Glory: An Experiment in Self-Discovery Through Disguise is beautifully illustrated with colour photographs. These show her in various wigs, which is what the experiment involved. It began because she had thin, dull fair hair she felt so badly about that it caused her to have panic attacks, and finally pushed her over the edge into deep depression. The first wig had such an impact that Stacy decided to hire a spy, Bonnie, to follow her around New York and note people’s reactions to different coloured wigs. During the final week, the experiment “control,” Bonnie observed reactions to Stacy without a wig. The book follows the plan daily, divided into weekly chapters; it is very detailed, recording both onlookers’ reactions and Stacy’s feelings as she fights to regain her sanity.

Stacy Harshman had me laughing from the start of Crowning Glory: An Experiment in Self-Discovery Through Disguise. The descriptions were so vivid that I could empathise with enticing internet access, sleepless at three in the morning, when she impulse-bought her first wig, and feel the horse’s mane on my hands. When it came to a man pleading with red-wigged “Kari” to take her home with him, I got hiccups. There is a very serious side to this book and it is explored in depth; Stacy was severely depressed. But have you ever wondered what might happen if you're wearing a wig in a crowded subway carriage when people pushed to get off? Moments like that make the story funny and easy to read. Being worth reading too, as an inspiration never to give up, makes this book a winner and one I shall treasure.