I’ve stated before that I’m researching dystopian literature, and part of that includes looking at climate change, natural disaster, and catastrophe (and if you have any recommendations, by all means, provide me book titles!). In the Dawson book I read and reviewed this year, there was a citation for Rebecca Solnit’s A Paradise Built in Hell. I’ve only ever read Men Explain Things to Me, but I loved that, as well as some of her recent essays about the election and feminism, so I was […]
Don’t do the audiobook
I really should stop trying audiobooks. Though I can listen to podcasts fairly attentively (depending on the subject matter of course), for whatever reason I don’t enjoy audiobooks. I space out a lot and if the person reading it aloud has an annoying voice I just can’t get into it. For these and other reasons I didn’t love Rebecca Solnit’s The Mother of All Questions. One of the new book clubs I’ve joined is all local moms with a feminist bent, so our book selections […]
“Violence doesn’t have a race, a class, a religion, or a nationality, but it does have a gender.”
I was unable to march yesterday because I had to work so I opted to read Rebecca Solnit’s Men Explain Things to Me, a collection of feminist essays, instead. This a powerful collection but I think the most powerful punch was just how dated it seemed despite being published only 3 years ago. There is no Trump or Weinstein and while there is a well crafted essay on #yesallwomen it felt lacking in a world where #metoo and the Time’s Up initiative have had such widespread coverage […]
I Want to Live With Wonder Woman
“[Women are] told that they are not reliable witnesses to their own lives.” There are sentences like this throughout this collection of essays, that seem so obvious and yet feel like a gut punch every time you read them. Here’s another, from The Longest War: “Violence doesn’t have a race, a class, a religion, or a nationality, but it does have a gender.” Or “Women are afraid of being raped and murdered all the time and maybe that’s more important to talk about than protecting […]
Memoirs!
Hi, I’m badkittyuno, and I’ve totally failed my New Year’s resolution to remain current on my reviews by somehow falling 15 reviews behind. In my defense, my life has completely fallen apart since mid-March — but also I’m lazy and would much rather read than review. Caitlin_D suggested lumping reviews of similar books together in an effort to get myself back on track, and my baby sister is very wise, so… Here we go! It’s Memoir Time. Grace Notes: My Recollections by Katey 4 Stars I […]
Mostly good
Best for: People who enjoy Ms. Solnit’s writing. In a nutshell: Essays on the experiences of women. Line that sticks with me: “The entitlement to be the one who is heard, believed, and respected has silenced so many women who may never be heard, in so many cases.” Why I chose it: I’ve enjoyed Ms. Solnit’s writing in the past. Review: I wish I had more energy to do this review justice. I definitely enjoyed many of the essays in this book, and as always […]