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25th out of 101 books
—
90 voters
Woman's World
by
Graham Rawle
Norma Fontaine lives in a world of handy tips and sensible advice. Whether it's choosing the right girdle or honing her feminine allure, she measures life by the standards set in women’s magazines. But Norma discovers that the real world is less delightful — and more sinister — than portrayed in the glossies. When dark secrets threaten her brother’s blossoming romance, Nor...more
Hardcover, 450 pages
Published
January 28th 2008
by Counterpoint
(first published 2005)
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I really really enjoyed this book. The author spent years cutting out phrases from ladies magazines from the 1960's and I wondered how it would work but he managed to create a cohesive story with it. And a very dramatic and interesting story at that!
I love how he includes little advertisement phrases here and there and you really get a feel for how text was written in that era, but it does not detract from the tale of Roy Little, his mother and his sister Norma and their surrounding exploits. I...more
I love how he includes little advertisement phrases here and there and you really get a feel for how text was written in that era, but it does not detract from the tale of Roy Little, his mother and his sister Norma and their surrounding exploits. I...more
Norma likes to try out new tricks with makeup and nail varnish that she finds in the magazines. She prefers that her clothes be vivid and glamorous, like the ones in the glossies, rather than practical and dull. She quarrels with her mother about her lack of initiative while she reads about housekeeping tips and gets lost in the pulpy romance stories.
But, typical as she may seem, Norma is not your average young woman. She's got secrets. While those secrets might not seem shocking or novel to ev...more
But, typical as she may seem, Norma is not your average young woman. She's got secrets. While those secrets might not seem shocking or novel to ev...more
I came across "Woman's World: A Novel" while I was browsing at Sam Weller's Bookstore. The cover caught my attention. As I read the back, I immediately knew that this was a book that I wanted to read. The author took over 40,000 excerpts from women's magazines in the 60's and created a readable book all about a woman's life.
The creativity of this author alone was enough to commit me to reading it cover to cover, but as I read I came to discover that the text that was put in, actually made the st...more
The creativity of this author alone was enough to commit me to reading it cover to cover, but as I read I came to discover that the text that was put in, actually made the st...more
Graham Rawle has written a strange and alluring story here and one that's funny from the get-go. Using only cuttings taking from Women's magazines of the '60s, Rawle builds the story of a fashion-interested, slightly affected family. The actual layout (the cut and paste technique used by Rawle makes the reading unique in and of itself) creates much of the humour. This book is clever, in a marvellous way, with the language, mores and obsessions of the era and of his characters often sweeping acro...more
This book was odd. Engaging, but odd. The premise of using words and phrases cut from women's magazines of the 1960s is a cool idea, but I'm not sure that the kitsch value warranted publishing the story. And I saw the plot twist coming seventeen miles away. Plus, the ending was terrible. It seemed to be going in one direction, and then apparently Rawle decided he wanted it to end another way--and so he ended it that way, with no explanation. That was dissatisfying. I'm quite sure most people wou...more
Apr 08, 2009
Sonia Gomes
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Shelves:
good-but-not-fantastic
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I loved this book, and not just because of the way in which it was constructed. Yes, that is very clever and the author does capture the spirit of Women's magazines from the 1960's with his creativity, but I think it is all to easy to be overawed by this clever literary device and not see the beautiful, touching story behind all the crazy fonts and advertisement texts. This is the story of Norma and her brother Roy and how they are both in a constant battle,between doing what their hearts tell t...more
Was it the playful comic book style, the in depth knowledge about brillo pads and lipstick : but it took 60 pages before the penny dropped with this one. What a gruesome, wicked, delicious little contretemps about a third in: how could I not have seen this coming? Well, I knew something was rotten in the state of Denmark, but I was thinking Elephentitis, or some such. Of course, with a name like ‘Norma’, I probably should have been thinking ‘Bates’, but hindsight is always 20/20, eh?
What a quir...more
What a quir...more
1 like · like · see review
(OBVIOUS SPOILER ALERT)
This book was recommended to me by my literature teacher because of my apparent obsession with gay and lesbian literature, so the major twist, which granted comes early on in the story, was lost on me. However the book in itself was more than a pleasant surprise.
I've never read any "found literature" before so to me the concept was entirely genius, the hours that must have been poured into editing and clipping and reading...it makes my mind ache just thinking about it.
But...more
This book was recommended to me by my literature teacher because of my apparent obsession with gay and lesbian literature, so the major twist, which granted comes early on in the story, was lost on me. However the book in itself was more than a pleasant surprise.
I've never read any "found literature" before so to me the concept was entirely genius, the hours that must have been poured into editing and clipping and reading...it makes my mind ache just thinking about it.
But...more
It's rare that a book turns out to be so different from my expectations. Found - with no prior awareness of it - in a bookshop in 2006, the cover and blurb made it look like a twee vintage witty feminist thing, the book equivalent of Soap & Glory packaging and Emotional Rescue birthday cards - with a tad more depth. Its entire story is constructed with text cut from the pages of 1960s women's magazines.
And that light vintagey impression lasted until I looked at reviews on here a few days ag...more
And that light vintagey impression lasted until I looked at reviews on here a few days ag...more
1 like · like · see review
There is something to be said for books which you know you must pass on to someone else once you've read them, just so they can experience them, and this is the case with this book.
There were so many layers in here, and the twists and turns surprised me throughout the book and kept me reading. The fragments of texts from 1960s womens magazines gave extra depth to the story, but didn't detract from the voice of the narrator. The characters were realistic and sympathetic, and there was a definite...more
There were so many layers in here, and the twists and turns surprised me throughout the book and kept me reading. The fragments of texts from 1960s womens magazines gave extra depth to the story, but didn't detract from the voice of the narrator. The characters were realistic and sympathetic, and there was a definite...more
This book amazed me. It's written entirely from passages snipped verbatim from 1960s women's magazines, and reconstructed cut-and-paste style into a novel-length work of fiction. I love multimedia art, particularly when it involves remaking magazines into something they weren't originally intended to be, so I was initially curious about Woman's World on that level. Happily, it turned out to be more than just an objet d'art: it's a genuinely good story.
I was taken in enough by the mystery element...more
I was taken in enough by the mystery element...more
I'm not usually a fan of "artsy" books. My thought tends to be "if they need an artsy gimmick the writing is probably lacking".
After reading Women's World by Graham Rawle I will not let that keep me away again!
Written entirely with clippings from vintage 1960's women's magazines, the "artsy gimmick" of this book is not only impressive, it is necessary to the voice of Norma (Fontaine) Little who narrates this incredibly original book.
Women's World starts as a humorous character study of Norma...more
After reading Women's World by Graham Rawle I will not let that keep me away again!
Written entirely with clippings from vintage 1960's women's magazines, the "artsy gimmick" of this book is not only impressive, it is necessary to the voice of Norma (Fontaine) Little who narrates this incredibly original book.
Women's World starts as a humorous character study of Norma...more
Like nothing else I've ever read, unique in every way - format, characterisation, setting and plot. The book is composed of thousands of pieces of text cut from women's magazines from the 1960s - genius!
But enjoyment of the book doesn't rely on this as a gimmick, it has a fantastic central idea and great writing.
Graham Rawle also wrote those "missing consonant" books which are very clever and funny, and I noticed today that he has produced a version of The Wizard of Oz" which would be worth a...more
But enjoyment of the book doesn't rely on this as a gimmick, it has a fantastic central idea and great writing.
Graham Rawle also wrote those "missing consonant" books which are very clever and funny, and I noticed today that he has produced a version of The Wizard of Oz" which would be worth a...more
Incredibly creative both in context and design.. with plot twists that I definitely didn't predict. The most interesting aspect of this book was the dialogue created between the 1960's Woman's Day magazine phrases vs. the book's self-described "modern day woman" attitude. Also, the author's ability to combine bits and phrases of sentences to construct these beautifully creative lines. I had a blast reading this Pleasantville meets John Waters story.
A curiosity - the book is constructed entirely from cut-out words and phrases from 60s women's magazines, which creates an oddly old-fashioned tone.
Interesting idea, which doesn't quite sustain an otherwise unremarkable tale, but it'd be interesting to try the same method of constructing fiction from cut up non-fiction with other different types of magazines, just to see how the tone of the source pushes through.
Interesting idea, which doesn't quite sustain an otherwise unremarkable tale, but it'd be interesting to try the same method of constructing fiction from cut up non-fiction with other different types of magazines, just to see how the tone of the source pushes through.
Woman's World is, without question, one of the most innovative and original books I've ever read. Graham Rawle wrote a general outline of the story, then over the course of five years pieced it together using pictures, words, and phrases from 1960's-era women's magazines. The result is a fascinating story with a modern worldview, but a hauntingly authentic 1960's voice. The story centers around Norma Fontaine, a stylish and modern woman with a keen fashion sense who, for reasons that become clea...more
Woman’s World is a one-of-a-kind experimental novel that’s perfect for people up for a challenge. The author plotted the story and then painstakingly cut out words and phrases from vintage women’s magazines for the actual text (think ransom note). This technique lends the whole book a strange tone that’s simultaneously very cutting-edge in content, but which sounds very realistically ‘60’s.
The book's unusual collage format could have been distracting but actually supports the story & gives the characters more depth. It's amazing what a delicate touch the author achieves with what seems like a ham-handed technique.
I have reservations about the ending -- seems like the author painted himself into the corner and took the easy way out -- but otherwise I liked it very much.
I have reservations about the ending -- seems like the author painted himself into the corner and took the easy way out -- but otherwise I liked it very much.
I bought this book because of the novel idea of having a book that was created by cutting out phrases from magazines. I found I was giving the sentenced odd rhythms because of the collage type of each page and it made the story seem forced. I will not give this book away because I appreciate the craftsmanship of the novel but it is not one I would reread.
I'm conflicted about this book: I found it absolutely intriguing that the author created a novel with cutouts from 1960's women's magazines and that there was actually a story line. But by the end of the novel I found the hyperbolic descriptions of detergents and clothing a bit much. The premise was certainly different and it took me a while to finally figure out what was actually going on.
I'm looking forward to discussing this book, especially the ending, at book club.
I'm looking forward to discussing this book, especially the ending, at book club.
1 like · like · see review
This is like no other novel I have ever read. The magazine clippings are a visual feast, but I found I could not read it at bedtime as my mind would buzz rather than lull slowly to sleep. However, the text style works so well for the colourful narrator, Norma, and what a story she tells. Roy came alive through the magazine cuttings. The author told his story in an usual fashion, and I thank him.
A truly unique reading experience. A story made up of words and phrases entirely cut out of vintage women's magazines that is as fun to read as it is to look at. There's a crazy experience of actually paying attention to the physical words as you're reading, that's completely unlike the usual way you would read a novel. And it's ultimately a clever story that slowly reveals to you why this format makes perfect sense. An incredible piece of art & literature.
The author created this book by piecing together fragments of text from women's magazines published in the early 1960s. Bits of advertising and domestic advice merge together into a dark and gripping story. As a graphic designer myself, I have collected many typographically experimental books (and I have even written some of my own). Such books tend to be beautiful to look at but irritating to read. Woman's World is different. The story is an utterly engrossing tale of madness and conflicted ide...more
Oct 04, 2009
Meg Powers
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
domesticity-for-ladies,
crazy-rambling
Woman's World is a twisty, unreliable narrator kind of mystery. You see where it's going right away, but that's not really it's attraction. What's interesting about this book is that it was composed solely from fragments of copy in women's magazines from the 50s and 60s. This lends for a warped and lyrical narration that can be beautiful just goofy and unbelievable. The text you read are the original collages, so there is a fun,albeit sometimes difficult to read, visual element.
Really, the attr...more
Really, the attr...more
A remarkable achievement. A labour of love, passion, madness, skill and dazzling wit. And the greatest cut-and-paste novel there was and ever will be.
Cunning. Crafty. Readable. Overlong? Yes. Perhaps a tad. But works of visionary genius are exempt from such criticisms.
Recommended.
Cunning. Crafty. Readable. Overlong? Yes. Perhaps a tad. But works of visionary genius are exempt from such criticisms.
Recommended.
I figured out the "twist" very early on but that didn't make it any less likable for me. A good read, not fantastic, but I definitely found it enjoyable. I found that the text constructed from 1960s women's magazine clippings added to the reading experience - they created an atmosphere.
A book whose text is entirely comprised of phrases clipped from 1960s women's magazines. It looks like a gigantic ransom note, and reads like a fifty-year-old issue of "Good Housekeeping." The story is about a suburban family with a big secret and there is enough sly social commentary to keep it somewhat afloat even as the surprise becomes obvious. Though this book is based on a good idea, the storytelling and the conceptual art do not blend - The plot is too thin to sustain a novel-length book,...more
after reading reviews of this book, i was so excited to read it. it seemed like an incredible undertaking of graphic design as well as writing. unfortunately, i felt as though the former excelled at the expense of the latter. while i could still appreciate the text as an art piece, and clearly a great amount of work went into it, i really thought the story completely fell short. i could see the "big shocker twist" from a mile away and the ending left something to be desired. however, this might...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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