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The Maternal Is Political: Women Writers at the Intersection of Motherhood and Social Change
by
Shari MacDonald Strong (Goodreads Author) ,
Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner , Judith Stadtman Tucker , Sarah Masterson , Marrit Ingman , Stephanie Wilkinson , Sarah Werthan Buttenwieser , Karen Maezen Miller (Goodreads Author)
,
more…
Exploring the vital connection between motherhood and social change, The Maternal Is Political features more than 40 powerful, hard-hitting literary essays by women who are striving to make the world a better place for children and families — both their own and other women’s — in this country and globally.
From the mom deconstructing playground "power games" with her first-...more
From the mom deconstructing playground "power games" with her first-...more
Paperback, 280 pages
Published
May 27th 2008
by Seal Press
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I won this signed anthology in a blog giveaway over two years ago. It has just been sitting on my shelf, passed over time and again. I couldn't help but think political equaled boring. However, all the recent political stupidity regarding women's bodies has had me rather pissed off, so I decided to give the book a try. If it turned out boring, I'd just stop reading.
I didn't stop reading until the very last page.
I was pleasantly surprised at how engaging the anthology turned out to be. The voices...more
I didn't stop reading until the very last page.
I was pleasantly surprised at how engaging the anthology turned out to be. The voices...more
I was interested but somewhat skeptical when I decided to read this -- skeptical about any of it applying to me, anyway. I couldn't think of anything indicating that motherhood had turned me into anything much different from the same timid, wishy-washy, non-confrontational person I was before I gave birth.
The book is quite interesting. As is often the case with this sort of project, most, if not all, of the contributors are quite highly educated, politically aware and articulate, so the reader...more
The book is quite interesting. As is often the case with this sort of project, most, if not all, of the contributors are quite highly educated, politically aware and articulate, so the reader...more
This book was ok. I think that it might have been more powerful if you have no experience with organized feminist political action, if the idea of motherhood being political was a revelation, or if you have never thought much about the oppressive social expectations that motherhood brings. But since that is old hat to me, I found that this book didn't tread much new ground. As a feminist anthology, it is only so-so.
Would have loved to have this book when I was writing my thesis!
Some very good essays (looooved Susie Bright's), some pretty predictable and maudlin. At times it was a bit clunky and scattered, and there were a few essays that I think were thrown in purely for star power - Benazir Bhutto and Nancy Pelosi come to mind. But overall, and enjoyable read.
Some very good essays (looooved Susie Bright's), some pretty predictable and maudlin. At times it was a bit clunky and scattered, and there were a few essays that I think were thrown in purely for star power - Benazir Bhutto and Nancy Pelosi come to mind. But overall, and enjoyable read.
Sep 04, 2008
Brandy
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
mamas and women considering being mamas
Recommended to Brandy by:
Bridget Kurtt DeJong
Fanfreakintastic. I received this book as a gift from a friend (thanks Bridge!) and started reading it during nursing sessions. BTW, other new moms, it's perfect for that because it's made up of short stories, each 3-10 pages, so easy to finish one and put down without stopping in the middle of something big. It's inspiring and moving and makes you feel fired up to do something with all your caring. Incidentally, the most moving passages for me were not those written by the big names listed on t...more
This book was amazing. I found myself trying to figure out how to become more active, and bring my son with me. I want him to believe that he can change the world for the better.
hmmm, for me this was a snooze. I couldn't get through all the essays, skimming most. I really wanted to like this and find something insightful -- just didn't, really. But you know what, I'm giving it 3-stars because I did like some parts of some of the essays and plus I think it's good to articulate those concepts: maternal/political. Yeah.
Don't get me wrong, not alllll the essays were perfect. That would be impossible in a collection this varied and huge. BUT a lot of the essays were luminous, funny, brave, insightful and true. And as a girl who is scared to have babies, this was a great book for me.
Local Portland mama is the editor of this great collection of thought-provoking essays. Perfect for the busy parent who can only read essays, not full books!
i have already re-read it several times. only a few snoozers in the bunch, the rest thought provoking, engaging, and delightful.
It's always hard to rate anthologies. In this one, there were a handful of unflinching 5-star essays. But half of the essays felt like an echo chamber of unexamined assumptions, so I can't rate the book as a whole very high.
This is a terrific collection; varied voices, beautiful writing. Read my full review here:
http://foodthought.org/2008/06/mother...
http://foodthought.org/2008/06/mother...
LOVE the short essays. True to life stories with loads of character threaded into commentary on ethical and political beliefs inregards to motherhood.
I quite liked this - it made me feel better about being a crank trying to make the world a slightly better place. Inspiring.
So far so good. A collection of essays that are quick to read (which really works right now) and make you think.
Great concept - there's 3 or 4 real standouts, but the organic / "gender positive!" mamas are tedious.
Guess why I'm reading this. There is one piece that is particularly close to my heart, hand and kin.
Jun 11, 2013
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Aug 28, 2011 05:33pm