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474th out of 1,347 books
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4,950 voters
Whedonistas!: A Celebration of the Worlds of Joss Whedon by the Women Who Love Them
by
Lynne M. Thomas (Goodreads Author) ,
Deborah Stanish (Goodreads Author) , Seanan McGuire (Goodreads Author), Nancy Holder (Goodreads Author), Nancy Kay Shapiro, Priscilla Spencer (Goodreads Author), Elizabeth Bear (Goodreads Author), Mariah Huehner (Goodreads Author)
,
more…
In "Whedonistas," a host of award-winning female writers and fans come together to celebrate the works of Joss Whedon ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog"). By discussing the impact of Whedon's work, their involvement with his shows' fandoms and why they adore the worlds he's created, these essayists aim to misbehave in...more
Paperback, 198 pages
Published
March 15th 2011
by Mad Norwegian Press
(first published 2011)
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I’ll start by being completely honest; I am a geek. Sometimes a closet geek, but I am definitely a geek. While reading a SFX magazine on my day off I saw a blurb for a book called “Chick Unravel Time”, this title along got me hook, and I found myself looking for other works by this collection of women, which led me to “Whedonistas”. As I read this description of this book, I knew I had to have it, and instead of waiting for an actually book I was drawn to immediately have it to myself in eBook f...more
This collection of essays about Joss Whedon's creations (through Dollhouse; it's pre Cabin in the Woods/Avengers) includes contributions from writers whose work I already know (Jane Espenson, Emma Bull, Catherynne Valente...) some I didn't, and some who aren't writing professionals. It's kind of all over the map: there's some really insightful critical analysis, and there's some naked pimping of the essayist's other books, and a few real surprises, like the woman who's moved to become a Lutheran...more
I just read Whedonistas!, a collection of women's essays and thematic sequel to Chicks Dig Time Lords. Instead of Doctor Who, the subject is Buffy, Firefly, Angel, Dr. Horrible and Dollhouse, more or less in that order of importance. Generally, I like the essays that analyze some aspect of the shows more than I do the personal recollections of how certain writers got into fandom (between this and the Who book, women really do seem to like slash fic a heck of a lot, don't they?). There are enough...more
You know what Whedonistas reminds me of? It's less like a book and more like a written version of a bunch of geeky women hanging out at a bar, talking about the fandoms they love. This collection of essays is an absolutely wonderful read, especially to a geek girl like me, who is a long way away from her favorite bunch of geeks.
There are too many fantastic essays in this book to talk about them all. Even though I was only a casual Buffy and Angel fan (I really got into Whedon fandom with my late...more
There are too many fantastic essays in this book to talk about them all. Even though I was only a casual Buffy and Angel fan (I really got into Whedon fandom with my late...more
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This is a purely logistical thing, not an actual review- I purchased this book on my Kindle and for some reason I just kept losing my place and was not able to find it again. This was particularly irksome since I read this book over about a year in little snippets and between other books, so I would not realize that I was re-reading an essay I had already read before it was over. Grrrrr.
This was a decent read. I tended to like the essays that delved a little more deeply into the analysis of Joss...more
This was a decent read. I tended to like the essays that delved a little more deeply into the analysis of Joss...more
I can honestly say I'm sick of these essay books about a given TV show by people who dig the show. I am especially sick of them when they manage to be full of "all about me" essays loosely tied to the theme--in this case, any of Joss's productions. Some of these essays managed to transcend the annoyance factor: I loved Emma Bull's treatise on Malcolm Reynolds and a few others moved me (others that have faded into memory and I don't feel like looking them up). The rest were serviceable or I just...more
Unfortunately this book felt less like a well planned and edited book and more like a collection of Live Journal entries. I read a fair few Joss Whedon related books, often hoping to catch a little more insight. In this one, though, there was little insight because I am one of these women - I could have written my own Buffy story and fit right in.
The thing that irked me the most was the number of writers who say they didn't get into Buffy until later, and even though they say it was a mistake, i...more
The thing that irked me the most was the number of writers who say they didn't get into Buffy until later, and even though they say it was a mistake, i...more
Okay, I skipped a couple of pages in this one. Specifically, Teresa Jusino's essay "Why Joss Is More Important Than His 'Verse". I read the first page or two, got to the phrase "being overweight is never a good thing", got angry (seriously, "good" is the word you're going for here? Not, maybe, "easy", or even "fun, in a society that punishes fat bodies"?), got to the next page which lauded "Firefly"'s characters' speaking Chinese and English (as well as the appropriation, er, "influence" of myri...more
One of my favorite pieces in the book is an appreciation of Firefly's Kaylee. It points out that though Kaylee is smart and a good engineer, she's also a young woman who likes to feel attractive and is deeply in love. This is an important point: female characters are often forced to be either smart or girly, rarely both. It's something I'm going to keep in mind as I write more about Lisa Herbert and her adventures.
The downside of this book is that it's not so much "warts and all" as CDTL. There...more
The downside of this book is that it's not so much "warts and all" as CDTL. There...more
I admit it, I am a Joss Whedon fan so am exactly whom the book is written about and for. However, this is not merely a collection of sycophantic worshipful fan essays. This is a scholarly set of personal stories and analyses of exactly what it is about the writing of Joss Whedon that has evoked such intense reaction across the world. From feminist analysis, to study of the religious context, to testimony of the resonance of storylines and character development within the writers, this collection...more
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I like Joss Whedon's work and thought it would be fun to read thoughts of others who were like-minded. Some of the essays were very interesting and entertaining, but the fact that 4 different shows are covered (Buffy, Angle, Firefly, and Dollhouse--5 if you count Dr. Horrible as a "tv show") makes the book feel "scattered" to me. And the essays are quite heavy on the "Buffy" subjects, not that that's bad, but I would have liked to read more abou...more
Jun 14, 2013
Isis
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Whedonites, Joss Whedon fans
Shelves:
2013-reads
I really enjoyed this book, more than I expected I would. Each short essay connected with me in a different way, and had me refocusing on reasons that I love being a Whedonite and part of fandom in general. If you're a fan of any of Joss' shows, especially Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly, then this book is for you. If you loved Dollhouse, Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog, etc., this book is also for you.
I know what I gained from the book can't necessarily be shared and replicated with...more
I know what I gained from the book can't necessarily be shared and replicated with...more
A collection of essays by female fans describing why they love Joss Whedon's shows & how their lives have been impacted by fandom. I enjoyed this greatly. Buffy/Angel got the most essay coverage (fittingly, IMO), followed by Firefly, with a couple of essays about Dr. Horrible & Dollhouse. The essays cover a variety of different things people loved and why, and they all reminded me of the things I loved about being immersed in Whedon-world. Not all of them were equally good, of course, bu...more
As a big fan of the assorted works of Joss Whedon, I absolutely had to get this book. Word of advice: save your money. "Whedonistas" is a collection of essays by women writers, basically focusing on why they love Joss's worlds and creations. The essays are of varying quality, and don't really cover any new ground. For fans of the 'verse, I'd recommend "Finding Serenity" or "Seven Seasons of Buffy" over "Whedonistas".
I loved most of the essays in this book!!! They gave me different insights to different parts of Joss Whedon. I will admit to skimming one or two of them, as I have never watched Dollhouse. I especially loved the ones about "Firefly" of course.
Highly recommended for all Joss Whedon fans!!!
Highly recommended for all Joss Whedon fans!!!
Sometimes books like these contain too many essays that follow a formula of "blah subject, plugs own project or book series, blah blah subject." Thankfully this one contained only one of those. The rest were entertaining and thought-provoking, and they all certainly made me want to go re-watch anything Joss has ever touched.
Just when I start to think there's nothing good to read out there, I make a new discovery. Definitely getting myself a copy.
At times more personal essays than about the shows and the man, I did enjoy most and skip a few.
My favorite essay is the one by Priscilla Spencer.
***Jamie Craig, Nancy Holder,Jeanne C. Stein
More of a comment than a review - The print is so small and there's not very much line spacing at all. After a long day of working on the computer, and a mild case of dyslexia, it's difficult for me to read this book for more than 20-30 minutes at a time without getting a headache. The content is enjoyable, but it's the format that gets me. I wish I had purchased the ebook format of this book, so that I could adjust these settings for a more comfortable read.
A set of mostly good stories about women who love Joss Whedon. Reminded me strongly of those old Chicken Soup books, but with things I could relate to versus the horrible things that usually happens in those books. A solid read.
I enjoyed it. It was interesting to see into the minds of fans of not just Buffy and Angel but also Dollhouse and Firefly and Doctor Horrible. Almost make me wanna dig up reruns of all of these series and reignite my fandom all over again.
Jan 02, 2011
Priscilla
rated it
5 of 5 stars
· (Review from the author)
Shelves:
priscilla-is-published
This book includes my first personal essay, "Brand New Day: The Evolution of the Doctor Horrible Fandom"! I'm thrilled beyond belief to be rubbing shoulders with some of my favorite female writers.
I enjoyed this! I read an essay every now and then, and there were some good ones and some not-so-good ones.
Great collection of essays. Makes me want to re-watch everything Joss Whedon.
My first personal essay, "Something to Sing About," is in here!
Jun 18, 2013
Sara
marked it as to-read
Jun 18, 2013
Shawnie
marked it as to-read
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I'm the Curator of Rare Books and Special Collections at Northern Illinois University. I manage popular culture special collections that include the papers of over 50 SF authors, and significant collections of dime novels, comics, and popular historical children’s literature. I also teach a Special Collections course as an adjunct at San Jose State University.
I'm also a Hugo Award-winning editor a...more
More about Lynne M. Thomas...
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“The mythology warped and twisted back along itself until Buffy Summers, the girl who once railed against the unfairness of being Chosen, looked at a squadron of girls who were just like she'd been and took away their right to Choose.”
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