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The Geek Feminist Revolution
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A powerful collection of essays on feminism, geek culture, and a writer’s journey, from one of the most important new voices in genre.
The Geek Feminist Revolution is a collection of essays by double Hugo Award-winning essayist and science fiction and fantasy novelist Kameron Hurley.
The book collects dozens of Hurley’s essays on feminism, geek culture, and her experiences a ...more
The Geek Feminist Revolution is a collection of essays by double Hugo Award-winning essayist and science fiction and fantasy novelist Kameron Hurley.
The book collects dozens of Hurley’s essays on feminism, geek culture, and her experiences a ...more
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Hardcover, 272 pages
Published
May 31st 2016
by Tor Books
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Jun 21, 2016
Kevin Kelsey
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-2016,
read-it-again
Posted at Heradas
Terrific essays, a little repetitive in some spots, and slightly more sarcastic than I'm used to. But, great stuff nonetheless.
At the very least read 'We have always fought', the essays on Mad Max, Die Hard, and True Detective, as well as 'In Defense of Unlikeable Women'.
I've never read any Kameron Hurley fiction, but I would really like to after reading this. It sounds like she has a fantastic grasp on writing real, living, breathing characters. She also clearly understands—an ...more
Terrific essays, a little repetitive in some spots, and slightly more sarcastic than I'm used to. But, great stuff nonetheless.
At the very least read 'We have always fought', the essays on Mad Max, Die Hard, and True Detective, as well as 'In Defense of Unlikeable Women'.
I've never read any Kameron Hurley fiction, but I would really like to after reading this. It sounds like she has a fantastic grasp on writing real, living, breathing characters. She also clearly understands—an ...more

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Tor Books for the advanced copy given to me in exchange for an honest review.
Pre-reading : This better be intersectional feminism. Tired of being disappointed by whitewashing in femlit.
Post- reading : Well, I shouldn't have worried about the whitewashing, Hurley definitely tried to be inclusive. She was very vocal about acknowledging the need for diversity, and in her own shortcomings as a white writer who sometimes makes mistakes with representation in her fi ...more
Pre-reading : This better be intersectional feminism. Tired of being disappointed by whitewashing in femlit.
Post- reading : Well, I shouldn't have worried about the whitewashing, Hurley definitely tried to be inclusive. She was very vocal about acknowledging the need for diversity, and in her own shortcomings as a white writer who sometimes makes mistakes with representation in her fi ...more

This is the 5th book I've read of Hurley and out of all of them, I'm going to have to rate this the best.
Why? Is it because it's full of rage at the real injustice in the world? Or because it's a call to action for every one of us to do and think better than we have been?
Both of these, I think.
But because I'm a White Male of traditionally acceptable sexuality...
Who has read Adrienne Rich and has generally read voraciously about feminism and the problems of the culture we live in, thinking and ...more
Why? Is it because it's full of rage at the real injustice in the world? Or because it's a call to action for every one of us to do and think better than we have been?
Both of these, I think.
But because I'm a White Male of traditionally acceptable sexuality...
Who has read Adrienne Rich and has generally read voraciously about feminism and the problems of the culture we live in, thinking and ...more

A fabulous, fierce essay collection that uplifted my soul in the busy season of graduate school applications. Double Hugo Award winner Kameron Hurley writes about the intersections of feminism, science fiction and fantasy, and the struggles she has overcome in her personal life. She sheds light on the sexism women encounter online and in the writing industry, in a way that conveys strength and hope. Here is an excerpt from one of my favorite essays of hers, "In Defense of Unlikable Women," which
...more

A well-written, well-researched and well-argued critique of geek culture through a feminist lens. Kameron Hurley definitely has the qualifications for this, being a sci-fi and fantasy author herself, and I loved the perspective she brings to different aspects of geek culture (even though I believe that Mad Max: Fury Road is a feminist masterpiece and will defend it to the death, Hurley’s essay on the movie made me rethink how some of the minor female characters function in the story, and how the
...more

My first Kameron Hurley book and it's a book of essays about writing, sexism, feminism, racism, capitalism, injustice, personal growth and llamas. Such a potpourri seems like it would be a little choppy in execution, but it flowed very well. Turns out Hurley is a very smart and interesting writer.
One would think that a book written in 2016 and steeped with pop culture would be starting to feel a little stale, but this did not. I don't know if it's the times where it feels like civil rights and t ...more
One would think that a book written in 2016 and steeped with pop culture would be starting to feel a little stale, but this did not. I don't know if it's the times where it feels like civil rights and t ...more

Footnotes! Get your footnotes here!
These footnotes annoy me.
A lot.
As in, if there are 22 footnotes labelled "1," they should at least be at the bottom of the page. And if not at the bottom of the page, perhaps an annotated bibliography at the back, rather than just a citation? Maybe a URL shortener? Please?
AND SO, I give you the current links, valid until they're deleted or modified in shame:
PART I: LEVEL UP
1 Bury Your Gays
1 The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino
PART II: GEEK
1 Dale Cooper
1 ...more
These footnotes annoy me.
A lot.
As in, if there are 22 footnotes labelled "1," they should at least be at the bottom of the page. And if not at the bottom of the page, perhaps an annotated bibliography at the back, rather than just a citation? Maybe a URL shortener? Please?
AND SO, I give you the current links, valid until they're deleted or modified in shame:
PART I: LEVEL UP
1 Bury Your Gays
1 The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino
PART II: GEEK
1 Dale Cooper
1 ...more

One of the best essay collections I've ever read. Truly revolutionary. I'll do a full review soon.
...more

Jan 20, 2016
Ashley DiNorcia
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction
Slay, queen.
There truly wasn't a bad essay in this entire collection. ...more
There truly wasn't a bad essay in this entire collection. ...more

Reminiscent of Roxane Gay's Bad Feminist in that it framed feminist concerns in relation to representations of pop culture. I found it very engaging and accessible, although as it was a collection of previously available essays naturally the content could be somewhat repetitive. Also, as a postgraduate historian (and I believe Hurley is too) I couldn't help but wish there was a little more theory/research/critical engagement in there. In saying that, that might be a little unfair as Hurley has r
...more

Required reading for everyone: whether you're a woman, man, geek, a non-geek, or just simply, human. This book will make you angry and frustrated, but with good reason! It will make you want to rage against the machine and the man and society, and make you want to get off your butt to change the world. Kameron Hurley sheds light on all the things one should be angry about, but also lets you know that all is not lost. This collection will allow you take a step back and reassess the world, the med
...more

This caught my eye for a couple reasons. One being that I can imagine that if I were half my age, born in 1990 rather than 1965, I might well be participating in the geeky internet fandoms Hurley describes in her introduction, those that “have arisen around science fiction and fantasy novels, games, and other media.” In my teens and early twenties, when I was a passionate reader of fantasy and science fiction, there wasn't such a community available to me, but I can certainly understand the appe
...more

I was so excited by the title of this that I missed that this is an essay collection. It's definitely focused on sci fi books in particular as opposed to geeky fandom in general. Even though I had different expectations, I loved this. It makes me want to pick up her novels as well. The writing is engaging and smart, but it's also got a lot of rage bubbling underneath. I was impressed with how inclusive it is: Hurley is trans-inclusive and talks about racism as well as misogyny. This is definitel
...more

Warning: This is not a review. It is more like a personal rant. Let me just tell you that everyone especially SFF readers should read it. It is a no-holds barred, highly opinionated writings about various subjects from personal struggles, discrimination towards women, the importance of non-binary gender, how to survive in the publishing industry, gamergate, Sad Puppies and so on.
Okay? Okay. Now let's start the non-review.
Reading this feels like having a direct life lesson / motivational seminar ...more
Okay? Okay. Now let's start the non-review.
Reading this feels like having a direct life lesson / motivational seminar ...more

Recent Reads: Orientalism, The Satanic Verses, and The Geek Feminist
I’ve waited a long time for the masterpiece essay‘We Have Always Fought’: Challenging the ‘Women, Cattle and Slaves’ Narrative to be put into a lengthy book collecting incredible works about representation, and feminism in general, and although I expected that collection to feature many other voices, Kameron Hurley’s work alone is just as fantastic.
This collection of essays, with a focus on Hurley’s life dealing with feminism an ...more
I’ve waited a long time for the masterpiece essay‘We Have Always Fought’: Challenging the ‘Women, Cattle and Slaves’ Narrative to be put into a lengthy book collecting incredible works about representation, and feminism in general, and although I expected that collection to feature many other voices, Kameron Hurley’s work alone is just as fantastic.
This collection of essays, with a focus on Hurley’s life dealing with feminism an ...more

I would buy this book for everyone if I could.
Edit 6/22/17: I actually wrote up a bigger review/blurb/squee for one of Speculative Chic's very first My Favorite Things column, which you can read here:
http://speculativechic.com/2016/07/04... ...more
Edit 6/22/17: I actually wrote up a bigger review/blurb/squee for one of Speculative Chic's very first My Favorite Things column, which you can read here:
http://speculativechic.com/2016/07/04... ...more

I am both the best and worst audience for this book.
Best, because the issues that concern Hurley -- the intersection of feminist and geek culture, women's place in the SFF community and in the world, the importance of representation -- are all major concerns for me.
And worst, for the exact same reason: I know all of this already. This is what I already think and believe. I have heard all these arguments made before, both more and less effectively. There is nothing new for me here.
I think for som ...more
Best, because the issues that concern Hurley -- the intersection of feminist and geek culture, women's place in the SFF community and in the world, the importance of representation -- are all major concerns for me.
And worst, for the exact same reason: I know all of this already. This is what I already think and believe. I have heard all these arguments made before, both more and less effectively. There is nothing new for me here.
I think for som ...more

If you were a book about an "ongoing conversation within the science fiction community," on what page would you first compare your opponents to Nazis?
If you are this book, the answer will be the fourth page of the introduction.
[ETA: The rest of the book is not as bad as the fourth page of the introduction led me to expect.] ...more
If you are this book, the answer will be the fourth page of the introduction.
[ETA: The rest of the book is not as bad as the fourth page of the introduction led me to expect.] ...more

A+ - every essay is well-written and well-constructed. Spoiler: I agree with pretty much everything she writes here and when I don't agree she's got a good argument for her opinion.
"We Have Always Fought" is *diamonds* ...more
"We Have Always Fought" is *diamonds* ...more

Okay so I have never read a collection of essays up until now, but for Kameron Hurley, a woman with an extraordinary imagination when it comes to fiction, I had to try it. I'm so very glad that I did pick this up (I'll admit that the wonderful cover played a big part in that decision too) as I had been reading a fair few mediocre books, and this was a really great one in the midst of the no-so-great.
I have been told that a lot of these essays appear on Hurley's blog so if you've followed her the ...more
I have been told that a lot of these essays appear on Hurley's blog so if you've followed her the ...more

Kameron Hurley's The Geek Feminist Revolution is a sharp, thoughtful, often (appropriately) angry book on writing, writing science fiction, and changing the world.
Maybe science fiction isn't your cup of tea – I haven't read any of Hurley's novels (yet). If you like reading about the process of writing, like I do, than you will enjoy Hurley's essays. She hates the ways that many of us create barriers to writing. She clearly argues that being good, being talented, is the easiest part of this busi ...more
Maybe science fiction isn't your cup of tea – I haven't read any of Hurley's novels (yet). If you like reading about the process of writing, like I do, than you will enjoy Hurley's essays. She hates the ways that many of us create barriers to writing. She clearly argues that being good, being talented, is the easiest part of this busi ...more

The thing about this book is, if you've been Paying Attention on the Internet the past few years, none of it is going to be new to you. Hurley makes a lot of good points, but if you're a geeky feminist, you know them all already. Hell, you may have even read Hurley's take on them already. This book (as far as I can tell) is basically just a compendium of blog posts Hurley has written recently. Which is fine, except that means all the essays in this book are too short to really dig deep into any
...more

Very interesting read. I wasn't sure what to expect - sometimes people's opinions can end up being extreme, even if the blurb/description doesn't make you think it will be. But this book brought things to my attention that I didn't necessarily always realize other women thought of as something being an issue.
But as someone involved with the book medium and having at least published my poetry, there were quite a few things I could really relate to the author with. I found myself angry on her beh ...more
But as someone involved with the book medium and having at least published my poetry, there were quite a few things I could really relate to the author with. I found myself angry on her beh ...more

Jun 13, 2016
Nicky
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction,
about-writing
I wouldn’t read this just for the geek feminist point of view, or just for Hurley’s thoughts on writing; I read this because I know that Hurley can write stunning essays, like the Hugo Award-winning ‘We Have Always Fought’, that she has interesting thoughts on media, because I know that she’s not afraid to take down an idiot. She’s also unashamedly about the self-care: despite being outspoken in many ways, she also has a very carefully filtered Twitter feed, and blocks people as necessary. The g
...more

This is really worth reading for the essay about Mad Max: Fury Road. It really is. The other essays aren't bad, but the Mad Max essay and the ones about personal experience and storytelling (in particular in regards to South Africa) are great.
(2017 MLA freebie) ...more
(2017 MLA freebie) ...more

Jun 08, 2016
Laura
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
feminism-etc,
non-fiction
This book just didn't work for me. Some of the essays were interesting, but overall I didn't enjoy the collections. There was a lot of repetition, so I wonder if the author could've done a more successful collection if she had written more new essays or waiting a few years until she had more published essays to choose from. Going along with this, there was a lot of name-dropping of her other books. I don't begrudge anybody some self-promotion, but it felt like I was being hit over the head with
...more

DNF. Really lazy, messy repetitive writing. Clunky and self-important. So many "here, I'll tell you:"s dropped into cultural essays that skip across well-traveled territory. It got to the point where I felt like I didn't like the author as a person. I am really disappointed- couldn't even make it halfway through. This reads like an angry 15 year old trying to reproduce Bitch magazine articles. Extremely unsatisfying; I don't understand the favorable reviews.
...more

I've supported Kameron Hurley's Patreon for a long time. The funny thing is, I had never read any of her fiction. I've had a copy of God's War since io9 gave out free copies for their book club (doing a search on their site dates this back to 2011, good grief), but it was only a couple weeks ago that I finally read it. I supported her Patreon, and pre-ordered The Geek Feminist Revolution, on the strength of her Hugo-winning essay "We Have Always Fought." Every time I read it, I ended up with thi
...more

Nope.
Also... I hate to be so picky, but I wasn't happy to catch a spelling error on page 55, paragraph 2, sentence one -- it drove me nuts. Should be "in fact" instead of "it fact."
Finally, to the author... Let your work speak for itself. Don't tell the reader you're a good writer -- the reader gets to decide how good you are. ...more
Also... I hate to be so picky, but I wasn't happy to catch a spelling error on page 55, paragraph 2, sentence one -- it drove me nuts. Should be "in fact" instead of "it fact."
Finally, to the author... Let your work speak for itself. Don't tell the reader you're a good writer -- the reader gets to decide how good you are. ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Play Book Tag: Geek Feminist Revolution - Kameron Hurley (4 stars) | 3 | 16 | Dec 27, 2018 11:29AM |
Kameron Hurley is the author of The Light Brigade, The Stars are Legion and the essay collection The Geek Feminist Revolution, as well as the award-winning God’s War Trilogy and The Worldbreaker Saga. Hurley has won the Hugo Award, Locus Award, Kitschy Award, and Sydney J. Bounds Award for Best Newcomer. She was also a finalist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Nebula Award, and the Gemmell Morn
...more
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