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A Girl's Guide to Taking Over the World: Writings From The Girl Zine Revolution
In the last decade, there has been an explosion in the production of zines.
On the forefront of this cut-and-paste revolution have been those zines made specifically by and for young women. The words and images that have come to define many young women's lives have long been overlooked and under appreciated. A Girl's Guide to Taking Over the World exists because these voices have refused to be silenced.
On the forefront of this cut-and-paste revolution have been those zines made specifically by and for young women. The words and images that have come to define many young women's lives have long been overlooked and under appreciated. A Girl's Guide to Taking Over the World exists because these voices have refused to be silenced.
240 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 24, 2015
This book is basically a big compilation of zine extracts from the USA in the 1990s. It is set out nicely, some scans, mostly text, peppered with small drawings. The title seems a little cringey and classic RIOT GRRRRL! which has some implications of obliviousness for me (of not being intersectional or inclusive enough), but what I found inside was diverse and wonderful.
There is some really personal prose (my favourites were extracts from Doris ; so intimate and hopeful), pieces on coming out and girl-girl relationships, fierce pieces on racism and Asian-American experience (I'd like to read Bamboo Girl ) and it includes a lot of sex workers' writing. (Just thought - maybe read with caution if you are triggered by sexual abuse/rape/violence against women, there are some disturbing things.)
I think there could have been more of an effort to seek out zines about black feminism? But I found it otherwise to be a positive and diverse collection, and the fact that it is on the cusp on the internet age in the 90s is nice to look back on...like how girls communicated before there was this massive interconnectivity of twitter and tumblr etc. It's so amazing that there was this underground cultural effort to break down taboos about abuse, everyday sexism and racism, classism, censoring of female bodies and experiences.
There is some really personal prose (my favourites were extracts from Doris ; so intimate and hopeful), pieces on coming out and girl-girl relationships, fierce pieces on racism and Asian-American experience (I'd like to read Bamboo Girl ) and it includes a lot of sex workers' writing. (Just thought - maybe read with caution if you are triggered by sexual abuse/rape/violence against women, there are some disturbing things.)
I think there could have been more of an effort to seek out zines about black feminism? But I found it otherwise to be a positive and diverse collection, and the fact that it is on the cusp on the internet age in the 90s is nice to look back on...like how girls communicated before there was this massive interconnectivity of twitter and tumblr etc. It's so amazing that there was this underground cultural effort to break down taboos about abuse, everyday sexism and racism, classism, censoring of female bodies and experiences.
January 8, 2017
Really appreciated that someone took the time to compile essays from various girl zones and from writers of all different skill levels. The editors also took the time to scan in artwork and handwritten work so I could really get a sense of the culture/aesthetic of different girl zines.
July 4, 2009
Ann Magnuson only wrote the introduction. Author credit goes to Karen Green & Tristan Taormino.Karen GreenTristan Taormino
October 23, 2009
I borrowed this book from Laura Whitley because I didn't have anything to read and wasn't headed to the library.
I quite enjoyed reading these excerpts from girl zines. Many of them I had heard of but never read (I heart Amy Carter, Action Girl Newsletter) and others I had never even heard of (Wrecking Ball, Cupsize). Some, like Doris and Bamboo Girl I had even read.
As a girl/grrrl/woman/female zinemaker who writes about my "female experiences", I feel like this is part of my history, and I'm really glad those piece have been collected.
Good stuff.
I quite enjoyed reading these excerpts from girl zines. Many of them I had heard of but never read (I heart Amy Carter, Action Girl Newsletter) and others I had never even heard of (Wrecking Ball, Cupsize). Some, like Doris and Bamboo Girl I had even read.
As a girl/grrrl/woman/female zinemaker who writes about my "female experiences", I feel like this is part of my history, and I'm really glad those piece have been collected.
Good stuff.
August 18, 2012
Uncensored and unapologetically female, this book is now among my all-time favorites.
The stories included are incredibly inspiring, in regards to both fighting for women's rights and sparking creation in others--and the women who wrote them do convey their desire to work for change.
Covering topics from family to sexuality, politics to everyday experiences, and spanning across divisions of race, class, and more, this is a must-read for girls in their teens and twenties.
Though it was put together from zines in the 90's, this collection is still more than relevant in 2012.
The stories included are incredibly inspiring, in regards to both fighting for women's rights and sparking creation in others--and the women who wrote them do convey their desire to work for change.
Covering topics from family to sexuality, politics to everyday experiences, and spanning across divisions of race, class, and more, this is a must-read for girls in their teens and twenties.
Though it was put together from zines in the 90's, this collection is still more than relevant in 2012.
June 21, 2007
If I'm not mistaken this is one of the first feminist books I ever read and a fitting one since it collects the writing of angsty teen girls who were just like me. I remember feeling like I had found a wicked book, the kind of thing my mom would scold me for reading if she knew what was in it. If I can make a zine half as awesome as some of the stuff in this book I would be very, very pleased.
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November 19, 2015I remembered reading this in high school and was curious to see how it matched what I remembered - it had some really good pieces. My wife looked at the descriptions and said it was Tumblr, which is about right. Teenage girls are great.
January 3, 2009
This book is a great source for the history of not only zines but the riot grrl movement in general. It's put together well and
Ann Magnuson is just really cool.
Ann Magnuson is just really cool.
July 10, 2009
i couldn't finish it. if i were 15 i would have loved it, probably.
November 20, 2013
A whole new view on what it means to be proud to be a woman. I very much enjoyed the book!
March 24, 2023
Very creative with many perspectives.
June 20, 2007
yay for zines!
August 16, 2007
zines are so great!
December 9, 2007
A+ Wonderful for every zinester!
May 3, 2017
Exceptional read for any Riotgrrl.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews