Ana’s Comments (group member since Jan 08, 2016)

Ana’s comments from the Our Shared Shelf group.

Some things I particularly enjoyed about reading Americanah were: (a) it was like a 101 lesson on African hair (well, the types of hair to be more precise!) and its care. Being white and unknowledgeable about these topics, I seriously had never considered the particularity of such a topic and its link to culture and identity. Much deeper than I would have ever thought, and then also (b) the fact that, through the book's many characters and situations, you were actually forced to face your own, perhaps inadverted, prejudice and ignorance. It was a brilliant novel, but it was also so informative. Food for thought indeed. Also, a most refreshing reminder that there is more to Nigeria than misery and Boko Haram for those who may not know otherwise.

chun wrote: "Ana wrote: "Chun, I already have the book! I'll let you know when I read it. :)"

awesome;)
Maybe we can start a new discussion then.
BTW, do you personally recommend any book about feminism?"

Oops, true! :) Hmmm, I must admit I am not too knowledgeable yet, but I would suggest any of the novels by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. A good one to start would be 'Americanah', but you can also read her essay titled 'We Should All Be Feminist', for which there is a TED video available on Youtube.
If you read French, then I would totally go for 'La Batârde' by Violette Leduc. A very intense memoir! While it is not a book on feminism in and of itself, I would still call it a feminist book, just as much as the rest of her works, because of the way she lived her life and addressed many issues that are traditionally regarded as a taboo for women. Interestingly, she was a friend of Simone de Beauvoir. I think there are also English translations of her books? You would have to buy the paper copy, though. So far I have not find an ebook version.

Chun, I already have the book! I'll let you know when I read it. :)

This was an excellent reading, and the proof to me that Adichie is just as good with drama as she is with (insightful, well-thought but nonetheless) more light-hearted plots such as the one in Americanah. I wouldn't be surprised to see her in our club, although I'd say the choice will be more along the lines of her essay.

Over 60% right now! I'm finding slightly difficult to follow all these pages on the campaigns which she joined as a volunteer or aide, because they are heavy on U.S. related historical facts and names that I do not really know. My fault! However, I still enjoy reading about all the people she met and the astonishing enthusiasm in each and every of the tasks they self-imposed on themselves.

Kodak wrote: "Hi Ana! Ooh, would you happen to have a link? Would love to read this over :)

K x"

Hi, Kodak! Happy to have you as a mod. ^^ I'm afraid you'd need Facebook because they do this TE Nespresso there, but here's the link. You'll see a lot of angry commentors and then myself calling them all out, LOL. https://www.facebook.com/TheEconomist...

Hey guys! Have you seen the quote that The Economist published yesterday from a Gloria Steinem's book / interview / whatever? So horribly misunderstood, probably intentionally so. Someone got scared that we're all reading her and using our brains!

The problem here is that for people out of English speaking countries, we are actually lucky if we get to have an English section in our library. I have not even tried to look for the book there because I simply know it won't ever be there. Therefore, any kind of initiative there is not really feasible. I mean, libraries are actually struggling already with supply in our mother tongues. This leads to us having to buy the book on Amazon, where prices for ebooks are often outrageously expensive in my humble opinion, or else as a second hand book. This latter option works sometimes, just not with books this new. And then of course, there's the downloading option, but we all know that it doesn't come free of moral conflict.

Haha, maybe, but I live in Granada, Spain. If she were ever to hit Spain, it'd be Madrid or Barcelona she'd visit! YouTube will have to do. :(

Hey, there's a thread on cinema & women! Perhaps you wanna take the discussion there? :D

OMFG. LMFAO. I just can't even. Stephanie Meyer gives me hope for my dream of becoming someday a published author. I mean, hell, if she managed to get away with her good ole rehash, then surely I can put some words of my own together and get people to read them, too, haha.

Nah, James. I don't think you're an ass! (Also, while we're at it, I must say that I have always found that insult hilarious!) This comes from somebody who has flagged your comments before, to be honest, and now I wouldn't because, well, I do not agree with your views but at least you try and elaborate, and state over and over again that you do not want to offend anybody. Well, and mostly because you still state that you believe in gender equality, so...ah well, to each their own speech, I guess. It's just that, since you ended up here, we'd like you to engage a bit more and to actually open your mind a bit more to our point. That's it. :)

Ohhhhhh, God, I still keep double posting. So sorry so hopeless at Internet. :(

A genderswap? And who's the author? Not Meyer herself, I hope, if she's even half serious about being a writer and everything. Man, I'm sorry to be so smug, but when you read things like this, you are just reminded how big of a heap of rubbish Twilight is. No serious novel would have such thing as a genderswap tenth anni version, LOL. It's just like the Millenium saga still going strong after Larsson's actual death. Sorry, but that's not literature. That's just marketing. And rubbish.

1) All men are sexist for being men - Well, that's plain nonsense. Whoever defends such argument is equally wrong and, in my opinion, also missing the point about feminism. It's just as if you said, 'oh yeah I am a real connoisseur of classical music', but then you could not tell Bach apart from Mozart to save your own life. You can call yourself a connoisseur but people would say otherwise, right?
2) All men have privileges just for being men - I am sorry, but this is entirely true. Again, plenty of facts to prove it.

Hey, apparently I'm too dumb and I posted like three or four times the exact same thing. Sorry! :(

James, you know what? Deep down I guess you're not really a troll. However, it's nearly impossible to make you listen to actual facts. Because the example I mentioned above is indeed a fact. For each young man who is abused and murdered, the rate for women is much higher, and I'm talking First World countries, such as my own, Spain. I grew up as a teenager learning of girls my age who disappeared only to be found semi-buried at some hidden spot. Trust me, we learn our warnings from a very young age.
You mention that the situation wherein women have suffered and been discriminated is much more complex than feminists want to make us all think. Look, I'm actually no expert in this field and am just now trying to learn, but there is a whole field of women and gender studies where these issues are carefully researched with the utmost academic rigour. These are not random claims. You mention the state and the society. Well, the thing is, these have long been, and still very much are, controlled by men, so in the end, yes, James, women are put down by men. Maybe not all women, maybe not by all men. Look, if you behave like a decent person with your fellow human beings, no matter whether they are men of women, ultimately I'll be OK with you, because that is exactly what feminists fight for. I just wish you were willing to acknowledge other perspectives.

Um, I do not believe, not by any stretch, that women have ever been the weaker sex. However, that is indeed the term that has been assigned to us for centuries. My point was to make you understand that it is not possible to defend the argument that men are subject to discrimination, when men have actually always detented a great deal of privilege. You have always been dominant. Does that mean I hate men? Hell no. I have a loving father and brother, I have plenty of really great male friends. Besides I like to see human beings first, instead of automatically classifying them in my head according to men/women categories. However, if I hear a man saying that men, in general, are discriminated, well I'm sorry but then you need to educate yourself. Now, if we're talking gay men, black men, disabled men, well that's a different story. Ironically, though if you turn those categories into gay women, black women, disabled women, you will often find that there's a double serving of discrimination. Are you reading this month's book, James? Would you say that's discrimination? Let's talk about nowadays. Daily life stuff. Let's say we both went clubbing tonight. It's 3 am and you are tired and wanna go home. So am I! However, you can go back home alone in the street - I'd better go with someone else or else take a taxi. Because if you happened to find the wrong person on your way home, you'd probably be robbed, perhaps hurt, if you resist. Meanwhile, if I am unfortunate enough to find the wrong person on my way home tonight, odds are I will be molested, raped and maybe, just to keep my mouth closed, kidnapped and murdered. That's just how things are. I'm sorry, but you are missing the point entirely.

Discrimination against men?! Well, good thing there's a history of male dominance from the beginning, then. Can you imagine just how terribly worse it would be if you had been the weaker sex during centuries?

OMG, yes, please, 'Just Kids'. Not only because I've recently finished it, but because it is just wonderful. I enjoyed it so so much. While it is not directly linked to feminism, I believe Smith is definitely what we would call a strong female character if this was fiction, let alone the fact that the precious relationship between she and Robert Mapplethorpe would be really interesting to discuss here.