How to Be a Woman in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Feb 26, 2014 Nadine in NY Jones rated it it was ok

Shelves: essays, feminist-stuff, audio, humor

I've come to the conclusion that, while I enjoy Ms Moran's HUMOR, I actually don't agree with her on almost everything. The strongest chapters are those about actual personal experiences that Ms Moran has had (and she ONLY tells about her experience, without drawing a lot of annoying conclusions about what everyone ELSE is doing and feeling): pregnancy, childbirth, abortion. And the prologue made me laugh out loud. The rest of the book was pretty much a wordy slog for me. (When I finished, I fis ...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Ami rated it did not like it

Shelves: booksididntfinish

Review in the NYT, but mentioned on twitter.

Oh god, I couldn't even get through a chapter. ...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Renata rated it liked it

Shelves: memoir, grownup, nonfiction, feminism

OK, so, I'd been vaguely hearing good things about this book from the ~feminist blogosphere~ and I'd seen some really good quotes from it being thrown around the internet, so I thought I'd read this. And I think first of all that there is a culture gap & a generation gap going on here?

Some of the stuff Moran writes in here is really great (and you've probably already seen those bits turned into graphics on Tumblr). Some of it is just like, WTF? There's a whole chapter about how crazy women are ...more

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Jan 13, 2013 mehg-hen rated it really liked it

Shelves: existentialcrisis, genderageidentity, memoir, motivation, essays

This book starts with an alienating masturbation chapter that is confusing and gross. But there is something nice about it because I don't want to hear guys talk about it either. A like, "thank you for being gross in the same exact way."

She is very open and honest and refreshingly addressing sexism instead of pretending that it doesn't exist or that we all should ignore it. Chapter 8 I could read in a loudspeaker because it covers the idea of Losers and Human History and Track Records. I think This book starts with an alienating masturbation chapter that is confusing and gross. But there is something nice about it because I don't want to hear guys talk about it either. A like, "thank you for being gross in the same exact way."

She is very open and honest and refreshingly addressing sexism instead of pretending that it doesn't exist or that we all should ignore it. Chapter 8 I could read in a loudspeaker because it covers the idea of Losers and Human History and Track Records. I think in our deepest, rat, prehistoric brains, we believe we chose to be our race and gender and nationality and social class. That at some point we were a meat nub in an interview with God and we said "well, I'm kind of boring? And not smart? And I guess not that good if we're honest? I'd like to be a woman please." And God said "Is there anything I can say to make you change your mind?" And we said "no, I'm 80% medical waste, so please make it harder for me." And God shook his head sadly and said "well, I have to get on to the next meat nub, so you're approved." Then he sighed that we made the wrong choice and handed us vaginas/melanin/homo-tendencies/or alcoholic parents in the Mongolian Steppes. This is my justification to myself for experiences like: I am at a party and this man is ranking vaginas like they are meat sleeves and these female doctors are all delighted and laughing and acting like being demeaning is flirting. I am in a conversation and we are all agreeing that we love porn and I'm smiling as my insides turn to sand. There is a correct normal. I am registered and ranked as irrelevant. Shutup and be sexier. This is the obvious fountain of agoraphobia that hides as "I feel upset for no reason, I'm terrible."

She humanizes feminism and ladies and explains to you why you are not a moron for worrying about how you look so much. She articulates the problems in a very life affirming way and thankfully describes why dudes are so lovely which you can forget if you read too much feminism or go on depressing dates or hear painful stories of divorce/cheating/whatever. That the human tragedy is not a factual and moron-y awwww no boyfriend!/awww you're fat!/awwwww no children!/awwwww ugly! but instead the feeling that you're a meat nub just like everyone else, but somehow left alone to die on the Mongolian Steppes because you deserve it.
...more

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Sep 15, 2011 Julianne Dunn rated it it was amazing

Absolutely wonderful. It should be required reading for all women. Maybe not young girls but definitely women. She talks about all the important issues: acceptance, abortions, fashion, and masturbation. I laughed out loud several times and pretty much agree with everything she writes.

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Feb 05, 2015 Sarah rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, feminist

I'm still not quite sure if I actually enjoyed this book. I found some of it laugh-out-loud funny, some of it slightly patronising, and some of it uncomfortable - not the subject matter, but the style of writing. I heartily disliked some of Moran's turns of phrase.

I've never read anything by Caitlin Moran before, but what I've seen and heard of her on television and radio was funny and brilliant. This book was, honestly, a bit of a disappointment; not quite what I expected. But it hasn't put me ...more

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Mar 02, 2013 jenn rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2013

While reading this book while eating Panda Express at the Pru food court, I found myself in tears reading this bit, from the prologue: "in many ways, there is no crueler or more inappropriate present to give a child than estrogen and a big pair of tits."

Which means two things: 1. My life is a little bit sad, and, 2. Caitlin Moran can serve up the realness.

...more

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Nov 22, 2012 Erin rated it did not like it

Shelves: 2012

slogged through half of this and then decided life is too short with deal with assholes who can't think seriously about serious issues! ...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Carolyn rated it liked it

Shelves: biography, non-fiction

I liked it a lot in the beginning, but I felt like it kind of died about 2/3 of the way through.

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Sep 06, 2012 Stephanie rated it liked it

Shelves: 2014, 2015

Didn't blow my mind. The one bit I really liked was about how people with 'nothing to wear' are really just trying to figure out what they want their outfit to say that day about who they are. Agreed! Not sure about the rest of it, though. Some very funny bits but nothing I can remember a week later. ...more

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