Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge discussion
2016 Read Harder Challenge
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Task 19: Read a Nonfiction Book About Feminism or Dealing With Feminist Themes
I chose Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution by Mona Eltahawy for this one.
Going way out on a limb here with Lois on the Loose: One Woman, One Motorcycle, 20,000 Miles Across the Americas It's about a woman's solo motorcycle ride from Alaska to Argentina, and what it's like traveling as a woman in those areas of the world.
Wondering if I can fit The Good, The Bad and the Barbie by Tonya Stone Lee into this category. Just started it...
I finished Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay for this task. I liked it but didn't love it. The tone was uneven. My favorite essays were about liking pop culture touchstones that are decidedly not feminist. That probably makes me a bad feminist. Other essays had me thinking about things that I don't always have to think about.
I guess I am a bad feminist as well. I gave it 2 stars. I was disappointed.
I'm considering Clara and Mr. Tiffany for this category, but I'm not sure if it fits. It's a fictional account of the employee Clara, who designed the Tiffany stained glass but never received credit for it.
I'm going with Feminist Theory from Margin to Center - bell hooks which, along with We Should All Be Feminists was already on my list for this year.
Th audiobook for Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is Unlimited on Scibd this month, so I am going for that one for this task.
The Sex Myth: The Gap Between Our Fantasies and Reality - a great look at sexuality from a debut Australian feminist author
Jennifer wrote: "I finished Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay for this task. I liked it but didn't love it. The tone was uneven. My favorite essays were about liking pop culture touchstone..."My turn in the library queue just came up for "Bad Feminist" so I am probably going to read it this week. I've been waiting for it for several months; sorry to hear it is not that great. This will be the first book I'm reading for the challenge -- I don't want to start out with a struggle!
Dom wrote: "Cheri wrote: "I've been wanting to read Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay ever since it came out, and this seems like a good opportunity!"I've also got [book:Bad Feminis..."
Same here.
So, I'm thinking Emma Watson's newly formed Feminist Book Club is highly relevant here. The first book being discussed is Gloria Steinem's My Life on the Road. I'm in!
I read Carrie Brownstein's Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl for this task. She discusses what it was like being part of the punk band Sleater-Kinney during and beyond the riot grrrl wave of the 90s. I enjoyed reading her perspective on how women in music are qualified and dissected, how a woman is rarely just a guitarist or a drummer but always a female guitarist or female drummer, how strong lyrics and performances created by women are perceived as coming only from a place of anger or bitterness rather than a place of power, and how even generally complimentary media exposure still doesn't rise above the inherent sexism in our language.
This is completely new territory for me. Going with Bad Feminist or/and We Should All Be Feminists since that seems to be the popular choice!
Sophia wrote: "I read Carrie Brownstein's Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl for this task. She discusses what it was like being part of the punk band Sleater-Kinney during and beyond the riot grrrl wa..."Ooh, I love Carrie Brownstein and SK and this is on my TBR. I did not even think of it for this challenge. Thank you!
Bonnie wrote: "Sophia wrote: "I read Carrie Brownstein's Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl for this task. She discusses what it was like being part of the punk band Sleater-Kinney during and beyond th..."I hope you like it! It's a solid read.
Cheri wrote: "I've been wanting to read Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay ever since it came out, and this seems like a good opportunity!"Great book! I read it last year for a book club and am so glad I did.
Andrea wrote: "So, I'm thinking Emma Watson's newly formed Feminist Book Club is highly relevant here. The first book being discussed is Gloria Steinem's My Life on the Road. I'm in!"I just finished My Life on the Road and was so inspired and uplifted by the way Steinem uses her voice to bring awareness to the stories of so many others.
Just finished Flapper: A Madcap Story of Sex, Style, Celebrity, and the Women Who Made America Modern and am counting it towards this task!
Nicole wrote: "I'm planning to read Bad Feminist, but also considered Feminism is For Everybody by bell hooks. just discovered it's online! https://excoradfeminisms.files.wordpr......"Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics is amazing! I highly recommend it--especially for this challenge. It's a great introduction.
Caro wrote: "Can The Birth of the Pill: How Four Crusaders Reinvented Sex and Launched a Revolution? I think it can work because it launched part of the female revolution, but want to confirm..."It's a great book--one of my top 10 reads of 2015. While it's not specifically about the theories or practices of feminism as a philosophy or political movement, birth control is definitely a feminist issue.
I try to fill as many of the categories as possible with books I already have. What do guys think of Ten Days in a Madhouse by Nellie Bly? She was told that if she wanted to write somewhere other than the society page, where women were stuck at the time, she would have to come with some over the top gimmick that would draw in readers. So she pretended to be crazy and got herself committed to a horrible asylum. It was early investigative journalism. I can't see from the app on my tablet though if anyone has shelved it as feminism. She was trailblazing, for sure, but is it good enough?
Just completed, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's brief novel, which was really her TED talk in book form??!? Really??! "We Should All Be Feminist", like all TED talks was interesting, but the book consisted of her personal anecdotes about her male dominated society. She did not give any detailed suggestions on how one should combat such blatant male chauvinism. It was only 47 pages, well edited, but too short. Actually all the hype surrounding this novella, elevated it to an unfulfilled, unsubstantiated literary level, so I was very disappointed upon I read it. I will try to read 'Bad Feminist" sometime in February, and compare/ contrast the two books.
Maureen wrote: "I try to fill as many of the categories as possible with books I already have. What do guys think of Ten Days in a Madhouse by Nellie Bly? She was told that if she wanted to write somewhere other t..."I think that counts as "feminist theme"
A friend just shared this on Facebook. It has some great books, including Feminism is for Everybody by bell hooks. http://tyreebp.com/2016/01/14/free-bo...
Have any of you tried the Overdrive free app with your library card and a pin? I can get many books including audio books for free. I really have used this app a lot to save some money. I do have to wait for newer releases sometimes.
Lillian wrote: "Have any of you tried the Overdrive free app with your library card and a pin? I can get many books including audio books for free. I really have used this app a lot to save some money. I do have t..."I use it. I find my library over subscribes to popular authors that I don't have an interest in unfortunately. So I still go in and browse the stacks.
Lillian wrote: "Have any of you tried the Overdrive free app with your library card and a pin? I can get many books including audio books for free. I really have used this app a lot to save some money. I do have t..."Love Overdrive. We just got it 2 or 3 years back, and I use it all the time. Just downloaded Bad Feminist today!
I wasn't being clear I see now. I only have used it for audiobooks, not ebooks....yet!
I use it all time for eBooks. Love it! I will try my first audiobook from Overdrive with our audio challenge.
I am trying to complete this challenge with only books off my own shelves (I tend to buy or inherit books then never read them). I had "Becoming Myself: Reflections on growing up female," a collection of essays by women (famous, activists, etc) by Willa Shalit (Gene Shalit's daughter). It was pretty good, a lot of interesting perspectives.
Lissa Mascio wrote: "I am trying to complete this challenge with only books off my own shelves (I tend to buy or inherit books then never read them). I had "Becoming Myself: Reflections on growing up female," a collect..."I do that for the challenge too! It is a great way to clear a few things.
I'm reading Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay and am loving it so far!
Malia wrote: "I'm reading Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay and am loving it so far!"Me too!
I just finished I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. It was extremely powerful and beautifully written. She covers difficult subject matter with honesty and grace. Super inspiring and empowering. I highly recommend.
Just read and really enjoyed Playing the Whore: The Work of Sex Work- it's quite short but really thought-provoking and I think an important work.
Sarah, Playing the Whore is on my TBR list now, thank you for bringing it to my attention.
I just finished Ten Days in a Mad-House, and I ended up pleased with my selection because after the main body of the work, she added a couple of postscripts where she explored female roles in the workforce, at a box factory and a domestic placement agency. Not exactly a revelation for someone who reads a lot of historical fiction, but I believe I have satisfied the challenge task.
I'm going to read Bitch: In Praise of Difficult Women by Elizabeth Wurtzel.
I'm reading My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem
Caitlin wrote: "Just finished Flapper: A Madcap Story of Sex, Style, Celebrity, and the Women Who Made America Modern and am counting it towards this task!"So happy you mentioned this! I'm about halfway through this and it didn't occur to me to think of this for this category. But now I will. Duh!
Jennifer wrote: "Caitlin wrote: "Just finished Flapper: A Madcap Story of Sex, Style, Celebrity, and the Women Who Made America Modern and am counting it towards this task!"So happy you mentioned th..."
Excellent! I'm so glad I could help you out. :) It's a really great book, isn't it?
Really enjoying it! The twenties were such an interesting time.
Babs wrote: I've chosen this book too mainly because I've heard so much about it, but it doesn't appeal to me at all. I figure that's what..."
I have it on audiobook and it's enjoyable with her accent. :)
I read The Only Woman in the Room: Why Science Is Still a Boys' Club for this task and loved it. Would also fit for the book about science, but I'm only counting one task per book.
Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge
Books mentioned in this topic
The Beauty Myth (other topics)How to Be a Woman (other topics)
All the Single Ladies (other topics)
I Can Barely Take Care of Myself: Tales From a Happy Life Without Kids (other topics)
My Life on the Road (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Gloria Steinem (other topics)Rebecca Traister (other topics)
Jen Kirkman (other topics)
Kameron Hurley (other topics)
Ntozake Shange (other topics)
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The Overdrive selections for my local library are not extensive. That is why I am planning to join the Augusta GA library, hoping that their Overdrive has more options for me (since they are a bigger library).