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fuzzygazelle's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
A really insightful look to the place of love in society, and a really hopeful look at incorporating love into one's daily life. The framing of love as a conscious action one takes, a choice, is really interesting and forced me to consider my own actions, and take accountability for some of my own emotions on the topic. The range of considering love at the societal and individual level makes hooks' analysis very comprehensive. I also find reading about hooks' life very interesting, and while I don't align with all her spiritual beliefs, I still thought I got something out of reading her perspective on spirituality to incorporate into my own practice. At some points I felt as though some of the words put too much emphasis on generalising some groups of people (though not all the time, sometimes it did work more as a genuine critique of behaviours) and I do feel as though hooks at some points uses too broad of brush strokes to make her points that it comes across as overly naive or optimistic, even if you do accept that the book is intending to be hopeful. Even still, I do think the optimism is welcome in a world where as hooks discusses, we tend to default to cynicism and scepticism on the topic of love if we have been hurt by it before. Definitely recommend if you're looking to see a refreshing perspective on love, and how we can incorporate an approach to living guided by it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
maritareads's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Death, and Sexism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Child abuse
sar_desch's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
A lot of intriguing opinions and quotes I found important, interesting, and still applicable today. Gender is discussed very binarily however, and therefore does seem to be dated. However, I still enjoyed reading this very feminist view on love, patriarchy, and society.
I could not relate to any of the spiritual Christianity writing however, and the last chapter on angels and a Bible passage almost had me drop this a whole star writing. But bell hooks is such an important feminist academic and I didn't want to let one aspect to ruin everything.
I could not relate to any of the spiritual Christianity writing however, and the last chapter on angels and a Bible passage almost had me drop this a whole star writing. But bell hooks is such an important feminist academic and I didn't want to let one aspect to ruin everything.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Drug abuse
murder_unicorn's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexism, Physical abuse, Racism, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
takarakei's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I will be buying this for everyone I know :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Sexism
Moderate: Grief, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Death, and Addiction
theabee's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse and Infidelity
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I'm glad I read this, and love bell hooks' reflective and earnest writing style in these essays. A few essays stand out for me (in particular, Honesty: Be True to Love, is one I'm still thinking about). I would note that this was originally published in the early 00s, and modern readers (like me!) may struggle with how hooks engages with gender essentialism (challenging it but ultimately still writing within its assumptions and constructs, which tracks for the early aughts) and Christianity and spiritualism. There are broad assumptions made about men and women in M/F relationships, in particular (and some odd commentary on and apologism for Bill Clinton that doesn't sit particularly well today), but I suspect that this is a generational difference, as the audience she was writing for had a different set of cultural touchpoints and childhood experiences in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. I think there is a lot of value in these reflections for readers who recognize the different challenges early feminists faced and the constructs they were still largely fighting against. And ultimately, hooks' thoughts are a gift for us as we look back and forward, and I appreciate her thoughts on community care and living by a love ethic, that have so much relevance for us today.
Notes on the audio specifically: I really struggled with the audiobook, honestly. I loved the narration by January LaVoy, but the book itself is incredibly difficult to navigate. None of the chapter titles included in the print book are included in the audiobook's visible chapter titles, and the audiobook numbers the preface, introduction, etc., meaning that the chapter numbering in the audiobook never aligns with the individual essays. I constantly felt confused about where I was, and I feel frustrated that this was sloppily done.
Notes on the audio specifically: I really struggled with the audiobook, honestly. I loved the narration by January LaVoy, but the book itself is incredibly difficult to navigate. None of the chapter titles included in the print book are included in the audiobook's visible chapter titles, and the audiobook numbers the preface, introduction, etc., meaning that the chapter numbering in the audiobook never aligns with the individual essays. I constantly felt confused about where I was, and I feel frustrated that this was sloppily done.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Sexism, Domestic abuse, and Misogyny
Minor: Infidelity
libellumartinae's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
3.5
I think that the main reason why I struggled with this book is because I went into it, expecting to find a solution for my own «lovelessness» as it's written in the book, instead the book is far more theoretical and in some parts far too idealistic for me, although I know it's the author's own purpose and goal. I do also believe that as this book isn't actual so many takes were not that updated and can be thought as obvious (I also didn't agree with some feminist takes). I did struggle although I have to admit that I enjoyed her writing style and exposition and will probably read more of her writing.
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse
courtdezy's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Domestic abuse
ambergenesis's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse