Scan barcode
kat1776's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
2.75
mchester24's review
3.0
A very quick read, but that doesn't stop it from getting into heavy topics in a deep way. Since it's a collection of essays by different authors, it doesn't necessary flow. I definitely felt it important to expand into reading some books on the feminist topics and open my eyes further to the mindset women are forced to have-- and the collection of different viewpoints did just that. In particular, I enjoyed the titular essay "Men Explain Things to Me" which forces you to consider what 'mansplaining' must be feel like. I also enjoyed "In Praise of the Threat: What Marriage Equality Really Means" that relates opposition to same-sex marriage to the threat that equality between genders has on the deeply rooted views of marriage of some demographics, and '#YesAllWomen" which gave some great concrete examples on how the development of language helps identify issues and is the first step in liberating women from those issues. Overall, a good overview on the progress that has been made, that greatly emphasizes that most of the work is still left to be done. Some of the essays in the middle dragged and didn't pack as much of a punch-- which are the reason I only gave three stars. Five stars to the specific essays I called out, though.
kojafar's review against another edition
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
jenmangler's review against another edition
4.0
This is such a thought-provoking book. I really appreciate Solnit's focus on the power of language throughout her essays. Feminism, she says, "is the struggle to name and define, to speak and be heard." Throughout her essays she emphasizes the power of naming (sexual harassment, rape culture) and speaking (being heard, being "acknowledged to be in possession of facts and truths"). I also appreciate how Solnit connects the dots to reveal patterns and connections where most people don't see them. I'm so glad I read this.
ladygodivas's review against another edition
2.0
I was expecting something else.
I just wish my favorite quotes from this book were from the author itself and not from the references/citations. I really wanted to like the way this was written but it was basically an info dump and it's kinda overwhelming not gonna lie.
The title is extremely misleading, with it only applicable to the first few pages of the book. After that, it was basically a list of events surrounding abuse and feminism (which is not a bad thing). I should have been more invested to the real life happenings stated in the book but...I just wasn't. I really wanted to like this but it felt so unorganized and incomplete.
I just wish my favorite quotes from this book were from the author itself and not from the references/citations. I really wanted to like the way this was written but it was basically an info dump and it's kinda overwhelming not gonna lie.
The title is extremely misleading, with it only applicable to the first few pages of the book. After that, it was basically a list of events surrounding abuse and feminism (which is not a bad thing). I should have been more invested to the real life happenings stated in the book but...I just wasn't. I really wanted to like this but it felt so unorganized and incomplete.
mdevlin923's review against another edition
3.0
Solnit's collection of short essays show the different facets of the violence and inequalities that women face. The examples she includes range from men confidently explaining topics they aren't experts in to the cruel sexual and physical violence men inflict on women...but she shows how these are all connected: each moment of violence is a way to silence women and exert control over them.
While ultimately hopeful, it is difficult to walk away from this book without feeling a sense of anger, fear, and dread. Because these are all essays that were written at different times, it did feel like there were some key points that were repeated; but overall I believe each essay had a unique slant.
While ultimately hopeful, it is difficult to walk away from this book without feeling a sense of anger, fear, and dread. Because these are all essays that were written at different times, it did feel like there were some key points that were repeated; but overall I believe each essay had a unique slant.
tregina's review against another edition
4.0
I've spent this weekend at a conference where I was outnumbered by men, regarding an organisation I'm involved with where I'm even more outnumbered by men, by a factor of about ten to one. And I was legitimately asked the question "Do we really need feminism?" Yes. Yes we do. So because of that, and because I had limited time while at the conference, this turned out to be my first read on my new scribd account.
I was already angry and this made me angrier, but in the good way. In the productive way. Where I'm reminded of the wider world in plain and evocative and resonant ways, about the things we face and the things I've already faced, and I feel empowered to go out and do something about it, in whatever way I can.
Maybe I'll start by ditching the worst offender in my current life when it comes to being a mansplaining douchebag.
I was already angry and this made me angrier, but in the good way. In the productive way. Where I'm reminded of the wider world in plain and evocative and resonant ways, about the things we face and the things I've already faced, and I feel empowered to go out and do something about it, in whatever way I can.
Maybe I'll start by ditching the worst offender in my current life when it comes to being a mansplaining douchebag.