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A review by taffy_sea
Dead Feminists: Historic Heroines in Living Color by Jessica Spring, Chandler O'Leary
3.0
If you know what you're getting into, you'll love it.
1. The broadsides are absolutely gorgeous. The authors are wonderful artists and the book is incredibly visually appealing.
2. There's a good variety of women here, from all different subjects, eras, and even different countries (though understandably US-centric, as the authors are from the US). The women in this book are remarkable, and the work they did deserves to be remembered and honored in this way.
3. I got this book to read about the different women, not knowing anything about the broadside project that the book is about. At first I didn't like the book, because it was more focused on creating the broadsides than on the women themselves, and the bios are very slim & selective. But I kept reading because the book covers women I'd never even heard of, and I thought it'd be a good jumping off point. I'm glad I went on with the book. As I said, the broadsides are well done and a joy to look at. Once I realized how the book was framed- that first the authors came up with a cause, then a quote, then a woman, THEN researched her bio for the broadsides- I felt a lot better reading it, and less like they co-opted these women to fit their causes. The images in the book are really great, but they seldom relate to their captions. It's as if the authors had extra content to write and images they really wanted to use, and just cobbled them together.
4. What I'm saying is: Don't read it for comprehensive bios of feminists - read it for an overview of some of these interesting, active women through the perspective of the -again, really beautiful- broadsides project. Enjoy the images & broadsides, and if you're interested in any of these women, do your own reading into their lives. I'm glad I read it & I'd recommend the book for enjoyable reading, whether you just love the topic or printing, or you're looking to get started learning about some fascinating, well-known women. 3.8 out of 5 stars.
1. The broadsides are absolutely gorgeous. The authors are wonderful artists and the book is incredibly visually appealing.
2. There's a good variety of women here, from all different subjects, eras, and even different countries (though understandably US-centric, as the authors are from the US). The women in this book are remarkable, and the work they did deserves to be remembered and honored in this way.
3. I got this book to read about the different women, not knowing anything about the broadside project that the book is about. At first I didn't like the book, because it was more focused on creating the broadsides than on the women themselves, and the bios are very slim & selective. But I kept reading because the book covers women I'd never even heard of, and I thought it'd be a good jumping off point. I'm glad I went on with the book. As I said, the broadsides are well done and a joy to look at. Once I realized how the book was framed- that first the authors came up with a cause, then a quote, then a woman, THEN researched her bio for the broadsides- I felt a lot better reading it, and less like they co-opted these women to fit their causes. The images in the book are really great, but they seldom relate to their captions. It's as if the authors had extra content to write and images they really wanted to use, and just cobbled them together.
4. What I'm saying is: Don't read it for comprehensive bios of feminists - read it for an overview of some of these interesting, active women through the perspective of the -again, really beautiful- broadsides project. Enjoy the images & broadsides, and if you're interested in any of these women, do your own reading into their lives. I'm glad I read it & I'd recommend the book for enjoyable reading, whether you just love the topic or printing, or you're looking to get started learning about some fascinating, well-known women. 3.8 out of 5 stars.