Last fall I took myself to task for being the Betty Fraud-an of feminism. Someone wanting to do the minimum amount of work for gender equity while getting the maximum amount of recognition. A man, if you will. At the time I made a pledge to change my behavior when it came to my reading life. I vowed to read 3 women for every man to compensate for the massive male writer broverflow that I've been drowning in since Dr. Seuss hamsplained culinary exploration to me in the crib to when the ghosts of white men past haunted my secondary and college classrooms and the allusions of this sentence. 
Of course, it hasn't been all bunnies and Brontes, hugs and Hurstons. There was the e-mail I wrote in to the lady hosts of a book podcast in which I argued against a point they made (which upon further HEflection was just me misunderstanding what they were saying to begin with). Not only did I argue with these great ladies over a point they did not make but I used my dislike of a female protagonist as my support for my point. Clearly, I'm still in need of more self-browth. But by Gloria, I'm getting there! My bookshelves are no longer such a men-agerie; I've started to think the purpose of enlightenment may not, in fact, be proving how awesome I am; and that I may, come to think of it, not always be that damn awesome when it comes to feminism. And perhaps--this is a stretch,I know--the recognition for feminist accomplishment should go to, umm, women. And, yes, I did e-mail the hosts of that show, Reading Glasses--which is a great podcast--to apologize. So, I guess you could say, I'm finally on the right Plath. Stay tuned for further adventures in putting my eyeballs where my mouth is!
And now it's April, and all I can say is....Patriarchy, cower before me! The Yellow Wallpaper is coming down... only The Color Purple will cover these walls from now on. Look under your chairs, ladies...because there is a key for A Room of Your Own! In the past 6 months, I've read 7 books by women and only 2 books by men! We can call it, Gloria! The phallus has fallen. For whom does the bell toll ,Earnie? It tolls for thee-- more like Old Man and the See Ya!
My Hericulum
1. Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
. This is a classic of the sci-fi genre about a future society in which environmental, social and economic factors have led to societal collapse. Lauren Olamina, the narrator of the story, is a teenager who suffers from extreme empathy for others. Lauren is not satisfied with the complacency around her and begins to formulate a new religion/philosophy to move humanity forward. This book has great writing, a gripping plot and fascinating ideas which really speak to the issues we are going through as a society.
2. The Death Spiral by Sarah Giragosian.
 Sarah Giragosian is a poet and professor from my former home--the Albany, NY area. I first had the pleasure of experiencing her writing at Caffè Lena in Saratoga Springs. The Death Spiral is an imaginative and beautiful collection of poems. With masterful imagery, the poet transports us through time and the natural world and in doing so invites us to reimagine human experience in fresh new ways. This is definitely a collection to which I will return. 3.Educated by Tara Westover  This is the memoir of a history scholar who grew up under the Mormon fundamentalist rule of her mentally ill father and abusive brother. Westover somehow fights off the inner doubts instilled by her family to get into college and become educated. This book also allows us to better understand the sort of anti-government (and anti-medical establishment) zealotry that has been such a disturbing force in politics recently. |
4. Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye. This is a Young Adult novel about a 14-year-old Liyana whose Palestinian American father moves the family to Israel to experience life where he grew up. This is delightful and beautiful book. Nye really brings out the characters and setting with her poetic language. We also hear the perspective of Palestinians in Israel which the United States Media, cultural institutions and Government has worked hard to suppress. 5. The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver.  This is the story of Taylor Greer, told by Taylor, of how she leaves Kentucky to find herself, has an abused baby thrust in to her care, and how she brings said baby (who she names Turtle) on the road and starts a new life in Arizona with the assistance of women there. Taylor is a delightfully witty narrator and the story is beautifully written and compelling. The story shows the challenges of women in our society and the power of female bonds to help women get through those challenges. 6. Heir to a Glimmering World by Cynthia Ozick  This is the story of Rose Meadows, a teenager coming into adulthood in the 1930s. Rose takes a job with an eccentric Jewish refugee family and moves with them to Queens. The family are quite strange and there is much mysterious about what is going on with them that Rose is trying to figure out. Now I have confess I didn't finish this book. The writing is amazing. The mystery was intriguing. But I found I needed some more plot momentum at the moment. 7. American Street by Ibi Zoboi.  This is the story of a Haitian teen named Fabiola who comes to live with her aunt and cousins in Detroit. Her mother is also supposed to come, but is detained by ICE when they arrive. Fabiola attempts to adapt to this new life without her mom while trying to figure out how to get her mom out of detention. She seeks the help of spirits in her efforts. This is a fascinating and moving book which depicts the reality and beauty of inner city life through a magical and poetic lens. This is an extraordinary work of literature. |
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