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petrauusimaa's review against another edition
4.0
The Second Sex was published in 1949 in two parts and my Finnish editions follow that format even though the feminist classic is usually thought as one, complete work. In the first part of The Second Sex de Beauvoir states the facts of the difference between the sexes, both biologically, scientifically and historically. She discusses the way psychoanalysis and biology has been used to make women less than men even though when you look at the facts, there is no statement that says that women are somehow under the men. Simone de Beauvoir thinks that it is the past of human kind that has made the difference between the sexes so deep. Even though I did feel that the parts where de Beauvoir goes through the history of discrimination could be more cohesive, I think she discusses very well how these differences have formed and why it is so hard to start changing the clash between the sexes. The second part of the edition delves deeply into myths surrounding womanhood and how certain male authors have used these myths to create female characters. To me, this section is the weakest part of the book because I feel that de Beauvoir is mostly just quoting, not commenting or explaining the examples she has found from her sources. All in all, I think it is surprisingly engagingly written and I enjoyed the book as a whole very much. I can't wait to continue to the second part next month!
booksand_claire's review against another edition
3.0
* 3.5 *
Strangely, I struggled the most with the section I anticipated I would enjoy the most (chapter two of the third part on Myths) and that really impacted my reading experience. I ended up being stuck on those 50 pages or so for over a week, and as it is at the end of this book I feel that impacted the rating quite a bit.
Otherwise I was really pleasantly surprised and enjoyed this read greatly - no surprise as I love this author.
Strangely, I struggled the most with the section I anticipated I would enjoy the most (chapter two of the third part on Myths) and that really impacted my reading experience. I ended up being stuck on those 50 pages or so for over a week, and as it is at the end of this book I feel that impacted the rating quite a bit.
Otherwise I was really pleasantly surprised and enjoyed this read greatly - no surprise as I love this author.
evelum's review against another edition
5.0
This taught me so many things in my late teens. And made me angry.
jwallis55's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
bookliz_fr's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
A book that I'm happy to have read in French.
This book is complex to read and understand. So, to help me, like for most non-fiction, I listen to the audiobook simultaneously, as I knew that it was a difficult book due to the language used (polished), and I didn't want to miss anything.
Even if it's a complex book, I found it very interesting. I like how it's constructed. You see in different domains how women are seen and understood. That way, you have a great idea of where this comes from and how all those various fields shape the way women should be in our societies.
In French, the edition is divided into two, and I will read the second part. However, I will need to re-read this one as I'm sure that I miss some important points.
This book is complex to read and understand. So, to help me, like for most non-fiction, I listen to the audiobook simultaneously, as I knew that it was a difficult book due to the language used (polished), and I didn't want to miss anything.
Even if it's a complex book, I found it very interesting. I like how it's constructed. You see in different domains how women are seen and understood. That way, you have a great idea of where this comes from and how all those various fields shape the way women should be in our societies.
In French, the edition is divided into two, and I will read the second part. However, I will need to re-read this one as I'm sure that I miss some important points.
linda_reads's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0