Scan barcode
sara_shocks's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
I waffled for a while on whether to give this a 4 or 5 on Goodreads because of my frustration with the philosophy jargon, which is dense.
But a week after I finished this, I stumbled across a use of the word "misogynist" according to the dictionary definition, and was instantly glad I had read this book. Manne's book is predicated on defining misogynist not as a "person who hates women" but rather a person who is policing female behaviors that go against patriarchal norms and step outside of what women are supposed to be doing. This is an important reframing, and I think it provides women with a key tool for recognizing this behavior when they face it.
This book has some really insightful analysis of our modern political context, and I would encourage people to read for that. However, Manne does not seem to have written this for a popular audience, and for those of us without a strong philosophy background, it will be a slog in some places. I wish this book and its nuanced, thoughtful comments were in slightly more accessible language for a broader audience, as I think a lot of people would find it helpful.
I waffled for a while on whether to give this a 4 or 5 on Goodreads because of my frustration with the philosophy jargon, which is dense.
But a week after I finished this, I stumbled across a use of the word "misogynist" according to the dictionary definition, and was instantly glad I had read this book. Manne's book is predicated on defining misogynist not as a "person who hates women" but rather a person who is policing female behaviors that go against patriarchal norms and step outside of what women are supposed to be doing. This is an important reframing, and I think it provides women with a key tool for recognizing this behavior when they face it.
This book has some really insightful analysis of our modern political context, and I would encourage people to read for that. However, Manne does not seem to have written this for a popular audience, and for those of us without a strong philosophy background, it will be a slog in some places. I wish this book and its nuanced, thoughtful comments were in slightly more accessible language for a broader audience, as I think a lot of people would find it helpful.
dovewhether's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
Read this in the search for an answer. Why do some people seem to team up to bash women online. Especially within fake stories that pop up in TikTok, Reddit, and Youtube.
mischief_in_the_library's review against another edition
2.0
This book was not written for a general audience. Or if it was, the author has spent too much time in academia and has forgotten that a general audience does not know what words like 'tollens' and 'cui bono' mean. There were too many citations and footnotes to not scare off even a highly educated reader - and anyone not educated in philosophy will not understand most of the frequent jargon. There were long sentences and overuse of brackets and italics that got in the way of comprehension.
However, if you're able to flip past the pages in the first few chapters that are too difficult to read, the last two or three chapters are quite readable. The cases the author referred to were interesting, and while she's mostly preaching to the choir in my reading, she brought up some interesting ideas that I had not thought about before. It was quite enjoyable to see Julia Gillard's treatment compared to Hilary Clinton.
I can't say I recommend it, but if you are a philosophy academic, you might like it!
However, if you're able to flip past the pages in the first few chapters that are too difficult to read, the last two or three chapters are quite readable. The cases the author referred to were interesting, and while she's mostly preaching to the choir in my reading, she brought up some interesting ideas that I had not thought about before. It was quite enjoyable to see Julia Gillard's treatment compared to Hilary Clinton.
I can't say I recommend it, but if you are a philosophy academic, you might like it!
subdue_provide75's review against another edition
fast-paced
1.5
I'm not sure what I've taken from this book. It was smooth reading though!
marrireadsandrambles's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Minor: Gun violence, Hate crime, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Sexual harassment