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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
This should be required reading for human beings. From the first essay --- which humorously describes a dynamic that is all too common between women and the men who explain things to them --- to others which examine the countless ways that women are ignored, erased, and silenced in virtually every culture, this book offers a brief glimpse into some of the forces against which all women struggle.
a very informative and interesting collection of essays on feminist issues. the handful of handhold-y "not all men"-isms for the handful of men who would read a book like this and actually need that reassurance are kinda cringe, and a couple essays feel like they don't exactly fit in with the others, but none of this really detracts the importance of what solnit is saying.
What an important book! I recommend this to young women, because they are not alone. I recommend this to fathers, to be aware of the danger for their daughters. I recommend this to mothers, to be able to teach their sons about it. I recommend it to everyone!
Now, let's look at the book itself. It deals with violence from some men towards women and the importance of feminism. Even though this is not an easy topic to write about at all, the book is gripping, entertaining, even humorous in some parts!
However, the author describes numerous shocking cases of sometimes deathly violence against women, accompanied by even more shocking numbers and statistics that leave you angry and speechless.
On the other hand - deep inside me - I know that these numbers shouldn't have shocked me at all. I believe that EVERY woman to some degree directly experienced violence from men and knows at least a couple of survivors of rape and sexual abuse.
Besides knowing a couple of women, who are survivors of abuse and rape - I, myself while luckily haven't been raped (yet), have experienced incidents where I was just lucky or yelled loud enough for help, when men wouldn't accept "no" for an answer. I won't even start talking about the countless, "harmless" (?) groping in the anonymity of a night club or full train or the explicit verbal rape/death threats I have received from men in the past and brushed off as "He's just saying that. Surely he doesn't really mean to...". Publicly writing about these experiences makes me feel ashamed, like I am sharing something that is supposed to be private (and I'm still pretty sure I will regret hitting the "publish" button). This book made me realise that violence against women is not a private problem or an isolated incident. It needs to be regarded as a gender problem: Almost all violence in general is inflicted by men. If we find answers as to why that is and how we can prevent it, we will be able to fight violence as a whole effectively. Thank you for this light bulb moment Rebecca Solnit!
Light bulb moments, ... so many light bulb moments! For example "Most women fight wars on two fronts, one for whatever the putative topic is and one simply for the right to speak (...)."
"a man approaches a woman with both desire and the furious expectation that the desire will likely be rebuffed. The fury and desire come in a package,(...)", "when you say lone gunman, everyone talks about loners and guns but not about men" ... I could go on forever!
My favourite chapters: Men explain things to me, Grandmother Spider.
However, there were a few things that bothered me about this book.
While beautifully written throughout, "Men explain things to me" leaves the impression of being a bunch of essays, tucked loosely together by the string of feminism as an underlying theme, instead of a whole, well-rounded book. I believe it is the title of the book that made me feel this way. Only the first chapter deals with the actual "Men explain things to me"-issue and it is only an introduction to something way more complex. I found that somehow misleading, as I was reading through the book expecting to dive deeper into the 'Men explain things to me" topic or at least get some kind of closure - only to find that the book just ended. Therefore, I recommend to read a summary of the book beforehand and also, to not read the book in one sitting, but rather spread it out to one chapter per sitting only.
Know what to expect!
One thing about the chapter "Men explain things to me" bothered me in particular. Let me quote the author here: "I love it when people explain things to me they know and I'm interested in but don't yet know; it's when they explain things to me I know and they don't that the conversation goes wrong".
Wrong. The conversation goes wrong, as soon as a man talks to a woman in a belittling way just because she is a woman and therefore he believes she is less educated or less intelligent than he is. If that is true or not, doesn't matter. Even if she is less educated or less intelligent by any measure, she has to be treated with equal respect by him. Simply because she is human.
One other thing I didn't like were the numerous shocking numbers and statistics and case descriptions. They felt a bit too over the top to me. The book really didn't need all that to create awareness of the issue.
One note, something that is totally up for discussion: Rebecca Solnit's book has a very 'Hegelish' quality to it - an optimistic, linear worldview I wish I could share, but don’t know if I can.
Overall, the things I don't like about "Men explain things to me" are just minor and heavily outweighed by the positive aspects of the book. Well done. Thank you Rebecca, for a piece of literature the world for once actually really needed.
Now, let's look at the book itself. It deals with violence from some men towards women and the importance of feminism. Even though this is not an easy topic to write about at all, the book is gripping, entertaining, even humorous in some parts!
However, the author describes numerous shocking cases of sometimes deathly violence against women, accompanied by even more shocking numbers and statistics that leave you angry and speechless.
On the other hand - deep inside me - I know that these numbers shouldn't have shocked me at all. I believe that EVERY woman to some degree directly experienced violence from men and knows at least a couple of survivors of rape and sexual abuse.
Besides knowing a couple of women, who are survivors of abuse and rape - I, myself while luckily haven't been raped (yet), have experienced incidents where I was just lucky or yelled loud enough for help, when men wouldn't accept "no" for an answer. I won't even start talking about the countless, "harmless" (?) groping in the anonymity of a night club or full train or the explicit verbal rape/death threats I have received from men in the past and brushed off as "He's just saying that. Surely he doesn't really mean to...". Publicly writing about these experiences makes me feel ashamed, like I am sharing something that is supposed to be private (and I'm still pretty sure I will regret hitting the "publish" button). This book made me realise that violence against women is not a private problem or an isolated incident. It needs to be regarded as a gender problem: Almost all violence in general is inflicted by men. If we find answers as to why that is and how we can prevent it, we will be able to fight violence as a whole effectively. Thank you for this light bulb moment Rebecca Solnit!
Light bulb moments, ... so many light bulb moments! For example "Most women fight wars on two fronts, one for whatever the putative topic is and one simply for the right to speak (...)."
"a man approaches a woman with both desire and the furious expectation that the desire will likely be rebuffed. The fury and desire come in a package,(...)", "when you say lone gunman, everyone talks about loners and guns but not about men" ... I could go on forever!
My favourite chapters: Men explain things to me, Grandmother Spider.
However, there were a few things that bothered me about this book.
While beautifully written throughout, "Men explain things to me" leaves the impression of being a bunch of essays, tucked loosely together by the string of feminism as an underlying theme, instead of a whole, well-rounded book. I believe it is the title of the book that made me feel this way. Only the first chapter deals with the actual "Men explain things to me"-issue and it is only an introduction to something way more complex. I found that somehow misleading, as I was reading through the book expecting to dive deeper into the 'Men explain things to me" topic or at least get some kind of closure - only to find that the book just ended. Therefore, I recommend to read a summary of the book beforehand and also, to not read the book in one sitting, but rather spread it out to one chapter per sitting only.
Know what to expect!
One thing about the chapter "Men explain things to me" bothered me in particular. Let me quote the author here: "I love it when people explain things to me they know and I'm interested in but don't yet know; it's when they explain things to me I know and they don't that the conversation goes wrong".
Wrong. The conversation goes wrong, as soon as a man talks to a woman in a belittling way just because she is a woman and therefore he believes she is less educated or less intelligent than he is. If that is true or not, doesn't matter. Even if she is less educated or less intelligent by any measure, she has to be treated with equal respect by him. Simply because she is human.
One other thing I didn't like were the numerous shocking numbers and statistics and case descriptions. They felt a bit too over the top to me. The book really didn't need all that to create awareness of the issue.
One note, something that is totally up for discussion: Rebecca Solnit's book has a very 'Hegelish' quality to it - an optimistic, linear worldview I wish I could share, but don’t know if I can.
Overall, the things I don't like about "Men explain things to me" are just minor and heavily outweighed by the positive aspects of the book. Well done. Thank you Rebecca, for a piece of literature the world for once actually really needed.
Great, great book! Packed with spectacular tidbits, startling facts, and phrases that should be turned into bumper stickers!!
Her thoughts on naming things reminded me of the article I read about emotional labor, a concept I’ve felt and sensed but wasn’t named, for me, until 2017. Also loved the bits about unknowable and unintended consequences of actions, movements, and words. It’s heartening to know that it all makes a difference. Still a long road ahead ladies, but we are well on our way!
informative
fast-paced
This was scathing and great and if I could give it to every man I bump into the street I would. A lot of women too. Some essays did drag a little - especially because Solnit does tend to say the exact same thing a lot of different ways but there was always enough humour to cut through it.
This was given to me for my birthday and ended up being a gift within a gift.
This was given to me for my birthday and ended up being a gift within a gift.
Puro amor. Es un libro bastante teórico pero es un buen comienzo para ciertos conceptos necesarios para adentrarse de manera más seria en el feminismo. Me encantó toda la crítica de arte que hace.