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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War
(3.5) A combination of her reckoning with her childhood and its hold on her life, especially the abuse suffered at the hands of her father, and her experiences with women the world over who have survived trauma in war zones, at home, or in a tsunami or hurricane, Ensler has crafted another powerful book. I am always in awe of her courage to be a witness to women's pain and then help them, actually help them, and this book showed how much of a toll it takes on her to walk this path, but also how much she has grown and healed as a result of it.
The best parts are the last few chapters, including the "Conclusion: Peace is a state of being; Security is being of the state," where she clearly outlines the many ways in which we as Americans, have given up our own freedoms and been complicit in the denial of freedom to those we were told we were "liberating."
"There is a plan to make you feel ugly and powerless, insignificant, and insecure. There is a plan to make you feel like someone or something is coming to fix and rescue you. Give up illusions of security! There is no one coming to take death or aging or sickness away. There is no solution. There is no reason to fix it. No one smarter or better or on top. You are already enough. Enough. Each and every one of you. Enough. Enough." (167)
"We have all been wrongly manipulated, misguided to believe we are longing for security, when really it is kindness we are after." (190)
"The focus on terrorism has been one of the great manipulations and diversions. Most of the people of the world, particularly outside the U.S., live in perilous conditions. The greed-centered economic policies of multinational corporations in partnership with the U.S. government masquerading as our great protectors cause worldwide starvation, the destruction of the environment, horrendous poverty, illness, illiteracy, the spreading of AIDS, and resulting violence.
If we are truly interested in security, let's begin with securing all people the basic human right to food, shelter, drinkable water, health care, a place to live, safety, and a livable earth." (199-200)
Yes!!!
The best parts are the last few chapters, including the "Conclusion: Peace is a state of being; Security is being of the state," where she clearly outlines the many ways in which we as Americans, have given up our own freedoms and been complicit in the denial of freedom to those we were told we were "liberating."
"There is a plan to make you feel ugly and powerless, insignificant, and insecure. There is a plan to make you feel like someone or something is coming to fix and rescue you. Give up illusions of security! There is no one coming to take death or aging or sickness away. There is no solution. There is no reason to fix it. No one smarter or better or on top. You are already enough. Enough. Each and every one of you. Enough. Enough." (167)
"We have all been wrongly manipulated, misguided to believe we are longing for security, when really it is kindness we are after." (190)
"The focus on terrorism has been one of the great manipulations and diversions. Most of the people of the world, particularly outside the U.S., live in perilous conditions. The greed-centered economic policies of multinational corporations in partnership with the U.S. government masquerading as our great protectors cause worldwide starvation, the destruction of the environment, horrendous poverty, illness, illiteracy, the spreading of AIDS, and resulting violence.
If we are truly interested in security, let's begin with securing all people the basic human right to food, shelter, drinkable water, health care, a place to live, safety, and a livable earth." (199-200)
Yes!!!
i think it's a pretty awesome book, that everyone should read. it's a memoir but not just about her. it's about women, it's about being an american, it's a memoir about humans.
It was worth reading.. it makes you think a lot and to hear and read about all these violence, though it has disturbed me, was very informing.
I'm amazed at how a person can travel to all these places and endure the painful stories told by all these women who've gone through so much.
There were times I just couldn't read on because the stories were just awful to acknowledge but I'm glad I've read it and would recommend it to people
I'm amazed at how a person can travel to all these places and endure the painful stories told by all these women who've gone through so much.
There were times I just couldn't read on because the stories were just awful to acknowledge but I'm glad I've read it and would recommend it to people
dark
emotional
inspiring
I really enjoyed the stories. But I feel like this would fall flat to an audience that has opinions that differ from the ones presented, making this book less effective at opening minds than it intends
This book is part memoir and part political manifesto. The parts of the books that described the author's experiences around the world working with women to end violence and create community were moving and beautiful. Interwoven with these stories were the author's own story of putting her life together after having been abused by her stepfather when she was a child and having been a heavy drinker/meth addict as a young adult. These personal memoirs were compelling, but much less interesting than the stories of the other women the author has met. Mixed in with the personal and women-centered stories were political arguments (and complaints about the Bush administration). These arguments were far less compelling and turned what could have been a really excellent memoir into something that felt much more amateur and almost blog-like. Still, an enjoyable read (and short [200 pages exactly in the hardcover edition:]).