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lulo49's review against another edition
5.0
In a world where men can be "difficult" and not suffer the consequences professionally or personally, I thoroughly enjoyed and could identify with many of the "difficult" women's personality and lives. Not that I consider myself that "difficult" mind you. But I like to think I live my truth which is not always the same as others' truths.
I also appreciated learning more about the lives of these difficult women, most of whom I was aware and some I was not. It is not surprising how much women have had to suffer for being themselves, for not comforming to the current norms. But to see it in great detail, to see similarities in their stories, and to see how these women continued on their path in spite of being thought not beautiful, or feminine, or deferential enough, for not conforming to the norms of the time. It's also sad how some continued to struggle against the norm until they died.
Finally, I appreciated the author's wise and witty commentary as she weaved the stories together into more than simply narrative. She is a talented author and I look forward to reading more of her works.
I also appreciated learning more about the lives of these difficult women, most of whom I was aware and some I was not. It is not surprising how much women have had to suffer for being themselves, for not comforming to the current norms. But to see it in great detail, to see similarities in their stories, and to see how these women continued on their path in spite of being thought not beautiful, or feminine, or deferential enough, for not conforming to the norms of the time. It's also sad how some continued to struggle against the norm until they died.
Finally, I appreciated the author's wise and witty commentary as she weaved the stories together into more than simply narrative. She is a talented author and I look forward to reading more of her works.
labunnywtf's review against another edition
3.0
If you're going to be difficult, people are much less forgiving. If you insist on planting your flag in the sand for your politics or other beliefs - even if it's just a belief in yourself - be prepared to be called out the moment you evolve, rethink something, change your mind, contradict yourself, or just behave in an inexplicably human way. It's as if by flaunting expectations, we've also unwittingly agreed to be held to impossible standards.
I've read quite a few books about feminists in the last year. I'm always hungry for more stories of strong women who refused to toe the line, who stood up for themselves and fought harder, did more, than society ever expected or wanted them to.
And for the most part, all the books I read were intensely disappointing in one way or the other. This may be the first one that got it right.
This book features 28 truly amazing women who will make you stand up and scream from the rooftops that you are a woman and you're damn proud of it. From JK Rowling to Carrie Fisher, we've got authors, artists, musicians, politicians, actors, activists. Ground breakers, earth shakers, women who refused to let what society saw as their weakness get in the way of what they wanted to do with their lives.
I was, however, surprised and disappointed to see a chapter devoted to Helen Gurley Brown, a woman who is intensely problematic (see: her opinion on workplace harassment). While the author does acknowledge her problematic behavior, and the problems with Cosmopolitan magazine, which she helmed for so long, I truly don't think she belongs in this book about heroines. She just doesn't. There are far too many great women who could have easily filled that spot.
That aside, I think this is a fantastic and worthwhile read. This book took me so long to read because I was constantly stopping to google. I learned things about Frida Kahlo I'd never once heard about, I have a brand new desire to watch a Shonda Rhimes television program, and I will fight anyone who tries to say Carrie Fisher wasn't a damn American treasure.
Absolutely worth the read. Just...maybe skip a chapter or two.
I've read quite a few books about feminists in the last year. I'm always hungry for more stories of strong women who refused to toe the line, who stood up for themselves and fought harder, did more, than society ever expected or wanted them to.
And for the most part, all the books I read were intensely disappointing in one way or the other. This may be the first one that got it right.
This book features 28 truly amazing women who will make you stand up and scream from the rooftops that you are a woman and you're damn proud of it. From JK Rowling to Carrie Fisher, we've got authors, artists, musicians, politicians, actors, activists. Ground breakers, earth shakers, women who refused to let what society saw as their weakness get in the way of what they wanted to do with their lives.
I was, however, surprised and disappointed to see a chapter devoted to Helen Gurley Brown, a woman who is intensely problematic (see: her opinion on workplace harassment). While the author does acknowledge her problematic behavior, and the problems with Cosmopolitan magazine, which she helmed for so long, I truly don't think she belongs in this book about heroines. She just doesn't. There are far too many great women who could have easily filled that spot.
That aside, I think this is a fantastic and worthwhile read. This book took me so long to read because I was constantly stopping to google. I learned things about Frida Kahlo I'd never once heard about, I have a brand new desire to watch a Shonda Rhimes television program, and I will fight anyone who tries to say Carrie Fisher wasn't a damn American treasure.
Absolutely worth the read. Just...maybe skip a chapter or two.
suesinop's review against another edition
1.0
I don't usually leave reviews. But this time- this time!- I have to review. If I can save but ONE PERSON from this book, it will be worth it.
I looked forward to reading this book.
I didn't think it was going to be a deep-dive bio on any one woman's life, but I did expect more substance and variety. The wasted opportunity was astounding. Who might have gotten a chapter instead of Elizabeth Taylor or Lena Dunham? When we get to the point of praising bad behavior as if it's the same as an accomplishment, we're doing women a disservice. It's not enough to say 'Yeah- she was a jerk. But men are jerks all the time and they get away with it'. If that's your point- be more accurate in how you market your book.
In fact, this book seemed to have multiple personalities, unable to focus. Was it biographical in nature? Was it opinion based on biography? Was it humor? A rehash of generally known facts about generally known people?
If that isn't enough, this book is like a billboard-sized example of elevating one by diminishing another. Many chapters had really biting snark directed toward women the author deems 'housewives' (and, I assume other 'lesser' jobs) in order to praise the subject of the chapter.
'She'd rather be afraid than bored, so she wouldn't make a good housewife'.
'She didn't do well in captivity'.
....like that. Over and over and over. Does the author think that only women running into war zones or working in a male-dominated field are 'difficult'. I'd like to suggest Karbo expand her horizons and talk to more women, in more places, from many more backgrounds. This book should have been a celebration of women who forged ahead in spite of the odds, and instead, it ended up feeling like a People magazine 'special issue'.
I looked forward to reading this book.
I didn't think it was going to be a deep-dive bio on any one woman's life, but I did expect more substance and variety. The wasted opportunity was astounding. Who might have gotten a chapter instead of Elizabeth Taylor or Lena Dunham? When we get to the point of praising bad behavior as if it's the same as an accomplishment, we're doing women a disservice. It's not enough to say 'Yeah- she was a jerk. But men are jerks all the time and they get away with it'. If that's your point- be more accurate in how you market your book.
In fact, this book seemed to have multiple personalities, unable to focus. Was it biographical in nature? Was it opinion based on biography? Was it humor? A rehash of generally known facts about generally known people?
If that isn't enough, this book is like a billboard-sized example of elevating one by diminishing another. Many chapters had really biting snark directed toward women the author deems 'housewives' (and, I assume other 'lesser' jobs) in order to praise the subject of the chapter.
'She'd rather be afraid than bored, so she wouldn't make a good housewife'.
'She didn't do well in captivity'.
....like that. Over and over and over. Does the author think that only women running into war zones or working in a male-dominated field are 'difficult'. I'd like to suggest Karbo expand her horizons and talk to more women, in more places, from many more backgrounds. This book should have been a celebration of women who forged ahead in spite of the odds, and instead, it ended up feeling like a People magazine 'special issue'.
booksnbeanies's review against another edition
3.0
My rating was going to be four stars, then I read some reviews from people who gave this book one or two stars who made some valid points: most of the women mentioned in this book are white and there are two or three women in here who are daring and difficult, but they only have two or three pages whereas the other women have multiple pages. Why could you not have just dropped them and picked someone that was easier to get more information on preferably a woman of color just to even out the race of the book? I didn’t notice the lack of colored women in this book until I read these reviews and I agree, somewhat, but also these 29 women are not the only “difficult women” in existence these just happen to be the women the author obviously admired to some extent.
“A difficult woman isn’t a bitch, although on occasion she might be. She isn’t cruel or selfish or mean – although, again, on occasion, she might be. Just like anyone (by which I mean men), she has had bad days, she makes mistakes, she loses her temper. A difficult woman is a woman who insists on inhabiting the full range of her humanity.”
— Karen Karbo, In Praise of Difficult Women
This is a brilliant book about twenty-nine women who society would deem “difficult.” The women of this book range from feisty (J.K. Rowling) to droll (Carrie Fisher). Each woman mentioned in this wonderful book has a beautiful portrait and a short biography on why they are considered difficult. I learned a lot of things about these women that I would have never known had I not read this book.
Some interesting things I learned:
Elizabeth Taylor was married eight times (twice to the same guy).
K. Rowling writes an adult mystery series under the name Robert Galbraith.
I had no clue how awesome Ruth Bader Ginsburg is.
I didn’t know about all the things Josephine Baker had to go through to become the amazing woman she was.
There are so many great facts throughout this book about the wonderfully, difficult women. There were also some pretty great quotes throughout this book. Here are some of my favorite:
“How many loves on loses when one decides not to be something, but someone.”
— Coco Chanel
“Somewhere in the world, there must exist a culture where female rage is appreciated, where the moment a woman raises her voice, the village gathers around, believing that if a woman is freaking the hell out, it’s probably worth hearing what she has to say.”
— Rachel Maddow
“Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there. And I also hope that you will choose to make some of that trouble on behalf of women”
— Nora Ephron
I actually won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and didn’t even know it until I got it in the mail. The only notice I remember getting was a tracking email from National Geographic and being thoroughly confused as to why National Geographic was mailing me anything. Nevertheless, I’m happy I had the chance to read it because I enjoyed it very much.
“A difficult woman isn’t a bitch, although on occasion she might be. She isn’t cruel or selfish or mean – although, again, on occasion, she might be. Just like anyone (by which I mean men), she has had bad days, she makes mistakes, she loses her temper. A difficult woman is a woman who insists on inhabiting the full range of her humanity.”
— Karen Karbo, In Praise of Difficult Women
This is a brilliant book about twenty-nine women who society would deem “difficult.” The women of this book range from feisty (J.K. Rowling) to droll (Carrie Fisher). Each woman mentioned in this wonderful book has a beautiful portrait and a short biography on why they are considered difficult. I learned a lot of things about these women that I would have never known had I not read this book.
Some interesting things I learned:
Elizabeth Taylor was married eight times (twice to the same guy).
K. Rowling writes an adult mystery series under the name Robert Galbraith.
I had no clue how awesome Ruth Bader Ginsburg is.
I didn’t know about all the things Josephine Baker had to go through to become the amazing woman she was.
There are so many great facts throughout this book about the wonderfully, difficult women. There were also some pretty great quotes throughout this book. Here are some of my favorite:
“How many loves on loses when one decides not to be something, but someone.”
— Coco Chanel
“Somewhere in the world, there must exist a culture where female rage is appreciated, where the moment a woman raises her voice, the village gathers around, believing that if a woman is freaking the hell out, it’s probably worth hearing what she has to say.”
— Rachel Maddow
“Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there. And I also hope that you will choose to make some of that trouble on behalf of women”
— Nora Ephron
I actually won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and didn’t even know it until I got it in the mail. The only notice I remember getting was a tracking email from National Geographic and being thoroughly confused as to why National Geographic was mailing me anything. Nevertheless, I’m happy I had the chance to read it because I enjoyed it very much.
kimberlywyatt5's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
This book had so many women that I didn’t know anything about and it was such an exciting read. I love biographies and I love learning about interesting people. This book showcases 29 different women and how they dare to be different than the status quo. The women weren’t perfect. They made mistakes. And that’s what made them different because they weren’t trying to be anything other than themselves.
dmlb's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.75
nattyg's review against another edition
3.0
It seemed much more a book about the author’s relationship to the difficult woman in each chapter, than about the women themselves.