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4.22 AVERAGE
4.22 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence
Minor: Stalking
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.5 stars. Definitely not a traditional memoir. Solnit chooses to explore instances, cultural phenomenon, and events that shaped her in adult life instead of recounting her life in any sense of the word. This book really flew by and felt easy to grasp on to, though some sections did seem (perhaps) too “proper” and peripheral altogether. Honestly, I really like Solnit’s writing and I’d the privilege of listening to her talk, meeting her, and getting some books signed so I was already looking forward to reading this one. It is very much about feminism and fashioning the self broadly; don’t expect to hear about Solnit’s personal life in detail.
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Prachtige mix van een politiek/feministisch pamflet met een inkijkje in het leven van Rebecca Solnit, vanaf het moment dat ze als 17-jarige op kamers gaat in San Francisco. Het duurde even voor mij om erin te komen, maar ergens rond bladzijde 50 maakt ze een dijk van een statement over het trauma dat vrouwen kunnen overhouden aan bijvoorbeeld een verkrachting, en hoe dat in de VS eigenlijk geen PTSS mag heten, terwijl ze er volgens een vooraanstaand wetenschapper de rest van hun leven, dag in dag uit, mee geconfronteerd blijven worden. PTSS is in de VS een term die vooral voorbehouden is aan mannen, "liefst" oorlogsveteranen. De grappigste anekdote voor mij was die over een oudere man, die haar vraagt naar een boek dat ze geschreven heeft, en haar vervolgens gaat vertellen dat over datzelfde onderwerp een nog veel belangrijker boek is uitgekomen, zonder zich te realiseren dat hij het over haar eigen boek heeft tegen haar. Dat hij haar haar eigen boek aan het uitleggen is, zonder te weten waar hij het over heeft. Onder andere op basis hiervan schreef Solnit het essay "Men Explain Things To Me (deels hier te lezen, inclusief de anekdote: https://www.guernicamag.com/rebecca-solnit-men-explain-things-to-me/), waar ook het woord "mansplaining" uit voortgekomen is. En wie niet precies weet wat dat is, moet vooral de vele reacties van mannen onder dat stuk lezen :-)
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Somehow, despite talented writing, an interesting life, and talking about subjects I am interested in, Solnit's style is not for me and I was very bored. I would have put it down if I wasn't reading this as a judge for a prize. She describes her writing as meandering, like walking down a path, taking scenic detours, and I just am not a fan of meandering and wordiness.
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
Rebecca Solnit is a stunning writer, *and* this book was so hard to read that it made my stomach twist. Her experiences of gender violence and harassment landed too close to personal experience and the experiences of people I love. The book was so compelling that I had to finish it, but I found myself racing through it to get it done.
couldn’t with the writing. willing to pick it up again in the future
4.5/5 rounded up
I love Rebecca Solnit. I really do. Her brain is a beautiful web of stories and magic and intelligence that I admire to my very core. BUT. Her writing sometimes gives me a little whiplash. Sometimes I’m fully immersed in what she’s saying and I feel my heart crack at reading words that put feelings I’ve had my whole life on paper. Sometimes I’ll read a sentence, paragraph, page, chapter—and I KNOW, I FEEL, the trajectory of my life change into something more beautiful. Other times, I feel like I’m thrown into a state of ????? when she jumps from one thought or time period to another. Sometimes I felt like I was reading a flow of consciousness that didn’t make the most sense. Either way, this is a book I’m going to share with the women in my life. Thank you Rebecca for gifting the world with yet another work of art that will shape future generations and love and activism.
I love Rebecca Solnit. I really do. Her brain is a beautiful web of stories and magic and intelligence that I admire to my very core. BUT. Her writing sometimes gives me a little whiplash. Sometimes I’m fully immersed in what she’s saying and I feel my heart crack at reading words that put feelings I’ve had my whole life on paper. Sometimes I’ll read a sentence, paragraph, page, chapter—and I KNOW, I FEEL, the trajectory of my life change into something more beautiful. Other times, I feel like I’m thrown into a state of ????? when she jumps from one thought or time period to another. Sometimes I felt like I was reading a flow of consciousness that didn’t make the most sense. Either way, this is a book I’m going to share with the women in my life. Thank you Rebecca for gifting the world with yet another work of art that will shape future generations and love and activism.