charliebenwah's reviews
78 reviews

Prostitution and Victorian Society: Women, Class, and the State by Walkowitz Judith R., Judith Walkowitz

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

So far for my research, this book has been the most beneficial in terms of information and of ideas. I have read many other pieces that argue with Walkowitz and disagree with her arguments, yet I believe she still has the most extensive and arguably correct piece. 

Geographies of Regulation: Policing Prostitution in Nineteenth-Century Britain and the Empire by Philip Howell

informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

I think that this book had a lot of interesting questions and a lot of good information, but it was not really easy to follow in some of the parts. It felt a little repetetive towards the end, and for a book about the history of sex work, Howell truly did not bring in the voices of many women, in primary OR secondary sources. I understand that primary source material from women may be scarce, but Josephine Butler and other activists had extensive material that he could have used more frequently, AND it could have helped his point! Other than that, this book did make me think through a historical lens that I usually don't, and I will be using his findings for at least some of my research. 

The Prostitute's Body: Rewriting Prostitution in Victorian Britain by Nina Attwood

challenging dark informative reflective slow-paced

3.5

I am currently doing research regarding the Contagious Diseases Acts, and that is why I picked up Attwood's book in the first place. I think that had an argument that is very important to understand not only the concept of sex work itself, but to better understand the Victorian era. History has been divided up into all of these sections that are taught and seen as static in values and beliefs, but that is simply not the case. We could never define now as one dominant way of life or event, so why should history be viewed that way at all? 

Beach Read by Emily Henry

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I grabbed this book as an easy read, and while it was, I was a bit surprised how much I loved it!! Will have to look into more of her work :) 

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I was never assigned this in high school and think that is when most people tend to read this book, so I thought that I would read it and see why it is assigned so frequently. I liked it, but I dont think that it really lived up to the expectations I had, because so many people seem to love it. 

Bunny by Mona Awad

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

My brain hurts from reading this book but honestly serve 

Queer in Translation: Sexual Politics Under Neoliberal Islam by Evren Savci

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

I think that this book had a lot of important questions that are difficult but need to be talked about. The concepts of bare life I found particularly helpful, but I found myself confused with a lot of the discussion of removing identity politics. I guess that may be "the point" in some ways, but I would have liked a little more info. A lot can also be applied to Foucauldian concepts of biopolitics, and it also would have been nice to see a little more of that. overall, very important read, especially for those interested in political theory.  

Propaganda by Edward Bernays

challenging informative reflective fast-paced

3.5

I think that this book is very important to the understanding of propaganda and what it really is. keep in mind when it was written with some of the information, but  I would say that a majority of the information and examples are topical and very interesting to learn and read about. 

Freedom's Dominion: A Saga of White Resistance to Federal Power by Jefferson Cowie

challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.0

A very topical book with a lot of very valuable information and insights that a lot of people need to be made aware of. 

Atmospheres of Violence: Structuring Antagonism and the Trans/Queer Ungovernable by Eric A. Stanley

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.0

I think this was very insightful and important to read, however, i don’t agree with everything Stanley argued in a theoretical sense.