book reviews
Must-read books for and about women, including thought-provoking novels, business books, memoirs and feminist histories.
PLEASURE IS WOMAN - THE VOLUME "A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO PLEASURE" IS OUT
A volume that will cause discussion, starting with the commercial partner who supported it. We are talking about LELO, world leader in the design of sex toys, also called "the ultimate hi tech for intimacy".
By Marco Bonomo5 years ago in Viva
Women, War and Power in David Malouf's 'Ransom'
Women in David Malouf’s Ransom are significant in their absence, remaining confined to the historical and social realities of the novel’s setting. While Malouf’s reinterpretation of the world of Homer’s Iliad explores the nature of violence, war and patrimony, these themes are never removed from their traditionally-understood place within the ‘masculine’ sphere of influence, and the author presents a society, in which woman’s importance exists only in her association with the deeds of great men. As a result, the women in Ransom serve only the roles a patriarchal society will permit; those of wives, mothers and handmaidens. Malouf’s choice not to challenge these stereotypes may be read as a result of his authorial loyalty to the source material, or, more-critically, as an exploration of the ways in which cultural narratives surrounding war and violence are presented as almost-entirely masculine affairs.
By Alexander Gates6 years ago in Viva
Inspirational Women in Fiction
Ayla Ayla is the main character in the Earth’s Children series by Jean M. Auel. An earthquake kills her mother and leaves Ayla an orphan. She wanders around aimlessly, ending on a path of a cave lion, which chases her. Ayla hides in a crack in a rock wall. The lion cannot pull her out put scratches her thigh leaving four deep wounds. A group of Neanderthals eventually find her by a river and the Clan's medicine woman, Iza, adopts her. As Ayla grows up, Iza teaches her about medicines and healing.
By R.S. Sillanpaa6 years ago in Viva
Statues of Real Women
A few years ago it came to our attention that female statues of actual, real women who lived (have a name and birth date) were underrepresented compared to the men. The media coverage seem to be focused on New York City. I started researching the entire United States to see how many I could actually find.
By Paula C. Henderson6 years ago in Viva
5 Books All Women Should Read by Their 20s
1. 'The Handmaid’s Tale' This dystopian novel written by Margret Atwood has not only been adapted into a gripping TV series, it is also one of the most reflective novels about feminism and womanhood that a girl could read. Without explaining the whole plot, the book follows the story of Offred: a woman whose sole purpose in society is to provide a fertile reproductive system for a male called Fred. This novel highlights the height of 1970s/80s feminism and captures the cruel truth about how women are perceived in society. 10/10; a book ALL women should read.
By Leigh Hooper7 years ago in Viva
'The Handmaid's Tale' Analysis: Chapters 9-11
Chapter Nine Offred acknowledges the room as hers, which is a possible sign that her indoctrination is winning over her desire to rebel. She characterizes the room as different parts of a house based off the function the room is currently serving. For example, when she is waiting, it is a waiting room. When she’s sleeping, it’s a bedroom. She suspects that someone has lived in the room before her, due to the empty facet in the ceiling where a light fixture would hang.
By CT Idlehouse7 years ago in Viva
10 Books About Feminism Every Guy Should Read
There seems to be a toxic mindset about gender roles in our society today—one that makes a lot of men full of rage, disdain, and hatred towards women. It's an attitude that makes men think that they understand the entirety of the problems that women face.
By Mackenzie Z. Kennedy7 years ago in Viva
Book Review: 'Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race'
Welcome, Book Readers!! My name is Michael Reynoso and this is “Writer’s Harmony.” Today, I will be doing a book review, which is called Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race, by Margot Lee Shetterly with Winifred Conkling.
By Michael Reynoso7 years ago in Viva
Text Analysis of a Play by Henrik Ibsen
The play explores a young mother’s realization that her life has been spent in a paternalistic environment, passed on to her like a doll from her father’s house to her husband’s. That is, being encouraged to be helpless rather than to think for herself.
By Rose Sours7 years ago in Viva
'The Handmaid's Tale' Analysis: Chapters 6-8
Chapter 6 Offred often describes Ofglen as pious and deliberates on whether it’s sincere or for show. In her inner monologue, she talks of her wings which she calls “blinkers.” Handmaids wear the wings to “keep them from seeing, and also from being seen.” This is Gilead’s approach to eliminating sexual harassment of Handmaids while they do their chores. The wings are also symbolic of the tightly defined space the Handmaids are allowed to roam. Their vision is limited, as is their understanding of the outside world.
By CT Idlehouse7 years ago in Viva
