This is my first introduction to bell hooks's writing. It's her work on liberation pedagogy, structured as stand-alone essays. There was plenty of fooThis is my first introduction to bell hooks's writing. It's her work on liberation pedagogy, structured as stand-alone essays. There was plenty of food for thought. Especially useful the health disparities curriculum I help teach to high school students every summer....more
A pretty wide-ranging look at the history of feminism. Very readable and broad-reaching. I especially appreciated the early chapters about women's rolA pretty wide-ranging look at the history of feminism. Very readable and broad-reaching. I especially appreciated the early chapters about women's roles before feminism and the discussion of capitalism and women. Great food for thought, and a really nice walk through the last 200 years of feminist ideas....more
My reactions to these stories were occasionally, "Is this really science fiction?" and occasionally, "I wouldn't call that feminist!" But that's one oMy reactions to these stories were occasionally, "Is this really science fiction?" and occasionally, "I wouldn't call that feminist!" But that's one of the great things about an anthology that spans a century of social change, scifi, and feminist theory. Still my favorites were almost all at the end with the more recent writers. Standouts for me were "Wives" by Lisa Tuttle and "The Evening and the Morning and the Night" by Octavia Butler. (I really have to read more Butler.) I've seen some complaints that there were omissions, but as I've read Le Guin, but almost none of the others, I was happy to see a variety of authors....more
Genly Ai is an envoy from a federation of planets who share trade, science, and art for the betterment of personkind. He is on a mission to attempt toGenly Ai is an envoy from a federation of planets who share trade, science, and art for the betterment of personkind. He is on a mission to attempt to bring a newly discovered planet into the fold, a harsh and forbidding world that was named Winter by those who first visited. On this world, humans are neither male nor female until they enter their monthly mating cycle, at which point they could become either. This is not the plot of the story, just the backdrop, though the effects of the lack of dichotomy among humans has interesting effects on the society. Genly is in danger as the governments on this world try and decide how to react to his presence, which some consider a danger or invasion.
At first, I had a really hard time understanding the characters from Winter because of the unusual social system that controls most of their communication based on some hard-to-define requirements for reputation. I also had a hard time connecting with Estraven, but I realized that most of that had to do with the main character's inability to accept Estraven as a whole person, and once they made that break through in the story, it was much more easy to cheer for them as a team. I appreciated the interspersed myths that informed the societies and the story. As a feminist work, it seems a little quaint now, though reproduction and childcare being thought of as a responsibility for every human, instead of half of the species is still something the world is struggling with today. Still, I enjoyed it....more
I'm afraid I didn't get as much out of this as a lot of people. The voice of the main character was interesting much of the time. And while I was alreI'm afraid I didn't get as much out of this as a lot of people. The voice of the main character was interesting much of the time. And while I was already aware of the way many women across the world are mistreated and not allowed to be educated and of the dangers of extremists using fear and religious fervor to manipulate the masses, it still gave some food for thought....more
Loading...
