My disappointment was only partly the fault of the book.
I kept coming across the concept of Beguines in feminist books, especially a recent couple deMy disappointment was only partly the fault of the book.
I kept coming across the concept of Beguines in feminist books, especially a recent couple dealing with the concept of witches. Beguines really sounded like sisters doing it for themselves and not like a slightly different kind of nun, which is why I suggested this book for my feminist book club.
Well, according to Swan, the Beguine movement was entirely about Christianity. I pondered (essentially just to make it more interesting to me, who is not interested in Christian spirituality) whether it could be conceived of as some radical feminist (not that kind) separatist movement that was *of its time* and therefore linked to Christianity, but I struggled to convince myself. The only nod I found was seeing God as a feminine force, which was footnoted as having a precedent in Judaism that I really must look up. (Obviously she looks like Alanis Morrisette.) But that was about it.
And, you know what, fine. The author is a Benedictine sister and can write about what interests her. However, the book really struggled to draw out themes. It really felt like lists of facts/biographies rather than a synthesis of facts, and in that way it failed for me as a non-fiction book. I appreciate the author's research though and am glad someone has chronicled these women who were to various degrees resisting orthodoxy. Myself, I'll just stick to witches....more
A fantastically detailed biography about someone inexplicably (or is that intentionally) lost to history. I really enjoyed the amount of contextual inA fantastically detailed biography about someone inexplicably (or is that intentionally) lost to history. I really enjoyed the amount of contextual information in the book. Anand spends a huge amount of time on the story of Sophia's forebears in the Punjab, the history of the British in the subcontinent, and even the history of Sikhism. Was also rooting for the sister who fell in love with a German woman (although at a problematic point in history). What a story....more
Fascinating subject matter pushes this great popsci book up to 4 stars. Both the techniques and the results of ancient DNA analysis are engrossing, anFascinating subject matter pushes this great popsci book up to 4 stars. Both the techniques and the results of ancient DNA analysis are engrossing, and it's amazing how fast this field is moving. I liked the fact that Reich didn't shy away from the ethics of the field, while clearly giving his own view. This book also neatly gave me background to the Nobel Prize for Medicine awarded the week after I finished it, which was handy!...more
I put off reading this one solely because of the cheesy cover. I am a terrible person. I didn't love it, but kudos to KJ for trying lots of different I put off reading this one solely because of the cheesy cover. I am a terrible person. I didn't love it, but kudos to KJ for trying lots of different styles, themes and periods....more
Very much enjoyed this. The fascinating accounts of precarious life in Victorian Britain and London in particular make up for the amount of speculatioVery much enjoyed this. The fascinating accounts of precarious life in Victorian Britain and London in particular make up for the amount of speculation the author has to include about the thoughts and motivations of her subjects....more
Pretty interesting but somewhat overstayed its welcome. Maybe that's because the last quarter is about Gertrude Stein, who I can't stand.
I have seen Pretty interesting but somewhat overstayed its welcome. Maybe that's because the last quarter is about Gertrude Stein, who I can't stand.
I have seen the reviews here saying the book could have been better on gender identity. I'll defer to those who know more about the subjects of this book, such as Bryher, but I read the introduction not as transphobic (which would have been an inducement to put the book down quick smart) but more a statement of "I can only write what I understand". Not ideal but not coming from a bad place, as far as I could tell....more
I enjoyed this meditation on mudlarking - it was a very relaxing read which reminded me (as if I really need reminding) why I love my city and my riveI enjoyed this meditation on mudlarking - it was a very relaxing read which reminded me (as if I really need reminding) why I love my city and my river. I particularly liked the mixture of history and personal stories. I can't give it more than 3 stars because it became a bit samey as it went on. Definitely enjoyable though....more
This was a really interesting read. I particularly liked the level of detail on newer scientific archaeological methods. Learned lots of niche things This was a really interesting read. I particularly liked the level of detail on newer scientific archaeological methods. Learned lots of niche things like the fact that you have to account for a marine diet when carbon dating remains - because carbon hangs around in the ocean for a long time between being taken from the atmosphere to being consumed, a person who ate predominantly fish would get dated as centuries older than they are if this isn't taken into account. And archaeologists can work out where someone lived in different periods of their lives by the composition of different bones.
Most interesting for me were the examples of circular reasoning I've seen in so many reviews of gender-linked literature. It's very telling that male burials with sword etc are automatically interpreted to be warriors, but when later genotyping reveals that a burial is of a woman, suddenly there is a different explanation for what she was buried with. It shows how much we interpret history through our own assumptions.
I feel that this suffered a little by not having a clear thesis that I understood from the outset, but it was nonetheless fascinating. ...more
Fantastic exhaustive summary for the language geek. I liked McWhorter's informal style and silly jokes. I did feel a bit like I was only getting one sFantastic exhaustive summary for the language geek. I liked McWhorter's informal style and silly jokes. I did feel a bit like I was only getting one side of the story on contentious issues, but one can't deny he knows his stuff....more
This was probably 3.5 stars but I'm rounding up for being completely unusual. Brodsky reimagines the meeting of Inuit and Vikings on Baffin Island aboThis was probably 3.5 stars but I'm rounding up for being completely unusual. Brodsky reimagines the meeting of Inuit and Vikings on Baffin Island about 1000 years ago. I loved from the beginning the reality of the Inuit gods, and I don't think it's too much of a spoiler to say that the epic-ness ratchets up constantly throughout the novel. In fact, the reader who enjoys the depiction of every day Inuit life in the first part of the book might be disappointed by the way things develop.
It was pretty long but kept my interest throughout. There were various aspects that I had trouble with - gender issues and a pointless, irritating romance - but on the former it did seem like the author had done her homework. Overall, the setting was just so well realised that I was fascinated throughout. Definitely worth a read to see what you think. ...more
This is a hard book to rate. For its importance as a historical record (written by someone who was present) and the quality of the writing I'm giving This is a hard book to rate. For its importance as a historical record (written by someone who was present) and the quality of the writing I'm giving it 4 stars, but I can't avoid the fact that it is Too. Damn. Long. I feel like I have been listening to it for years. I am sure some of the detail could have been omitted to make this overall more interesting. Did we need to know the ins and outs of Peter Staley's life long before we knew why he was going to be important? I am not sure.
Still, I am very happy I read it. It was fascinating to learn about the period of years when nobody knew what was causing the new illness, and all the competing theories of its aetiology. The similarities to the mishandling of the present pandemic are salutary, and the kinds of statements that were made about gay people at the time took my breath away. I cannot imagine what it was like to live through the AIDS crisis: 15 years of continuous illness, death and loss. I am glad of this record. ...more
In Heroines, Kate Zambreno mixes an account of her life and her struggles to be a writer with an examination of the restricted, pathologised lives of In Heroines, Kate Zambreno mixes an account of her life and her struggles to be a writer with an examination of the restricted, pathologised lives of female writers from the early 20th century. She manages to drop in autobiographical details of people I didn't know much about (the Fitzgeralds, T.S. Eliot and Vivien(ne), Jean Rhys, Jane Bowles, among others-) very neatly. Many aspects of her thesis were familiar, but there were some great angles and phrasings. I particularly enjoyed the final portion where she celebrates the type of writing that women can do online (dating the book with reference to LiveJournal and Tumblr).
As I read, I found the style a little self-indulgent and thought the writing could be tighter. However, I was persuaded during the book club discussion that it was appropriate to the themes of the importance of journal writing, automatic writing, blogging. I also find that the distinctive style has stayed with me in a way that this review doesn't quite convey. It suffers a little in comparison with other books along these lines I have read recently (e.g. The Argonauts, Figuring), but it is definitely worth reading. It also provided me with a huge list of other books to seek out!...more
Brilliant - 13 themed chapters that move roughly chronologically from the end of slavery and the fight for woman and black suffrage up to the time of Brilliant - 13 themed chapters that move roughly chronologically from the end of slavery and the fight for woman and black suffrage up to the time of writing in 1981. Cogently argued and supported by detailed knowledge of the events and people concerned, Davis makes the case for feminism being stronger when it takes into account all different types of female experience. It is very US-focussed, but the lessons to be learned are broadly applicable. I enjoyed learning more about the US suffrage movement, which I knew very little about.
It loses a little from the lack of introduction or conclusion to pull together a thesis, but these 13 essays hang together very well and it is not hard for the reader to understand Davis' message....more
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