Naomi Wolf

[Jbr]

I've just been on a different site and someone was talking about Naomi Wolf. She is a writer and has a book out called "Misconceptions". It is about child birth in the US and how all her feminist principles were forced to go out of the window when the baby was actually bought home.

She says everything should be shared but in an article in the Guardian "who's left holding the baby" she says very often companies won't co-operate to let men have time off. And worse, some women won't co-operate because they don't care about equal rights.

[Jbr]

Actually the bit about child birth was scary because she is talking about hospitals being run like a business; which I suppose they all are in the US.

[Jbr]

Her talk on The Guardian wasn't very good. I went to read the transcript and found about 6 answers. She's a bit too tolerant of sexism if you ask me.

[Bossykate]

Has anyone else read this? I was wondering whether to get it and would love to hear some opinions first! What about A Life's Work by Rachel Cusk (recently serialised on R4 - but didn't hear it)? Any comments gratefully received. Thanks.

[Bexi]

I've just started reading 'Misconceptions'. It didn't get a great review in the newspaper (can't remember which one) but I thought it looked interesting so I bought it. I have to say that so far I'm not really enjoying it, I think it may be because it's based on her experiences in America so there isn't too much that she's saying that relates to my own experience of pregnancy and childbirth. Having said that I'm only a few chapters into it so I've not really given it much chance yet. Some of it is quite shocking, I've just read a bit about her ante-natal classes which she says were basically adverts for the way the hospital wanted you to give birth, eg. programmes of women struggling to cope with natural methods of pain relief next to programmes of women who've had an epidural and who are smiling and chatting to their partners and enjoying their experience of childbirth more.
I'd also be interested in hearing about what people think of 'A Life's Work', I might read that next. I was going to buy both books but they were £13 each so I quite literally judged them by their covers and chose Naomi Wolf's first.

[Croppy]

I listened to bits of the serialisation of Rachel Cusk's book on Radio 4 and didn't enjoy it at all. I found it far too melodramatic and basicallt very irritating. She really did seem to be carrying on as if nobody had ever had a baby before!

[Marina]

I must admit I haven't read either Naomi or Rachel - I prefer my books on parenting a little less mannered and whingey (if the reviews are anything to go by). Kate Figes managed it OK with Life After Birth, which I found revelatory and helpful at the same time. Most of the reviews of the Cusk book repeated Croppy's point - that she carried on as though no-one ever really articulated the angst of being a mother until she deigned to spell it out for the rest of us no-brains. Hmm, try any of the threads on here, Rachel dear. Prose not quite as stylised as your own oeuvre, of course.
Go on then Bexi, do us all a favour and report back...

[Bexi]

Bexi's Book Review:
(Please bear in mind that the last time I reviewed a book was for a Brownie badge.)
On the whole I was dissappointed with 'Misconceptions'. The book focusses mainly on pregnancy and childbirth in America and the many unneccesary medical interventions performed, not because they make childbirth safer for the mother and baby (she argues) but because the hospitals and obstetricians make more money (from health insurance) from surgery than straightforward vaginal births, and because of fear of litigation. She makes many comparisons with Britain which has a much lower c-section and episiotomy rate. I'd say it's definitely written largely for an American audience, I found most of it fairly dull.
The end section about post-natal experiences was pretty irritating: Naomi Wolf seems to be under the misconception that babies always have two parents as single parents barely get a mention.
There's also a lengthy chapter about returning to work and her decision to employ a part-time "care-giver" enabling her to do so. Many other people's experiences are included similar to her own but none from parents whose financial situation is that they both have to work as many hours as possible but cannot afford any childcare, or parents unable to work because there is no childacare available at all, or their wages would be lower than nursery fees etc.
There is a bit tacked on towards the end of the chapter when she realises that "men and women employing care givers are the privileged minority" when she goes on a little bit about the social problems faced by the care-givers themselves, many from very poor countries. It was a bit more interesting (and shocking) than reading about the problems Naomi Wolf and her friends faced trying to juggle work, nannies and motherhood. (I am sorry...this review is beggining to be as dull as the book itself...)
Having said all of that, it's not too bad, I've read much worse, some of it was interesting but she seemed to leave a lot out. Since it's based on her own experiences this is not too surprising. It probably is worth reading but try to borrow a copy and not waste £13 on it. Grrrr.

[Lizzer]

So Bexi, does that mean I can borrow it off you then??!

[Jbr]

It sounds like a load of bobbins doesn't it?

[Wornout]

I have to ask JBR, what is your Job title? You some times seem to find some quite unusual pieces of info. When I read this back to my self it sounds like I am being sarcastic, I can asure you that I am not, as you can not write with a tone of voice it can seem different to what you mean. Only curious that's all.

[Jbr]

My job title? I work for the Strategic Rail Authority, I'm a Board Member (official title) going around checking trains for cleaniless etc etc. Incidentally, in the North East they are getting "silent trains" where certain parts of the carriage are for people who don't want to be disturbed by phones, and talking etc etc.

I was a researcher and prior to that an editor so I am still in the habit of tracking down useless pieces of info in my spare time LOL!

[Wornout]

Ooooh, that sounds very posh! I did ready about the silent carriages in the Metro this morning, it made me laugh because it said "a haven of peace & tranquility", which made it sound such a pleasurable experience. Anyway I was just curious to your researching. Catch you later.

[Jolly]

Jbr, does the Silent Train thing mean that you can't travel in those carriages if you have young children?

[Bexi]

A friend of mine accidently booked himself into a quiet carriage the other week, he was annoyed at himself because it meant he had to sit for 5 hrs and not listen to his personal stereo. The guy sitting opposite him's phone rang (he'd thought it switched it off and looked really embarrased and apologetic) so he was trying to make his excuses and end his call when another man snapped 'I hope you realise this is a quiet coach', more apologies and still trying to end his call when the man yelled at him 'DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID...THIS IS A QUIET COACH!' Apparently this amused everyone in the carriage - except the angry man.

[Jbr]

LOL! I don't know about the young children in all honesty. It just says no computers, mobiles etc. Presumably no stereos or hand held games either.

I would check with your local train station first if you are thinking of going anywhere. Hey I'm getting good at this. I am passing the buck already LOL!

On a different note, in my local Employment Service there is a sign which says "if children are noisy or disruptive we have to right to suspend appointments and claims".