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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

A book about women and taking up space and how manly men do nature writing

60 replies

Iwrotesomething · 12/06/2024 18:26

I would not, honestly, usually do this kind of self promotion but I am a long time, name changing denizen of this place and in my defence a) I mentioned this on another thread and people were interested and b) @Boiledbeetle is reading it and told me to do it and so I had to. Also, you might like it.

It's called The Hard Way, and the narrative is me walking some of the oldest roads in England, but while doing that thinking about why it is hard for women to walk alone, why they are meant to stay at home while men stride out and write about nature, and all the artists are men too. And then I discovered that there were all sorts of great women but either they had to shell peas for the Male Great Artists or we forgot that they wrote anything.

Also gerbils. But this username will self-destruct after this thread.

OP posts:
FleetingSeas · 12/06/2024 19:19

Oops, another book downloaded courtesy of MN. Thank you @Iwrotesomething it looks just my cup of tea.

Ariana12 · 12/06/2024 19:17

There was a really good article in the New Statesman about the Mumsnet manifesto. It's by Hannah Barnes. Straightforward reporting, pointing out the importance of the issues. Not snarky at all as the media often is. I saw it on Twitter and liked it so others would see ot

SydneyCarton · 12/06/2024 19:15

It looks great and I’m sure I remember you talking about it on the previous thread. You’ve also reminded me of a poem I used to like and had completely forgotten about until now

Lynn Peters - Poems

This is the personal home page of Lynn Peters from Purley, .

https://www.lynnpeters.co.uk/home/poems/

exexpat · 12/06/2024 19:12

Is Susannah Walker a pen-name, or just a great example of nominative determinism?

Villagetoraiseachild · 12/06/2024 19:03

You must always obey Boiled Beetle!
Well done on your book!

Slothtoes · 12/06/2024 19:01

Good for you, it’s a very important topic- its a huge public health issue not just regarding women’s equal rights to have a connection with nature but also women’s rights to exercise- even if women can in theory get out of the house, they may have nowhere they feel safe to go alone.

ElleneAsanto · 12/06/2024 18:46

I can’t say I recognise your scenario about why it is hard for women to walk alone, why they are meant to stay at home while men stride out and write about nature, and all the artists are men too. Maybe the experience was what they wanted, not writing and selling a book? Plenty of superb writing about nature. Rachel Carson eg was an inspiration to the modern green movement.

My best friend’s mother was personal secretary to Freya Stark in the 1940s. (Yes, we are old)

Best wishes for the book though, writing a book is an achievement I wouldn’t have the dedication for! I hope it goes well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freya_Stark

Freya Stark - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freya_Stark

Waitwhat23 · 12/06/2024 18:43

Found it on Amazon and have added it to my books to buy list. It looks very interesting!

Meadowwild · 12/06/2024 18:38

Hah. What a coincidence. I know you irl and loved a previous book of yours. Also love the subject. I live in the countryside with beautiful walks. But a couple of years ago a neighbour's son hammered a woman he'd never met before almost to death on a pretty footpath near us and since then I have had to force myself to walk alone and do it rarely even though I long to. So...I will read you book and try to remember he's been put away and I have the right to enjoy the countryside as much as my 6ft DH who walks alone happily every day.