So, books. What should I buy?

[KittyTwoShoes]

I haven't read any of the feminist literature that's talked about on here, and I want to. I'm a pretty broke student, so I can't afford to go out and buy everything, but I can probably afford to buy one or two books at the moment. It makes sense to get some that could be used for my dissertation too, so would you mind suggesting some of your favourites and telling me roughly what they're about? (I haven't chosen a title yet, part of the reason I want some books is for some inspiration.)

Thanks!

ok well I would suggest you get one new one and one classic if you can afford 2.

There are 3 out recently that are all good and cover much of the same ground in different ways - The Equality Illusion, Living Dolls and Reclaiming the F Word. Of these my personal recommendation would be the first.

they all explain why feminism is still important and look at what some of the issues are for women in this country today.

aaargh, Riven, me too. It's that bloody referencing system Routledge always make people use where they have the refs in brackets in the text.

Kitty - for a second book you could go more deeply into a particular issue, so you could tell us what you're interested in & someone can recommend. If you're interested in feminist readings of English literature, Kate Millet's Sexual Politics is very good. If you're interested in issues around beauty, the one Riven mentioned or The Beauty Myth.

Yes, tell us some more ...

The library is your friend, it has surprisingly new books too!

I am currenly reading Delusions of Gender by Cordelia Fine and it is ace.

I want to read Delusions of Gender as well. I find her kickass approach refreshing. I love it when someone takes on the establishment and, without apology, comes up with something intuitively right and deliciously leftfield.

I'm getting mine from the library though.

It's quite funny too as she rips apart peoples' whole careers.

tee hee, I've just been reading the extract on Amazon - looks superb!

Aaaah like I needed another book, and now I've gone and ordered it! I knew it was trouble coming on here

Thanks! I'll get the Equality Illusion definitely, and have a look at some of the other suggestion.

I have got that book SGM!
It is one of those books that functions like a magic wand to allow you to see through bullshit - wave it over a feature about Tana Ramsey and the words on the page are magically altered. It allows you to start laughing at the dishonesty of the whole shtick instead of feel faintly depressed about your own failure to be superwoman.

Y'know, I think we could categorise feminist books into 'books that make you feel better' and 'books that make you feel worse'. Eg the Brownmiller rape book, though excellent, leaves you a bit gloomy whereas The Mommy Myth and probably Delusions of Gender cheer you up no end.

Do read Fear of Flying by Erica Jong

Very 70s and a novel - it's a great read!

Novels-wise, "woman on the edge of time", by Marge Piercy is a classic, fro mthe 1980's I think. Thye story about a woman who is labelled mentally ill and a child abuser, as it fits her husband and society to d othis. BUT she has visions of an alternative utopian future, though has to fight to avoid a desparately sexist and discriminatory one. Really a joy to read.

The Handmaids Tale, Margaret Atwood - dark and scary vision of future, where women are named as property of husband eg "Of/fred" - lots of social control techniques you will recognise.

Oooh, thanks dittany!

I've ordered The Handmaids Tale, too, because it looks so interesting. Should be arriving tomorrow - I'm pathetically excited.

it's bleak. Brace yourself.

Just about anything by Barbara Kingsolver would be good. My favorite is 'Prodigal Summer' because it's also got a large aspect of people living and working with nature. There's a wonderful incident where I think she set herself the task of getting a woman and a man together as if they were wild animals, meeting first with suspicion, then sniffing each other all over, then mating, and then the male slipping off into the woods not knowing if he's left the female pregnant or not (which isn't entirely fair to human characters, but that's what you get if you read a novel written by a biologist).

great free links dittany. LOVE A Room of One's Own and it's very readable.

Handmaid's Tale is brilliant SweetKitty. I found it excellent but not too upsetting, but I was a hard-as-nails teenager at the time! :)

If you want a historical perspective try this : Book of the City of Ladies from 1400ish - but don't worry it's a modern translation! (V funny analysis of it here)