What books shall I buy?

[FlamingoBingo]

I have a £25 amazon voucher that I'm hoping I can spend at the F-Word. I have 'Reclaiming the F-Word', 'Living Dolls', and 'The Equality Illusion' - what would you buy next?

I read The Beauty Myth - I kept waiting for her to make a point that didn't seem obvious. I mean many of the anecdotes were interesting and revealing, and Wolf writes well, but the main point was a bit of a given I felt.

I found Bananas Beaches and Bases by Cynthia Enloe much more interesting and eye-opening.

Also, thought not strictly a feminist book, I Put a spell on you by Wendy Buonaventura (sp?) was absolutely fascinating - it's a history of dance but it also explores the politics of the body and personal space.

If you request them, they often buy them I think.

No worries about barging in, if it means more recommendations on here, coleysworth

My local libraries are a bit shit for feminist stuff, though - am planning, once I have written my booklist out, to bombard their website with recommendations

Yes I need to use mine more. I always run up such huge fines though as I never remember to take them back. I shall redeem myself
(Although I do like to think my fines are a donation to a good cause.)

I'm going to my library today too so will look there before splurging on amazon. Good thinking AW. I used to use my library all the time but have got out of the habit over the last couple of years for one reason and another. Mustn't let libraries go down the pan!

I'm off the the library this morning to take out my maximum allocation of books for the library protest thing so I'll see what Alice Walkers I can find.

I'm off to Amazon immediately ...

Embarrassed to say no, I've never read any Alice Walker at all It's definitely about time I did isn't it! Thanks dittany :)

Ooops sorry, just re-read

Women's Room, Marilyn French.

I've just ordered Backlash. Shame it's too late for the bookclub but reading the discussion there really gave me a burning need to read it, so thanks to all for that :)

Hope you don't mind my barging onto your thread to ask this, Flamingo, but I'd love some fiction recommendations. I've already read many of Margaret Atwood's novels (loved Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake) and I've got Women's Room and a Charlotte Perkins Gilman on my 'to read' pile, but would love more suggestions for feminist (in the broadest possible sense i.e. not necessarily self-proclaimingly feminist, but exploring some aspect or aspects of women's reality in a truthful sort of way, iyswim) fiction. Blimey that was a long sentence

I think Backlash is essential reading, it's from 20 years ago but could have been written today. It's full of good stuff, but also serves to remind us that things are no longer really getting better, in fact if we don't watch out they'll get worse (again).

Need to go to bed...went for Backlash in the end!

Or One Dimensional Woman

Ok, about to click order soon - I've got Delusions of Gender and Women Revolution. Now I have to choose:

Backlash is slightly more expensive than...
The Beauty Myth

Which is best, do you think?

Virago stuff?

Nawal El-Saadawi is an Egyptian feminist (very topical ) who writes fiction too.

I reread Oranges are not the Only Fruit recently. Which I enjoyed as a teen. Don't know much about here though.

Ok, thanks! Isn't Jeannette Winterton a good feminist author too? Anyone else?

That isn't meant to be as abrupt as that sounds btw

Browse the Margaret Atwood in Waterstones then.