Recommended Reading?

[mypoosmellsofroses]

Bit of background - I'm 42 and have always considered myself a feminist, was brought up in a household where Mum and Dad had very equal roles, so much so that it came as a bit of a shock to get older and realise that not everyone was like that. In my 20s and 30s things went tits up due to a crap relationship, my ex is an abusive twunt and in hindsight (wonderful thing that hindsight) a complete sexist pig to boot. I spent years hating myself for not looking/acting/being a "proper" woman. Fast fwd to now, my DH is polar opposite, and I am happy being me, doesn't sound much, but is a pretty big deal compared to before!
I've had issues with some messages within feminism, esp regarding porn/sex work etc as empowering. My experiences with my ex were anything but empowering, and I try to keep an open mind and remember that every woman's story is different, but those kind of messages are hard for me to take on board and process properly.
Anyway, what I wanted to ask, as I have a birthday coming up, and would like to ask for books is your recommendations for feminist reading? What would you have on your "must read" list and why?

Hi OP, I didn't want to read and run.
I'm not the most well read person on this board but I'd recommend The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf and also The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan (a golden oldie).

Would also v much like to hear others' recommendations.

Living dolls
And the Caitlyn Moran book are both good

Delusions of gender
the Second Sex

I have also been working my way through the back catalogue of the Virago and Persephone publishing houses. Virago publishes a lot of history/philosophy and fiction written by women, Persephone republishes neglected books by mainly female writers.

Does anyone remember The Woman's Room

Read it when I was about 13, still remember it pretty well and it's on my wishlist

I reread The Women's Room on Kindle very recently, it's still really relevant.

Love Persephone books.

I'm currently reading Delusions of Gender.

I read Backlash by Susan Faludi fairly early on in my feminist reawakening.

Now there's a frightening book if you want to see how little progress we've made in some areas. But it's good at recognising the signs in the media and obstructions in culture/society that are put in place as soon as women have some gains on the equality stakes.

Wifework is good. ( made me v angry tho!)

Thank you all, off to go and have a look at these now. No decent bookshops close to me, but will research online and get a list to DS, who's at Uni and has some great bookshops nearby. He'll probably read them too, he was quite meh about feminism until 6th form, where he was the only boy in English Lit and they did The Yellow Wallpaper, he got asked every lesson for his "male perspective":)

Check out libraries too. Our area has Wifework and Delusions and Caitlin Moran.

I would add The Equality Illusion to the list.

Do read The Female Eunuch by Germaine Greer. You probably won't agree with all of it but it's a key text.

I personally hated Caitlin Moran's book. I found it superficial, trite and more about her tbh. But if it gets someone into feminism then that's a good thing.

I didn't think it was brilliant either. And yes it is mostly about her. But it's easy reading and isn't bad for some introduction. I was just flagging that you don't have to buy everything.

Wish they taught feminist texts in schools

< dreams >

Wish they taught feminist texts in schools

There was a thread a while ago about books you read at school, it was only then that I realised I'd been asked to read NO books by women at all. That changed the year I left when they got a female head of the English department and suddenly not just female writers but feminist writers were part of the course.

Quite enjoyed Caitlin Moran's book personally. Delusions of Gender is very good, as is Pink Brain, Blue Brain which covers a lot of the same ground. Susan Faludi's Backlash is very well researched but phenomenally depressing because of it. Read Margaret Atwood and Sarah Waters for fiction.