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 |  A blog for all things personal, informational, educational, and fun. |
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Here at my personal blog Thoughts & Things, I share a wide variety of, you guessed it, thoughts and things. Anything that sparks my interest is up for discussion. For those who are uncertain of what that might cover, I'll generally talk about reading, writing, books, movies, music, games, history, current events, and feminism. I talk about my personal emotional and health struggles from time to time. I'm also a big fan of lists. This is the place here at WDC where you can get to know me best, as I talk about the things that interest me, impact me, and amuse me. |
| Beginning to read feminist literature can feel a bit intimidating for those who are less experienced with it, even if they identify with feminist ideals. Even with a few books under your belt, it can feel intimidating. The "classics" of nonfiction feminism are often quite lengthy (such as The Second Sex), or perhaps more applicable to to a bygone era (such as The Feminine Mystique). It can also be hard to know beforehand if a book is a bit too academic for the casual reader--no one wants to get into a nonfiction piece only to discover it was designed to be used as a textbook rather than for pleasure reading. After reading through a number of feminist books, I have created this list (with brief explanations) of nonfiction feminism books that are suitable for anyone who is new to feminism or new to reading about feminism, whether they are a teenager or an adult. Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World Edited by Kelly Jensen Here We Are is targeted towards teenagers, but is absolutely still accessible for adults. It contains essays, lists, and comics from dozens of different people, all addressing different feminist issues. It is probably the most inclusive introductory feminist book I have ever read. It includes well known figures such as Laverne Cox, Mindy Kaling, Laurie Halse Anderson, Roxane Gay, and many more, as well as many lesser known writers. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay Bad Feminist is a collection of essays, all written by Roxane Gay, that deal with different feminist issues. It examines her own life, the political, and the cultural, with many well thought out ideas shared within. It addresses the issue of feeling like an imperfect feminist, and it is a very accessible read, usually more casual than academic. Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics by bell hooks bell hooks has been a brilliant voice in feminism for decades, and Feminism is for Everybody is a perfect example. It does get a bit academic in its language at times, but it addresses a number of feminist issues and is a short read. Despite being one of the oldest books on this list, it was incredibly ahead of its time and remains a helpful read. We Should All Be Feminists and Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Both of these books from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie are individual essays in book format, and won't take much time to read, even when read back together. The former offers many of her thoughts, adapted from her TED Talk, on feminism and how it can work for so many people. The latter offers feminist parenting advice, that is generally good advice for anyone regardless of their status with children. Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit A fairly short essay collection, the highlight of Solnit's Men Explain Things to Me (although the entirety of the collection made interesting points), is the titular essay. Solnit describes the issue of having men over explain things to her, even if she is the more qualified party in the conversation. She is occasionally credited with coining the term "mainsplaining" although she herself states that she did not create the term and does not use it. The collection occasionally gets a little bit academic, but never becomes too overwhelming. Introducing Feminism: A Graphic Guide by Cathia Jenainati, illustrated by Judy Groves Introducing Feminism is primarily short blurbs, accompanied by simple images. It deals with the history of feminism, as well as highlighting the definitions of feminist ideas. It makes good light reading for anyone interested in having more background information on history and terminology before diving into modern concepts. |
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I hate sad endings. They make the best stories though. I guess I'll make reading William Shakespeare my New Year Resolution for next year or something I'd write for Dear Me 2018.