Wednesday’s Words #5: Women

Published on by Rachelle

Feminist

We’re well past Women’s History Month, but, as many of you know, I recently finished The Essential Feminist Reader.  Instead of writing a review of the book, I’ve decided to share my favorite quotes from the many well thought out pieces of writing that were included in it.

“I would venture that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman.” – Virginia Wolf

I love Virginia Wolf and her essay “A Room of One’s Own”.  I own it as an ebook, and I don’t think I’ll ever archive it because there are too many great lines that I enjoy looking up from time to time.  I really should get a physical copy.  This is probably the most well-known quote from that essay.  I will probably do a “Wednesday’s Words” dedicated just to her in the near future.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal…” – Elizabeth Cady Stanton

It wasn’t until I was 14 when I happened upon a short historical fiction novel about a young woman living during the height of the Suffragette’s fight for the vote, and I was so confused because no one had ever told me anything about it.  Why hadn’t I learned about this in school?  Did this really happen?  I’m pretty sure I checked out every single book about women’s history and Feminism from the library that year.

“Woman must write her self: must write about women and bring women to writing…Woman must put herself into the text – as into the world and into history – by her own movement.” – Hélène Cixous

When I was going to school, women’s history simply wasn’t taught, and despite having a few very progressive women teachers in high school, including one who taught US History, the subject was never brought up.  If it weren’t for my curiosity and the public library, I wouldn’t have known anything about it.  I don’t know if that’s changing or has already changed, but I know there are organizations trying to ensure that young girls grow up knowing of all the great women who have done and accomplished so much.  A Mighty Girl is one of them.

“…BECAUSE us girls crave records and books and fanzines that speak to US that WE feel included and can understand in our own ways…

BECAUSE we want and need to encourage and be encouraged in the face of all our own insecurities, in the face of beergutboyrock that tells us we can’t play our instruments,…

BECAUSE we don’t wanna assimilate to someone else’s (boy) standards of what is or isn’t cool…

BECAUSE we see fostering and supporting girl scenes and girl artists of all kinds as integral to this process…

BECAUSE we are angry at a society that tells us Girl = Dumb, Girl = Bad, Girl = Weak…

BECAUSE I believe with my wholeheartmindbody that girls constitute a revolutionary soul force that can, and will change the world for real.”

– Kathleen Hanna and Bikini Kill, “Riot Grrrl Manifesto”

I was reading about Feminism when the Third Wave and the Riot Grrrl movement were already well established.  There was nothing about the Third Wave in the library, so I didn’t know about it until I was much older, but I was and still am, a huge music geek, and I listened to Bikini Kill  and other Riot Grrrl bands while I read about the Feminism of the 70’s and 80’s.  Because I surrounded myself with the stories of great women and the increasing amount of women in rock during the 90’s, I almost didn’t believe that sexism was still an issue.  I experienced sexism all the time, and I don’t even know how many times I listened to songs like “Just a Girl” by No Doubt, but it wasn’t until I was an adult and was faced with it in such a way that there was no denying what it was, that I began seeing how much I had internalized and accepted without a thought.  Up until that point, Feminism was just a part of Women’s History to me.  I began listening to all those old songs from my teen years and slowly rediscovered my favorite Feminist books and finding newer ones to love.  I’ve never looked back or questioned the existence of sexism again.

“I am sick of the way women are negated, violated, devalued, ignored.  I am livid, unrelenting in my anger at those who invade my space, who wish to take away my rights, who refuse to hear my voice…My anger and awareness must translate into tangible action…I am not a postfeminism feminist.  I am the Third Wave.” – Rebecca Walker

 

Review: Seeking Daylight Parts I and II

Published on by Rachelle

Journey Thrones

  • Author: P.J. Owen
  • Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy

I listened to Journey to the Underhill Gates at podiobooks.com and I received The Thrones of Fire and Stone through P.J. Owen’s website.

The “Seeking Daylight” story is broken up into parts like a TV mini-series.  From my understanding, there are five parts, four of which have been published, but I didn’t know that going in, and I was only able to get the first two parts for free.  Since I’m participating in the #ShelfLove No Book Buying Challenge, it’s going to be a while before I can read the remaining parts.  I came close to deciding not to write a review because of that, but, given the current prices of the remaining parts in ebook format, I’d have no problem with buying them if it weren’t for the challenge.  Together, I wouldn’t be paying much more than a mass market paperback, which the entire story’s page count would be about equal to.  Once the fifth book has been published, the complete set would make a nice little gift for any middle-grade reader.

That’s not an advertisement; I just really enjoyed these first two parts of the story.  There are some minor similarities to the Harry Potter series, but that seems to be common in middle-grade books these days, and the Harry Potter series certainly wasn’t the first to have a group of three children, two boys and one girl, all students at a school in which they’re living, finding themselves in an unexpected scrape in an underground place that they had no idea existed.  Also, there is a prophesy that no one is explaining, involving Louis, who is a bit similar to Harry.

Unlike other middle-grade books I’ve read, though, this doesn’t feel like a ripoff.  At least, not these first two parts.  I’ll have to let you know if I change my mind about that after I eventually read the remaining parts of the story.  Until then, since these first two are free, and not even 200 pages long, give them a chance and decide for yourself.  They’re the makings of a great Fantasy story.

#FitReaders Check-In #18

Published on by Rachelle1 Comment
Geeky Bloggers Book Blog
  • This check-in is for April 27th – May 3rd.  I did almost 10K more steps this week than last, and a little more than half of what I would need to do to meet my goal of 8K steps per day.  So far, the gradual increase in steps seems to be working since I feel good and my back hasn’t been hurting me.  I hope that continues as I add more steps.
  • I recently found out about Plus3, a fitness and charity site where you can create a profile, link a fitness device such as FitBit (or enter in your activity manually), and “donate” your steps to charity.  They convert your steps and other activities into money that goes to a charity you choose from the ones they have available.  So, from now on, I’ll be updating the total amount of money I’ve donated to Doctors Without Borders.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Steps: 28,526
  • Distance: 11.73 miles
  • Flights of stairs: 61
  • Total Money Donated: $0.76 – this is not for the whole week since I didn’t sign up until Friday.

The House of Spirits Read-Along: Week 4 Recap

Published on by Rachelle

House

Below is the chapter breakdown that will take us all the way to May 15th.  I’m doing a recap each week, and in the end I’ll do an overall review of the book.  If you’d like to join me, leave a comment!

This week’s recap is for Chapters 8 and 9.  If you’re a little behind, that’s ok!  I’ll clearly mark any spoilers.

This week’s chapters were boring and uneventful compared to last week’s chapters.  I hope the story picks back up soon.

*Spoilers*  Blanca gets along with her new husband until she finds out what is in his “laboratory”.  She flees back to her family’s home and barely makes it before giving birth to her daughter, who she names Alba.  Clara predicts that Alba will always be happy and healthy and have good luck.  Esteban continues to treat everyone in the family, except Alba, whom he adores, like garbage. The only other major event besides Alba’s birth is Clara’s death.  *End Spoilers*

What do you think of the story and the characters so far?  All comments about the book are welcome, but please mark any spoilers.

Monday’s Minutes #18

Published on by Rachelle

Currently Reading: At the Water’s Edge by Sara Gruen, a review book, The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon, and The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende for the Classics Club Spin #9.

Edge Sparrow Fiery House

Finished:  The Dream Lover by Elizabeth Berg, Journey to the Underhill Gates and The Thrones of Fire and Stone by P.J. Owen.

Dream Journey Thrones

Challenges:

S&S Bingo2update9

Total pages read for the week: 434.

Total # of books for the year: 26.  In the process of wrapping up the semester, I spent more time writing and drinking copious amounts of caffeine than I did anything else, including sleeping.  Once I completed everything, I crashed, and so, with the exception of Friday night, I didn’t get much reading done.  My last day of class is today!  All I’ve got left now are Finals.

Top Commenters: This week, my Top Commenter was Shaina @ Shaina Reads.

What are you reading this week?

#ShelfLove: Pretty Please?!

Published on by Rachelle

showyourshelves_zps8f6e8b06-png320x480For May, those of us participating in the #ShelfLove No Book Buying Challenge are supposed to give our best “sales pitch” for why we should be allowed to buy a certain book.  So, just this once, I’m amending my decision to not buy any books this year, with the exception of using gift cards, IF I convince you, dear readers, to give me permission.  There’s a poll at the end of this post where you will have the chance to tell me “aye” or “nay”.

The book:  The Outlandish Companion, Vol. 2 by Diana Gabaldon

Outlandish 2

Why I want to buy this book:

  1. I’m obsessed with Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series (Jamie and Claire are my OTP.)
  2. I’m obsessed with all things Scottish (Except whiskey.  I’m a rum girl.)
  3. I already have Volume 1.
  4. It would help me in completing my Outlander collection.

Why I should be allowed to buy this book:

  1. It would help complete my collection.
  2. It doesn’t come out until October of this year, so it’s a present that I can look forward to getting.
  3. I will be using the money I get from my box of books that I will be taking to the used book store (My original plan was to take the box in at the end of the year for next year’s book budget).  Since this is a brand new hardcover book, that means I’ll have to fill the box, and then some, to have enough money.  In other words, I’ll be clearing off shelf space (the whole purpose of the #ShelfLove challenge) in order to buy it.  The last I checked, it was just over $28 as a pre-order.

[polldaddy poll=8835124]

The poll closes a week from now, and I’ll post the results in the next “Monday’s Minutes”.

Friday’s Fairy Tales: Snow White

Published on by Rachelle
Goodnight - Aphrodite
Image: Aphrodite

As sometimes happens with fairy tales, “Snow White” is based on a true story.  Margarete von Waldeck was a 16th century Bavarian noblewoman who grew up in Bad Wildungen with a stepmother who despised her and sent her off to Brussels to get rid of her.  Prince Philip II fell in love with Margarete, but his father, the king of Spain, didn’t approve and had her killed with poison.  The dwarves came from Margarete’s brother’s use of child labor in his copper mine.  The work caused severe deformities in the children, and so they were called dwarves. The poison apple came from the spoiled fruit that an old man would give to the children, especially if he believed they had stolen from him.

The first written version of the story was by the Grimm Brothers, published in 1812, and it was considerably darker than both the true story and the Disney version.  Instead of a stepmother, it’s Snow White’s mother who treats her so horribly, and, instead of ordering the huntsman to bring back Snow White’s heart, she tells him to bring back the liver and lungs because she wants to eat them.  Even more gruesome is that when the Prince finds Snow White, she’s not sleeping, but dead, and the Prince knows that when he carts off her body.  It’s not until during the trip that the coffin gets bumped, the piece of poisoned apple gets dislodged from Snow White’s throat, and Snow White comes back to life.  The “happily ever after” involves her mother being forced to dance to death in a pair of heated iron shoes after she comes to the wedding, which she was invited to attend. I’m not really sure which of the two is more evil, but I don’t see Snow White as being the innocent she’s portrayed to be.  I would love to read a modern day retelling that depicts Snow White as the one who’s evil instead of the stepmother.

Speaking of retellings, here’s the list:

Thursday’s Things #4

Published on by Rachelle
1001 Things
Original Image: Viktor Hertz

 

Bout of Books 13!

Published on by Rachelle
Bout of Books
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 11th and runs through Sunday, May 17th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 13 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team

It’s that time again!  I’m super excited about this Bout of Books because, with the exception of two Final exams, I’ve got the whole week to read, read, read!

Time Devoted to Reading

I will be reading every day of the week whenever I’m not running errands, studying for those Finals, or spending time with the Boyfriend.

My Goals

  • finish off whatever books I’m currently reading.
  • Read at least one new book off of my TBR shelf.
  • I want to be able to finish at least 3 books, but I’m really hoping I’ll be able to finish 4.

Books to Read

This list might change by May 11th, so I’ll be sure to update it.

  • The Dream Lover by Elizabeth Berg
  • The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
  • The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon
  • At the Water’s Edge by Sara Gruen

Updates

I will be updating with one post each day with the number of books I’ve read that day, the titles of the books I’ve finished, and the total number of books read.  If I wasn’t able to finish a book that day, I’ll put the number of pages read instead.

#FitReaders Check-In #17

Published on by Rachelle
Geeky Bloggers Book Blog
  • This check-in is for April 20th – 26th.  I really took it easy this past week.  I don’t know how this week is going to go, and I’m not trying to meet my goal of averaging 8K steps per day, but I’m hoping to steadily increase my steps.  I think a gradual increase over the next couple weeks will help me get back to where I was without hurting my back again.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Steps: 19,096
  • Distance: 7.83 miles
  • Flights of stairs: 25