- Author: Gloria Steinem
- ISBN: 9780679456209
- Genre: Non-Fiction/Memoir
- Pages: 276
I received this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t often read non-fiction, and I’m even less likely to read a memoir. However, I’ve considered myself to be a Feminist for most of my life, and when I saw Gloria Steinem’s new book on Netgalley, I had to request it. Beyond a few minor details, I don’t know much about her, and I’ve never read any of her other books.
She’s an excellent writer and story teller. That alone makes My Life on the Road worth reading. She’s led a life of travel to the point that I think a better title might be “The Road: My Life.” So, if you’re looking for a good armchair travel experience, this book is it. Though the writing style is considerably different, I would say the book as a whole is similar to Henry Rollins’ Smile, You’re Traveling. The only issue I had with My Life on the Road was Steinem’s very biased portrayal of political events. Not having known much about a couple of the events she wrote about, I later learned through some research that, though she was factually accurate, she didn’t give the full story, and her incomplete version was a bit misleading. With that being said, I wasn’t expecting a bias-free book. This is still a memoir, and, therefore, mostly her personal opinions and observations. Besides, when have politics ever been unbiased? Ultimately, the result is that I became interested in learning more about the subjects she discussed, and that’s a win-win as far as I’m concerned.
A lot of celebrity memoirs have been released within the past couple of years, and it seems to be the new trend. Even if you’re not a Feminist, but you love a bit of armchair travel, this one is an excellent choice.
