Sacred Hearts

It’s that time again! Time to discuss our book of the month: Sarah Dunant’s Sacred Hearts. In case you missed it, check out the book trailer to get an idea of what you’re missing.

Let’s hop to it!

I loved the way the book opened. The first chapter of Book 1 was an excellent introduction to the story and its setting: picturesque and detailed, but not overwrought. It reminded me of the opening sequence in a film, zooming in and out of all the various characters and story lines that would be introduced and fleshed out.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but found it to be slightly dull.  I’m not sure if it’s my modern mentality that strikes a sharp contrast to the slower pace of convent life?  Or is it my aversion to religious “order”/s of all kinds?  I have this strange obsession with Catholic nuns (my sister and I used to play Nuns, should I blame The Sound of Music?)– I’m fascinated by the details of their daily lives and routines, but shudder to think that I’d ever have a life quite so prescribed.  (Devil’s advocate: my life is almost as rigid as the Convent schedule.  Now: get up, go to work, work, come home, eat, sleep; Then: Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, Nones, Vespers, Compline, Matins.  They just get cooler names for their schedules.)

The Girls Who Went Away: Discuss!

It’s taken me far too long to compose my thoughts about this book. Mayhem has been ever-so-patient and for this I thank her. I apologize, dear readers, I do.

The Girls Who Went Away
by Ann Fessler

This book has been on BTW’s potential-read list for quite some time (since November 23, 2008, in case you were wondering) but for some reason it kept getting passed over for something or other. This cycle we were having trouble deciding what to read so we finally thought “Why not?” And I am so glad we did.

As you know, reproductive freedom is extremely high on our inalienable human rights list and that sex education in this country needs to move from abstinence-only “education” to comprehensive education. With that mindset, The Girls Who Went Away provided a depth and nuance to my understanding of these issues, supporting and furthering their veracity and necessity in my mind. Jennifer Baumgardner, in reviewing this book for Bitch, explained: “I had always been so drawn to reproductive freedom and justice as a catalyzing issue—but had never understood or really thought about the adoption piece.” I, too, had always thought of adoption as this thrilling and positive experience for all parties involved– The Girls Who Went Away exposed me to multitudes of women for whom this was certainly not the case and forced me to confront this reality. Adoption isn’t such an open and shut case for me anymore. This book was illuminating, heartbreaking, inspiring, enraging, and brilliant in its simplicity and clarity of purpose. E v e r y o n e should read this book. Everyone.

Mayhem: speaking of heartbreaking, have you started “the girls who went away” yet? i’m halfway through and i LOVE It. each new chapter breaks my heart a bit more.
me: yes. and yes. now why couldn’t BOS have been written as well as this one?
Mayhem: MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY!!!  BOS would’ve been so much better if it had been structured like the girls who went away. this book has everything i wish BOS would’ve had.

Book Club: Frankly, My Dear

The time has come–a review of Frankly, My Dear: Gone With the Wind Revisited by Molly Haskell!

I read Gone With the Wind in my middle school English class because it was, you know, 1000 pages long and so I got more bang for my buck. But I ended up enthralled and in a sobbing rage in my mother’s bedroom after I read the dreaded “frankly, my dear” on those last few pages. Naturally, I went on to watch the four hour film until I had it memorized and worshipped Scarlett as my new heroine. So the fangirl inside of me was excited to revisit Scarlett and crew from Haskell’s feminist lens.

Scarlett challenges you to read on…

Fall books to read!

Happy autumn everyone! Have the leaves started to change for anyone? The death heat of DC has finally receded; I can go outside without contemplating suicide. And I’m listening to Christmas music as I write this, so, clearly, I’m ready for the fall! Mayhem and I have come up with the next few books to read– we know we’re behind on the discussion posts for the two most recent books (completely mea culpa!) but c’est la vie– that doesn’t mean we can’t start reading new books! Pick one up (or all three!) and join us here to discuss!

Band of Sisters Review

Band of Sisters: American Women at War in Iraq by Kirsten Holmstedt

Okay. So if you read this book let me apologize. Somewhere I had read that it was good. I need to hunt that review down because now I’m certain it’s a unicorn. I was so excited to read because I am woefully ignorant about women in combat; I looked forward to hearing women’s stories about their time fighting in Iraq. But as I quickly discovered I wasn’t going to get to hear the women’s voices tell their own stories, but rather I’d hear them through the author’s filter of ”she said, she thought, she did” and that made this book just…bad. The stories were interesting but the way in which it was written impinged upon my ability to enjoy them. The writer sounded like a 14-year-old, there’s no other way to describe it. Each chapter was a different woman’s story, and instead of letting the woman’s voice shine the writer chose to tell their stories for them.

Remember to Read!

So pretty soon we’ll put up a post on Band of Sisters so we can discuss what we thought of the book (my opinion of the book in one word: meh) but I just wanted to remind you all that the August read is The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade. I’m over halfway through the book and already I love it. I think I’d even venture to say it’s a must-read for every person in America. Yes, bold statement. But seriously, ever chapter, every page, every story breaks my heart and makes me shocked that I’ve been ignorant about the way in which teenage mothers were treated in the 1950s and 1960s and how they were forced by their parents and society to give up their children. It’s definitely a must-read. Here’s just a snippet to entice you to go check it out:

Hell Hath No Fury Indeed

Well, readers- this would be the part where the judge says: “Time for closing arguments” and I scramble to include most of the other random thoughts I’ve had rolling around in my grey matter the last few days regarding our most recent book, Hell Hath No Fury.

As Pamela Moran would say, “Have at it!”

Original Spin Doctors?:  To influence troops and/or public opinion Zenobia, Isabella I of Spain, and Elizabeth I all appeared on horseback and in armor before their troops to both inspire and rally their spirits. (See an excerpt from Elizabeth’s speech included in Wednesday’s post for more on exciting the troops.)

Similarly, Catherine the Great, Matilda, Isabella I, Jinga Mbandi, and Elizabeth I dressed in male attire in battle or for ritual ceremonies. The authors suggest that these women used male attire in order to visually excite their soldiers and comrades, and also to look the part of powerful war leader– and male attire, whether in armor or uniform, was shorthand for that kind of authority.

Wartime Women: HHNF

Let me begin by saying that this book was not what I expected. I think I was looking for more narrative, and what I found instead was an encyclopedia. Which is not to say that I didn’t enjoy it…but how does one review an Encyclopedia? Well, you don’t. And while I’ve already critiqued the authors’ usage of language, I’m feeling less than confrontational this evening, and would rather like to share the authors’ informative mission and ensure that these women’s stories become

“better known…encouraging further reading and stimulating a wider interest in these women and their experiences. Women who have served, fought, and died must be given their due” (xx).

On that note…get ready for me to hit you with some knowledge!

Dearbhfhorgaill
Honestly, I just needed you to know that there was a woman named Dearbhfhorgaill (and she probably suffered from the Boy-Named-Sue syndrome). In 1315 she commanded her own army and “marched against the churches of Drumcliffe and plundered many of its clergy” (xxii) because of their oppressive stance against fighting women.

Fighting Words: HHNF

Whilst reading Hell Hath No Fury, I was happy to notice that some of these women had as much fire in their speech as they packed into their punch– alternately inspiring, enraging, or rallying.  I couldn’t help but take note and pass along these few that stood out to me.  Did somebody say soundbite?

Louise Michel, “The Red Virgin” (1830-1905): Defending her part in the burning of Paris: “I wanted to oppose the Versailles invaders with a barrier of flames…Since it appears that every heart that beats for freedom has no right to anything but a slug of lead, I demand my share. If you let me live, I shall never cease to cry for vengeance. If you are not cowards, kill me.”

new books to read!

Happy summer everyone! I hope you all are enjoying the weather; it’s finally started to get beautiful here in NYC. Unfortunately I’m taking summer classes so my weekends are more writing papers designing websites than slip and slide and bbq. Such is life! Spitfire and I decided upon the new reads for the summer, so pick one up and join us here to discuss!