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amalauna's review against another edition
1.0
Just no. Misleading and false historical facts coupled with bad grammar... This makes the book shady and not worth it.
flaneussy's review against another edition
2.0
Ehhhhhhhh
It's not that I was surprised that a book like Cunt was sort of ~out there~, and it's not like I disagreed with everything that Muscio put forth. Still, I had a few issues with the book:
1. I guess I expected the book to focus more on the history of the word "cunt," but it was actually a collection of ramblings about all of the problems that plague Inga Muscio. And women in general, I suppose. But mostly Inga Muscio.
2. The prose. Oh god. I hope that my future exposure to the word "cuntlovin'" is extremely limited. I resent the fact that Muscio has made me start to hate the word "cunt." Maybe that was her plan all along?
3. Muscio tries to wear several different hats--doctor, historian, art historian, and economist, to name a few--but a lot of her claims are unsubstantiated. I took issue with a few of the things she said, but the self-induced abortion was probably the biggest thing.
4. Encouraging the masses to buy specula and stare at their own cervixes seems like a really bad idea. I wonder how many people injured themselves.
And finally, my biggest problem:
Cunt is cis-sexist (she doesn't even mention the existence of trans or genderfluid people) and vaguely classist; Muscio's suggestion that people buy exclusively from women-owned businesses ignores the reality that most people can't afford to do that. Combatting gynophobic stigma is pretty rad, but gender is tied to so much more than one's genitals.
It's not that I was surprised that a book like Cunt was sort of ~out there~, and it's not like I disagreed with everything that Muscio put forth. Still, I had a few issues with the book:
1. I guess I expected the book to focus more on the history of the word "cunt," but it was actually a collection of ramblings about all of the problems that plague Inga Muscio. And women in general, I suppose. But mostly Inga Muscio.
2. The prose. Oh god. I hope that my future exposure to the word "cuntlovin'" is extremely limited. I resent the fact that Muscio has made me start to hate the word "cunt." Maybe that was her plan all along?
3. Muscio tries to wear several different hats--doctor, historian, art historian, and economist, to name a few--but a lot of her claims are unsubstantiated. I took issue with a few of the things she said, but the self-induced abortion was probably the biggest thing.
4. Encouraging the masses to buy specula and stare at their own cervixes seems like a really bad idea. I wonder how many people injured themselves.
And finally, my biggest problem:
Cunt is cis-sexist (she doesn't even mention the existence of trans or genderfluid people) and vaguely classist; Muscio's suggestion that people buy exclusively from women-owned businesses ignores the reality that most people can't afford to do that. Combatting gynophobic stigma is pretty rad, but gender is tied to so much more than one's genitals.
missamanda_007's review against another edition
5.0
Everyone, male, female, trans, whatever you identify with...must read this book cover to cover. Funny, informational, motivational, awe inspiring.
lattelibrarian's review
5.0
Cunt is what turned me into a feminist. I read this in 2011? 2012? And I've never looked back. So much of what she said--originally, I read the second edition--rang true and felt so obvious that I couldn't believe it had taken me so long to understand such fundamental issues of our society today. And now, here I am, six years later and reading the third edition.
Muscio introduces her novel with some anecdotes about fans and critics alike, as well as by acknowledging the very useful critiques she's gotten along the way, such as how this isn't representative for all women--though I think we can acknowledge that this is pretty dang representative for lots of folks who have vaginas. The simultaneous, old-age magic from between our legs and constant threat is something of a common experience. Bleeding every month and having debilitating cramps and not walking alone at night are common experiences.
With her brash and not-fucking-around tone of voice, she tells us why these things are messed up and what we can do to maybe fix them. She offers personal anecdotes of abortions and periods and sexuality. She offers quotations and citations and statistics. Her book is a mish-mash of the personal and political, and I love every cuntlovin' second of it.
Review cross-listed here!
Muscio introduces her novel with some anecdotes about fans and critics alike, as well as by acknowledging the very useful critiques she's gotten along the way, such as how this isn't representative for all women--though I think we can acknowledge that this is pretty dang representative for lots of folks who have vaginas. The simultaneous, old-age magic from between our legs and constant threat is something of a common experience. Bleeding every month and having debilitating cramps and not walking alone at night are common experiences.
With her brash and not-fucking-around tone of voice, she tells us why these things are messed up and what we can do to maybe fix them. She offers personal anecdotes of abortions and periods and sexuality. She offers quotations and citations and statistics. Her book is a mish-mash of the personal and political, and I love every cuntlovin' second of it.
Review cross-listed here!
readingwithgreenery's review
This book just did not spark joy for me. It was too hippy “woo-woo” and I didn’t really like that. There was a lot of talk about how you shouldn’t rely on period products and how it’s freeing not to…but no talk about why these products are bad for women and why you might want to find alternatives and how these products/companies aren’t the best for women. Ultimately it was more self help book than I wanted.
finairis's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
asurges's review against another edition
4.0
This is probably one of the most frustrating and anger-provoking books I've ever read. The author makes sweeping generalizations and makes statements that make you want to put your hands over your ears and sing a little song to yourself.
However. I read this book for my women's lit class, and I've never seen such good discussion, even in a class where discussion was a constant. And she got me thinking about things I haven't thought of since, y'know, college and stuff, so it was good to be back in touch with some ideas I just had put in the bottom of my consciousness.
No matter what, though, I will NEVER take the author's advice to buy a speculum and check out my cervix.
However. I read this book for my women's lit class, and I've never seen such good discussion, even in a class where discussion was a constant. And she got me thinking about things I haven't thought of since, y'know, college and stuff, so it was good to be back in touch with some ideas I just had put in the bottom of my consciousness.
No matter what, though, I will NEVER take the author's advice to buy a speculum and check out my cervix.
sidewriter's review against another edition
3.0
Most people will cringe, furrow their brow, and shake their heads several times throughout this book -- myself included, but Musico is sincere and smart and has a fun, engaging voice. If you can open your mind enough to read the book as if you're a member of the choir she's preaching to, you'll be rewarded with some positive alterations to your world view. It's a manifesto, a treatise, a polemic -- extreme so that the reader can move away from the opposite extreme. Save my period blood and feed it to my plants? Let it drip freely on the kitchen floor? Uh. NO. Refuse to be disgusted by own body? Yes, that makes sense. Love it and find it beautiful -- every part…? Yeah, I want to try. It's a book of endlessly fascinating thought experiments that I wish everyone would try.
nationofkim's review against another edition
5.0
i'm still a far cry from employing this word on a regular basis, but i really enjoyed this book.