rabzia_'s review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
A feminist auto-theory book about the making and unmaking of one’s own body as an archive. Julietta Singh writes through her experiences of recognizing her body as an archive after she is promoted by a quote by Gramsci. Grounded in queer theory, affect theory, by engaging with feminist scholars, and beginning with an engagement in postcolonial scholarship, Singh’s book tackles the desire and fantasy of a self-governing, self-mastering body. Instead, she suggests we are “an infinite history of traces without an inventory”, “trained into gendered forms of articulation”, that is part ghost, part imagined, part inarticulate-able.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Racial slurs, Racism, Eating disorder, Medical content, Excrement, Vomit, Violence, Pregnancy, and Grief
Minor: Cannibalism and Cancer
nrldyer's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
This is a wonderful memoir with many resonant reflections on academia, motherhood, the body, relationships, love, belonging and more. Short, raw and punchy
thebloodredruby's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
ichthusangel's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism, Eating disorder, Excrement, Fatphobia, and Vomit
Moderate: Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and Misogyny
academicdureahmed's review against another edition
4.0
I love how readable the prose is, even as Singh delves into theory about archives and the concept of the body as memoir. I wish there was more theoretical depth, but that would come at the cost of making the book dense to read. It's a touching meditation on the body as an archive. The meditation on a sound archive (in pop culture and memory), pain and childbirth will stay with me.
breacommelafromage's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder and Death of parent
polinazel's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Julietta Singh is a phenomenal writer, combining prose with autobiography and academia in the most engaging way. This book challenges you to rethink the meaning of archives and their importance on a social and personal level.