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A review by alongapath
Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit
4.0
I picked up this book because of the viral TikTok video 'Man or Bear' and Laura Killingbeck's brilliant rebuttal article which asks Would you rather be stuck in a forest with a man or a bear? It turns out that Laura's favourite author is Rebecca Solnit and this book is her stand-out.
In this collection of essays, Solnit exposes the truth about women, domestic violence, feminism, patriarchal society, gender roles and rape - lots and lots of rape. She brilliantly defines these terms and offers examples of how they show up in daily life.
Perhaps it is best explained in this quote:
How is it that 50% of the population live with an innate awareness/fear that they could be harmed at any time, for any reason, by the other 50%? And yet men have almost no understanding that this awareness is in the back of women's every action. If you don't believe me, imagine running out into the street without your clothes on because of a house fire. Which fear is stronger - being burned or being seen naked by unknown men - and what that nakedness might spawn?
Society as-a-whole still deludes itself that each occurrence of rape or violence is an isolated incident. It simply isn't the case. Men abusing women is a global problem that isn't yet acknowledged as such.
The blurb for this short book makes it sound like it's going to be funny or comic. But there is no humour in here. It is a devastating read because it is the truth. I downgraded it from 5 stars to 4 mainly because she lost me in a couple of the middle essays - a bit rambling, a bit too in-the-know, and a bit over my head. But it is a striking read and Solnit is brave enough to say it all out loud. Put your big girl panties on and read it, absorb it, and take some sort of action.
In this collection of essays, Solnit exposes the truth about women, domestic violence, feminism, patriarchal society, gender roles and rape - lots and lots of rape. She brilliantly defines these terms and offers examples of how they show up in daily life.
Perhaps it is best explained in this quote:
Rape culture affects every woman. Most women and girls limit their behavior because of the existence of rape. Most women and girls live in fear of rape. Men, in general, do not.
How is it that 50% of the population live with an innate awareness/fear that they could be harmed at any time, for any reason, by the other 50%? And yet men have almost no understanding that this awareness is in the back of women's every action. If you don't believe me, imagine running out into the street without your clothes on because of a house fire. Which fear is stronger - being burned or being seen naked by unknown men - and what that nakedness might spawn?
Society as-a-whole still deludes itself that each occurrence of rape or violence is an isolated incident. It simply isn't the case. Men abusing women is a global problem that isn't yet acknowledged as such.
The blurb for this short book makes it sound like it's going to be funny or comic. But there is no humour in here. It is a devastating read because it is the truth. I downgraded it from 5 stars to 4 mainly because she lost me in a couple of the middle essays - a bit rambling, a bit too in-the-know, and a bit over my head. But it is a striking read and Solnit is brave enough to say it all out loud. Put your big girl panties on and read it, absorb it, and take some sort of action.