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A review by kimberussell
My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem
5.0
How did I get to be over 40 years old and not ever read anything by Gloria Steinem? It was long overdue for me to rectify that.
This book's framework is Steinem's travels over the course of her life. It's lovely and meandering, and I didn't even mind the back-and-forth through time that usually irks me. I loved reading about how tiny actions make large impacts that resonate decades later. It's good for people who live simple, small lives (like me) to read things like that. Some of us aren't going to ever be speechwriters or lobbyists or organizers, but we can still make a difference. The taxi vignettes made me smile, but that last chapter with Wilma Mankiller was a work of art. I read that chapter three times.
I generally dislike books with "ALL Democrats/Republicans suck" attitudes, but yeah, there's no avoiding it here. It's just part and parcel of Steinem's passion.
My takeaways:
1) Feminism needs to be inclusive of ALL women, regardless of ethnicity, creed, or bio-parts.
2) That there was a National Conference for Women in Houston in 1977. As God is my witness, I was never taught that in any history class in high school or college. We need to rethink how we teach history. Having US I/US II survey courses aren't enough.
3) I need to read more about Bella Abzug and Wilma Mankiller.
This book's framework is Steinem's travels over the course of her life. It's lovely and meandering, and I didn't even mind the back-and-forth through time that usually irks me. I loved reading about how tiny actions make large impacts that resonate decades later. It's good for people who live simple, small lives (like me) to read things like that. Some of us aren't going to ever be speechwriters or lobbyists or organizers, but we can still make a difference. The taxi vignettes made me smile, but that last chapter with Wilma Mankiller was a work of art. I read that chapter three times.
I generally dislike books with "ALL Democrats/Republicans suck" attitudes, but yeah, there's no avoiding it here. It's just part and parcel of Steinem's passion.
My takeaways:
1) Feminism needs to be inclusive of ALL women, regardless of ethnicity, creed, or bio-parts.
2) That there was a National Conference for Women in Houston in 1977. As God is my witness, I was never taught that in any history class in high school or college. We need to rethink how we teach history. Having US I/US II survey courses aren't enough.
3) I need to read more about Bella Abzug and Wilma Mankiller.