Customer Reviews

Dear Sisters: Dispatches From The Women's Liberation Movement

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a fifty-one year old woman who was at one time the epitome of the radical feminist, reading Dear Sisters was a revelation. We really have come a long way, baby. This was a look back at a time that has obviously mellowed in my memory with age. The extreme view point of many of the writings came as a surprise to me, even though I was in the forefront of the movement at the time and most certainly entertained opinions that were no less extreme or radical. I reflect now that in spite of obvious arenas still lacking in parity, women today have much more power, autonomy and equality on most fronts than thiry years ago. Women in positions of authority are not only common today, but accepted and seldom considered an oddity. In spite of the failures to pass the ERA, it is hard to find much support today for keeping women from their just due. Dear Sisters is a facinating reminder that this was not always the case. In spite of the fact that some of the articles included in this book hit me as not just extreme, but also somewhat silly, it is a great historical reference. I would recommend this book not just to other aging feminists like myself, but to the young women of today who may not recognize how dramatically different times were for their mothers. This book will give them a guided tour through the struggle that brought us where we are today.

Excellent and well-selected look at the Women's Liberation Movement from those that lived it and made it, offering a glimpse into a time that has gone and cannot return. Sometimes we forget how far we've actually come and how much good the movement has already done, but DEAR SISTERS reminds us of the strides of those in the past, so that we may be inspired for the future. Sometimes angry, sometimes hilarious and sometimes foolish, DEAR SISTERS never makes the mistake of being boring. Subtitled "Dispatches From the Women's Liberation Movement," it offers just that - dispatches from the women on the front lines of the movement from its infancy to well up into the late 90s, telling their story through their own vibrant, unforgettable words and images.

DEAR SISTERS is not COMPLETELY exhaustive; the well-heeled feminist will notice obvious skips over black sheep like Valerie Solanas, who is now the redheaded stepchild of the movement. But as a primer, and a document of the times, there is hardly anything better.

'Dear Sisters: Dispatches from the Women's Liberation Movement' is a potent collection of compelling and profound feminist literature. Rosalyn Fraad Baxandall has compiled a formidable anthology of writing from myriad leaders, both past and extant, who have shaped the movement's history and continue to affirm its relevance. The text is as varied as the authors' experiences, and never once does it lose its focus. For me, Gloria Steinem's minimalist contribution epitomizes the argument and foreshadows the positive influence of today's political correctness. On page 67, Ms Steinem writes;

'Traditional literature has for too long been the primary source for stereotyping women's roles. For years, men have been reciting the following nursery rhyme as if it were a mantra designed to maintain the staus quo:

Polly put the kettle on,
Polly put the kettle on,
Polly put the kettle on,
We'll all have tea.

It is now time to rewrite the facile rhyme and expose the fallacious reason:

Why should Polly put the kettle on?
Why not Pedro, Chang, Habib or John?
Gender stereotyping's past and gone,
We'll ALL make tea.

So Pedro, put the kettle on,
And Chang, you wear the lace apron,
And Habib, butter Polly's scone,
And John, you pour the tea.

And if Polly wants a second cup,
Then guys, YOU fill the kettle up.
And when it's boiled we all can sup;
Ah, sweet equali-tea.'

I was so impressed with this book that I bought two copies - one for each eye.

The product had highlighted pages in it that the description did not mention. I was pleased with everything else other than that. Shipping was fast.

This book offers such a fabulous collection of ideas. The information and ideas one can gather from these pages is both a great way to trace the roots of feminism as well as to decide where we go from here.
Each section and piece has introductory information giving a setting of time, place and situation before the writers present their views. There are so many ideas, ideals and beliefs that while not always agreeable or congruent, can be applied to today's feminist movement. There is virtually nothing in the book that isn't valuable as either an example of progress or the seed of a new branch for the feminist tree.

To understand the position in which women today navigate life, this book is essential reading. Interesting, entertaining and informative, it ought to be required reading

I really wanted to give this book higher ratings, but was shocked at how thin the book was compared to my active imagination of a supersized feminist doccument collection. While this would be a superb primer for somebody who is new to feminist theory (especially in the late 20th century) I know there was more to the movement than was included in the selection. For some odd reason, the content was much skimpier than it logically would have been, and the layout left much to be desired for visual asthetics. Photographs of the demonstrations/actions would have helped to break up the monotony of a very intense book and reinforced the energy that the movement exuded. I was disappointed that the book was not more visually engaging for those readers who wanted to delve further into the roller-coaster experience that was the women's movement. Also disappointing is the black and white format of the booklet. Even with less advanced graphic design and mimeograph machines, the women's liberation movement produced some awesome graphics and brochures in vibrant colors. In this respect, the book unwittingly undersells itself to potential audiences--both vetrans and newcomers to feminism alike.