Feminism Without Illusions: A Critique of Individualism (Paperback)

by Elizabeth Fox-Genovese (Author) "Contemporary feminism has emerged from the crucible of the extraordinary economic and political developments of the twentieth century, especially since World War II..." (more)
Key Phrases: pornographic commodity, new literary studies, male individualism, American Studies, United States, Mary Wollstonecraft (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
This academic discourse charges that the feminist movement fails to recognize women and men's interdependence.

Copyright 1992 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
In this densely written but repetitive volume, historian Fox-Genovese challenges the Western legacy of individualism, which neither encompasses both male and female nor allows for the context of class and race. Arguing for a new attention to community and common culture, Fox-Genovese views postmodernist/poststructuralist scholars as guilty of unbridled individualism as the most doctrinare devotees of "Great Man History." Although many of her ideas are provocative and her topics timely (pornography, abortion rights, comparable worth, teaching the canon), her book's redundancy and lack of focus too readily reflect its origins; portions of seven of the nine chapters previously appeared as periodical articles. More seriously, the book (which its publishers predict will prove controversial) is so afflicted with academese as to discourage all but the most dedicated reader. For university women's studies collections only.
- Beverly Miller, Boise State Univ. Lib., Id.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 364 pages
• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press (June 22, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807843725
• ISBN-13: 978-0807843727
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #208,704 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent explanation of feminist theory and postmodernism, November 1, 2000

By A Customer

Fox-Genovese's book marks the culmination of decades of work in history and feminist theory. The range of knowledge represented here is staggering, yet her argument is elegant and clear: feminism, as the daughter of the liberal revolutions of the 18th century, creates both opportunities and serious dangers as postmodernism ascends. For anyone interested in feminist theory, postmodern theory, capitalism and the rise of the individual, or women's history, this book is a must-read. The bibliography alone is worth the cost of the volume.

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The sort of thing that gives academics a bad name, July 15, 2007

By	Elizabeth A. Root (Laurel, MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I found this to be an almost unreadable book. I would find my mind drifting as I tried to force myself to read. I would reread sentences and still have trouble deciding what, if anything, they meant. In the end, I thought this was an extremely silly book. When Fox-Genovese was clear, she was making idiotic remarks such as claiming that feminism seeks to share the powerlessness of the mother.