It's a Jungle Out There: The Feminist Survival Guide to Politically Inhospitable Environments [Paperback]

Amanda Marcotte (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 25, 2008

For all of you humming “I Will Survive” while watching the political debacles gracing the evening news, when getting an earful from your Limbaugh-loving brother-in-law, or as you’re ducking into the bathroom to avoid the date espousing the wisdom of those Mars versus Venus books, this book is for you.

It’s a Jungle Out There gives all you smart, independent women out there the funny pranks, witty comebacks, and stalwart sources of strength you need in these trying times. With her tongue firmly in cheek and her middle finger stuck straight up in the air, Amanda Marcotte (of Pandagon.net) takes you on a tour through the perils that await any feminist who must navigate day-to-day life in the U.S., from the abstinence-only classrooms to the glass-ceiling of the office world.

Drawing on her personal experiences of dealing with anti-feminists—from her years of blogging about feminism and living in the woman-unfriendly state of Texas—Marcotte brings her wit and distinct lack of patience to the topic of surviving while feminist. She doles out priceless advice along the way on how not only survive but also thrive, and even how to carve out a space for your feminist self in these oft-times hostile environments.

Editorial Reviews

Review

For any feminist ever at a loss for words Marcotte offers no nonsense advice on handling sexism with aplomb and deadly humor, from confronting the pay gap to defusing conservative relatives. -- Ms. magazine, Spring 2008

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Seal Press (March 25, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580052266
• ISBN-13: 978-1580052269
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,378,293 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

121 of 166 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thought provocative and laugh-out-loud funny March 17, 2008

By ADAM STANHOPE

Format:Paperback

I was aware at some point that this book was in the works. Imagine my surprise at finding a brand new copy of it in the back of a taxi this weekend. "Keep it," the cabby told me as he dropped me off for my appointment.

I started reading it right away in the crowded but quiet lobby of my "specialist." I must have looked like a fool, trying and failing desperately not to giggle and laugh out loud as I read. Thank god I was called in to my appointment before completely humiliating myself in front of the rest of the other people in the waiting room.

Once at home I could laugh out loud all I wanted. Marcotte is clever and whip-smart. She's fair and her analysis is spot on. Googling her turned up a cornucopia of other material she's written, all of it in a hip feminist voice that succeeds not just because she elucidates with humor, but because she speaks with compassion and care.

Highly recommended.

45 of 61 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars As someone who has read the book but would beg to differ with its 5 star reviews.... June 22, 2008

By videophone

Format:Paperback

Having read several good reviews of this book, I was excited about it, thinking it would identify the sexism women face in day to day life and give suggestions on how to deal with it. Instead I found that the issues and situations the author talked about were not at all ones I could relate to. She focused a lot on issues such as abortion myths, Purity Balls, why women change their last names after marriage, and how to go on strike when Girls Gone Wild comes knocking. While I'm sure these and other similar examples of sexism occur and matter in certain women's lives, they have never happened to me. I expected some good discussion of something I and many other women deal with all the time: sexism in the workplace and in schools, and how to go about dealing with it. She had very little to say about that, which is a huge issue for the majority of women in America. As a result, she came across as writing about issues that have mattered in her life and perhaps those of her specific background but not having taken effort to find out how sexism affects women leading different lives. This resulted in very narrow and uninformed views of the ways in which sexism affects women which I found alienating.

I suggest that anyone thinking about buying this book check out the author's blog which is on [...] first to see the author's writing and issues of interest to get an idea of the topics she writes about and considers "feminist" issues, and if you still are interested after that, look through the book at a bookstore before spending your money. I wish I had.

74 of 106 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars As someone who actually read the book... April 2, 2008

By Amy

Format:Paperback

I thought it was hilarious (in a good way), and I don't see how any reasonable person could find a flaw with Amanda's premise -- that misogyny is bad, and humor has a large part to play in how we maintain our sanity. The book cleverly attacks other oppressions besides sexism (racism, homophobia, etc.) and manages to get in a plug for vegetarianism too (two pages that were highly amusing to me because I am a vegetarian).

No, it's not a political treatise. If you want that, buy another book. This book is much more fun than your average political treatise.