Best for: Anyone interested in getting swept up in a bit of period drama. In a nutshell: Two sisters deal with the loss of their father and the change in lifestyle that follows, while trying to sort out their love lives. Worth quoting: “I am afraid that the pleasantness of an employment does not always evince its propriety.” Why I chose it: The cover, honestly. This lovely cloth cover drew my attention in a bookshop a few weeks ago, and I figured why not finally […]
You Can Tell It Was Written By A Dude
Best for: Women interested in strength training who aren’t overwhelmed with a million (733, to be specific) options. In a nutshell: Author Campbell provides an overview of lifting, a diet plan (boo), and chapters with body-part-specific target exercises. Line that sticks with me: “So whether you’re toting groceries or holding a baby, you’ll notice the difference.” Really, dude? Women use their arms for two things: shopping or children? Awesome. Why I chose it: I’ve been consistent with my non-strength exercise for many years (running, elliptical, […]
201-Level Feminism
Best for: Those looking for some (usually UK-based) facts and figures about sexism women face, in short essay form. In a nutshell: Creator of Everyday Sexism Project Bates shares her thoughts on a few different ways women deal with misogyny in their daily lives. Worth quoting: “The repeated use of the word ‘distracting’ centres the needs of men and boys above those of the girls, and suggests that girls’ bodies are powerful and dangerous, impacting on boys and teachers, whose behaviour is implicitly excused as […]
I Still Don’t Understand Elizabethan Money
Best for: Anyone wanting to learn more about the (interesting!) minutia and day-to-day bits of life during Queen Elizabeth I’s reign. In a nutshell: Author Ian Mortimer has researched source documents, including personal journals and diaries, as well as other sources to provide details about what it really meant to live in Elizabethan England. Worth quoting: “A woman may travel, pray, write, and generally go about her affairs just as freely as a man — as long as she is not married.” “But it is […]