Review: The Women's Room
Editorial Review - Kirkus ReviewsDestined for a TV series, this marathon Lib seminar-cum-soaper pops on about the plight of women as victims in contemporary society--particularly those of middle years. Like Mira, who's been bred and buttered-up to the ""shit-and-string-beans"" treadmill of suburban marriage and motherhood. In first and third person, we study Mira's childhood, sexual awakening, disillusions, early marriage, childbearing, the move to the golden suburbs for days of little kids and new friends: ""the lazy life. . . it went nowhere. . . they had not been chosen but had been automatically slotted into their lives."" But the lazy life also means the drift toward divorce, affairs, the bottle, psychic batterings, even attempted suicide--and the rumination: ""You think I hate men. . . . I guess I do."" So Mira is divorced by dull Norm, and life begins at 38--at Harvard's graduate school, where she meets a group of fiercely-speaking-out, feverishly-living women, including big Val, doomed to be shot to death in a Lib protest demonstration. In the process of hoisting her consciousness, Mira falls in love with nice and successfully sexy Ben and brings her sons closer by her honest expression of Feelings, but she does NOT Want A Child by Ben--so finis and goodbye. Throughout, the women talk out relationships with men, children, and each other in that heavy sweating-out, hanging-out jargon that's long since lost the bloom, complete with aggrieved, savage humor (on exclusion from male libraries and dining rooms: ""the real reason is sanitary. . . Splat Splat a big clot of menstrual blood right on the threshold""). Awful things happen to everyone, and the gut-wrenchers roll on like the toilet tissue in the TV commercials--but this time the women squeeze the bejeezus out of Mr. Whipple.
Review: The Women's Room
User Review - Deirdre - GoodreadsAt least once a year, I take my well used copy down from the library shelf and each time it feels like welcoming home a favourite, old friend. This was the book which introduced me to feminism, many ... Read full review
Review: The Women's Room
User Review - Kim Gates - GoodreadsVery scary to realize I'm only one generation removed from the second-class status depicted by the female characters in this book - my mother's generation. In addition to helping me understand the ... Read full review
Review: The Women's Room
User Review - S - GoodreadsI read this book only recently after seeing it a reviewers list of books that they will read again and again, I had not heard of this book previously or the author. The story follows Myra as she goes ... Read full review
Review: The Women's Room
User Review - Pat - GoodreadsA definite feminist classic and important work. I first read this book in the early 80's and remember how thoroughly it engaged me. I poured over every word, the women's stories moved me to tears and ... Read full review
Review: The Women's Room
User Review - Rebecca - GoodreadsWow. I'm not sure how to encapsulate this important 500-page feminist novel in a review, so I'll keep my comments brief and just suggest strongly that anyone with an interest in feminist thought or ... Read full review
Review: The Women's Room
User Review - Sarah - GoodreadsI have to say at the outset that I am confused by this book. There is no doubt that it is a well written and engaging read. I tried to bear in mind that it was almost 40 years old but my mind kept ... Read full review
Review: The Women's Room
User Review - Amy Conchie - GoodreadsMy mother gave me 'the Women's Room' with the caveat that when she first read it it made her so angry that she wouldn't speak to my father all weekend (the poor man did nothing!). It is this brand of ... Read full review
Review: The Women's Room
User Review - Debra Park - GoodreadsI read this in the '70s and was quite engaged with it, but now I am rereading for a book group and struggling... It feels so dated/so far removed from where I am now. Hmmmm.... Ultimately gave up. Too many other books that call to me. Read full review
Review: The Women's Room
User Review - Kit Door - GoodreadsThis is a book about the life in the 1950's and 1960's through the eyes of one woman, Mira. In a way, this is a book about all women. As we read this book today, almost half a century later, we learn ... Read full review
