One good thing (and it’s probably the only good thing) about my current period of enforced inactivity is the fact that I can read. I love reading but, somehow, put it at the bottom of the list when it comes to leisure activities. It’s a shame.
Then something like a sprained ankle comes along and I’m glued to the sofa. There’s only so much computer work I’m happy to do. And I’m not one for constant TV. Obviously I reach for the eReader.
At the moment, I’m reading three books (ignoring the toilet book, which I’m also reading). This is not what I usually do but, having read the first few chapters of 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, I was becoming quite depressed. I decided to read one lesson then switch to another book. Then return. This then prompted the need for a third book.
For the second book, Difficult Women by Helen Lewis was the obvious choice in terms of structure. It’s a book divided into 11 separate though linked chapters on various almost forgotten feminist women throughout the last 200 years (or so). It was also a book I really wanted to read after hearing Ms Lewis interviewed on the radio some time ago.
And, today, I finished Difficult Women and, have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed it. A few reviews have said that her writing style diminishes the subjects and others claim she merely scrapes the surface of some amazing women. I disagree on both counts
Her writing style is accessible and more pally than scholarly, something a lot of ‘serious’ books fail to accomplish. These are generally the ones I stop reading after a chapter and discard because they are, for me anyway, dull and boring. Ms Lewis is never dull or boring.
Of the second criticism, my feeling is that her book provides an introduction to people I’ve (mostly) never heard of. If I want to dig further, I can. It might not be for everyone but this type of book can be a wonderful springboard to other books, people and subjects not yet dreamed of.
Anyway, basically, I loved it. Here’s her Wikipedia entry.
By the way, the third book I’m reading is the delightful Voyage of the Sunbeam by the extraordinary Anna Brassey. Her round the world journey of 1876-77, in the steam yacht is an amazing travel book. Well, so far it is. Mind you, it makes me a bit jealous, given I can’t really get out of the house let alone go around the world.
In fact, the closest I managed to get to going outside, was to stand in the open doorway while the girls went outside for a bit of a run around.
“It is ferociously beautiful to see the world change at the speed of speaking out.” Helen Lewis, Difficult Women
