Left Bank Books

Women's Studies






Caliban and the Witch by Sylvia Federici, reviewed by FG

"There seems to be a full well of arguments about which--capitalism or patriarchy--reared their ugly heads first. This book provides exhaustive and compelling historical documentation to suggest that whatever hold patriarchy had on feudal Europe was completely exploited and engorged by capitalism and used to colonize indigenous populations. Perhaps what's most interesting is the lost history of just how many people were killed using methods that were developed during the witch hunts, methods that are still being used to 'develop' impoverished nations today. Totally fascinating and enraging (and equally interesting to think about why these histories are being erased--'Trauma and Recovery' by Judith Herman is  great read to mull over similar themes)."


#Women's Studies  #Gender Studies   #History



The Color of Violence ed. by INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence, reviewed by ER

"Check this book out!! Incite is a powerful collective of Women of Color working against violence in the U.S. This is their book. Check out the chapter by CARA (Communities Against Rape and Abuse) (Seattle's hometown heroes) on community accountability."


#Women's Studies  #Race/Culture Studies



King Kong Theory by Virginie Despuentes, reviewed by FG

"'The failure of work? The failure of the family unit? Good news. They automatically throw masculinity into question. More good news. We're sick to death of all this nonsense. Feminism is revolution, not a rearranged marketing strategy, or some kind of promotion of fellatio or swinging; not just a matter of increasing secondary wages.'
Equally humorous and scathing, Despuentes tackles modern feminist issues from sex work to rape through rambly personal narratives. It is so refreshing to read an unapologetic and antagonistic book like KKT that is so fierce and funny that the at times inaccurate generalizations don't bother me as much as they might otherwise. In sum, a great easy read."

#Women's Studies    #Funny as Fuck



The Revolution Starts at Home by Ching-In Chen, Jai Dulani, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha and Andrea Smith, reviewed by FG

"What was once one of the most ambitious pamphlets about abuse and  accountability is now a beautiful book with several new essays. This book takes a look at the complexities of identity and the ways in which that informs intimate partner violence. The great thing about having different collective projects and people talk about their direct personal experiences with addressing intimate partner violence is that a gamut of problem solving strategies are illustrated. Some of the essays don't shy away from exploring what 'success' in these situations look like, which is equally heartbreaking and inspiring. This book is so necessary in the continuing discourse about the problems inherent in accountabillity and where potentials for the trajectory of movement lie."

#Women's Studies   #It's Complicated



Whipping Girl by Julia Serrano, reviewed by Fin

"This is a powerful book for anyone interested in arming their critique of the patriarchy and burning up the loosely woven threads of misogyny ever present in societies representations of transexuality and femininity. Serano illuminates the ways that the demonization of femininity shapes our attitudes towards gender and sexuality as a whole. Julia Serano writes with personal experience and razor sharp knowledge. We need this book!"


#Women's Studies  #Gender Studies




Women of Color and Feminism: Seal Studies by Maythee Rojas, reviewed by ER

"The intro of this book clearly explains why this book is for everybody, not just women of color. She lays out a comprehensive history in an easy-to-read way. She talks about how feminist movements of color connected with movements around class and homophobia and immigration and international politics."


#Women's Studies   #Race/Culture Studies



Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World Without Rape ed. ed. by Jaclyn Friedman and Jessica Valenti, reviewed by Cndr

"If I had one wish, it would be that everyone will read this book! 'Yes Means Yes' is jam packed with essays from 27 different visionary contributors. Covering topics from a variety of perspectives that show you that they are all inter-related, and that a rape free world is indeed possible."

#Women's Studies