Comments on things mean a lot: Woman: An Intimate Geography by Natalie Angier

I found a copy of this at the thrift store after E...

2010-09-03T12:14:31.428+01:00

I found a copy of this at the thrift store after Eva's glowing review -- I'm please that you enjoyed it as much and I'm looking forward to giving it a read.

This reminded me about paradigms for ethical devel...

2010-08-29T00:59:22.471+01:00

This reminded me about paradigms for ethical development - always proposed by men, and (can you BELIEVE the coincidence?!) with men always ending up ranking higher on moral development. Because, you know. Women. They don't know what integrity is.

The discussion about aggression and social judgmen...

2010-08-27T18:04:27.923+01:00

The discussion about aggression and social judgment and categorization of female aggression really catches my attention. Although the whole book sounds fascinating. Thanks for the great review!

This sounds BRILLIANT and a book I needed to read ...

2010-08-27T18:02:15.303+01:00

This sounds BRILLIANT and a book I needed to read in my twenties when I was still buying in to some of the B.S about women. I'm glad I'm older and wiser and more enlightened now!

This sounds like a phenomenal book, Ana. Thank yo...

2010-08-27T18:01:34.211+01:00

This sounds like a phenomenal book, Ana. Thank you so much for writing this review. This book just shot to the top of my TBR :)

Dominique, it does, doesn't it? I wish it were...

2010-08-26T08:51:18.495+01:00

Dominique, it does, doesn't it? I wish it were pointed out more often.

This sounds like such an interesting book. I reall...

2010-08-26T05:41:36.091+01:00

This sounds like such an interesting book. I really liked reading your thoughts about the perceived different manifestations of aggression between the genders. The stereotype of some women being "bitchy" stemming from having to find socially acceptable outlets for aggression is something I must admit I've never thought about before, but it rings really true.

Claire: I'd have taken my time with it too, if...

2010-08-25T22:57:17.986+01:00

Claire: I'd have taken my time with it too, if only I weren't moving so soon! I think I'd have digested all the information she packs here better that way. But she does make it all incredibly accessible; much more so than I could have imagined.

Sakura: I was pretty sheltered for a lot of my life too, so I understand. But once I opened my eyes I was amazed that we've made so little progress in some regards. And hooray for your father!

Debi, and you'll grow to love her even more!

Jill: I'm actually reading The Canon too! I had it on my tbr pile and couldn't resist starting it right after this.

Rich: She mentions androgen insensitivity in one of the first chapters, and it was absolutely fascinating to read about. About evolutionary psychology, it baffles me how so many people can fail to grasp that psychological processes leave no fossils, and that as far as science is concerned the story ends there. And thank you for that link! The book sounds right up my alley :D

Zibilee: We all unconsciously adopt some of those misconceptions - they're so prevalent that it's hard not to! But this is indeed a great book when it comes to that :)

Jenny: What a wonderful find!

Emidy: You're welcome - enjoy!

Amy: Why indeed ;) This is SUCH an Amy book it's not even funny. You'll love it!

Rhinoa: Yes, exactly! People just play the roles that are expected of them for the most part. Judith Butler was spot on :P

Writerspet: Haha, my thoughts exactly ;)

ibeeeg: That sounds absolutely fascinating - thank you for the recommendation! I've read a few articles about how pregnancy and the processes of giving birth have ceased to be seen as natural and entered the domain of illness in public consciousness in the past few decades, and I'd love to read a whole book on that.

Chris: Awesome :D Enjoy!

Emily Jane: Yes! It really was :D

Meghan: It's a very disturbing stereotype :\ I know how frustrating it is to deal with people like that, but why do so many people automatically attribute deceitfulness to their being female? It makes no sense.

Jenners: It really does. Her tone is so conversational and engaging. You feel like you're talking to a really smart and knowledgeable friend.

Vasilly: You're welcome! I can't wait to hear what you think :)

Trisha: Yes, who doesn't? You'd like this for sure :)

I adore the set up of the book, combining the fact...

2010-08-25T14:36:27.984+01:00

I adore the set up of the book, combining the factual with the more interpretive. And who doesn't like non-fiction with a bit of snark? Awesome suggestion.

I recently bought this book. Reading this review h...

2010-08-25T04:30:29.653+01:00

I recently bought this book. Reading this review has shown me (as most of your reviews do), why I should read this!Thanks!

It sounds like a very interesting book ... with a ...

2010-08-25T01:15:43.891+01:00

It sounds like a very interesting book ... with a strong point of view. I love that she has a personality to go along with the science stuff ... it makes for a better read I suspect.

I finally bought a copy of this but I still have...

2010-08-24T19:19:10.858+01:00

I finally bought a copy of this but I *still* haven't read it yet! I like your point about how women are somehow naturally assumed to be nasty backstabbers, whereas men just fight and get it over with. I'm a very open woman myself and will generally just say what I'm feeling to whoever I have a problem with, so that's a stereotype which has constantly confounded me. I really have to get to this soon.

I too especially loved her take-down of evo-psych!...

2010-08-24T19:05:34.037+01:00

I too especially loved her take-down of evo-psych! So satisfying.

:D This book just sounds so incredible, Ana!! I re...

2010-08-24T18:52:03.415+01:00

:D This book just sounds so incredible, Ana!! I really can't wait to read it now. And I will be soon, hopefully because I just scored a copy on Paperback Swap.

This does sound like an interesting read, especial...

2010-08-24T18:23:31.666+01:00

This does sound like an interesting read, especially for the biological aspect vs the social aspect. I work in women's health so I am always intrigued by reads such as this.
Another book that is rather good,Birth, is very interesting because it takes a look at the history of the birth process for women.
http://www.amazon.com/Birth-Surprising-History-How-Born/dp/0871139383

Anyway, I am putting this one on my list, and look forward to the reading.

I just read this book review and thought of you. ...

2010-08-24T16:33:50.307+01:00

I just read this book review and thought of you. I hope this link will work. The book sounds like something you would like!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/24/science/24scibks.html?_r=1&hpw

This sounds brilliant. Especially the part about f...

2010-08-24T16:23:34.673+01:00

This sounds brilliant. Especially the part about female aggression.

Plus, it would be good to have some factual evidence in my back pocket next time I have the misfortune of being on the receiving end of some backward misogynist reasoning.

I like the idea of looking at the biology without ...

2010-08-24T15:33:35.827+01:00

I like the idea of looking at the biology without it being the ruling factor. It's so easy to accept gender stereotypes and it then play up to them. Funny how aggression has always been seen as negative in women and positive in men. The same with sexuality and vice versa for being emotional.

WHY is this still on my tbr pile and not read yet?...

2010-08-24T15:12:18.987+01:00

WHY is this still on my tbr pile and not read yet?! This sounds incredible! I especially love this:

"Much to my relief, she knows it more than well enough to be able to tell when someone is Doing It Wrong, and as a result she asks all the right questions about faulty methods, erroneous conclusion and personal biases without ever falling into easy and tedious old diatribes against The Evils of Modern Science."

Thank goodness! I cannot wait to read it now.

I so want to read this book! I find the bio...

2010-08-24T14:50:04.106+01:00

I so want to read this book! I find the biology aspect really interesting, and it would be great to learn about it from this point of view. What a perfect book. Thanks for pointing it out!

I am so pleased with myself for getting a copy of ...

2010-08-24T14:49:04.446+01:00

I am so pleased with myself for getting a copy of this for a dollar at a book sale this summer. After everything I've heard around the blogosphere I know I'm going to love it. Angier sounds wonderful.

Oh my! I loved, loved, loved that quote at the beg...

2010-08-24T14:25:07.464+01:00

Oh my! I loved, loved, loved that quote at the beginning of your review, and I also loved your thoughts on this one. I think this would make an excellent read for me and probably dispel a lot of the misconceptions that even I have been force-fed. I was so glad to have read this review and will be looking into grabbing this book when I can. Thanks!

Debi bought me this book and your excellent review...

2010-08-24T14:20:14.929+01:00

Debi bought me this book and your excellent review makes me sorry I haven't read it sooner. I always use the example of androgen insensitivity in my classes to show students how thin the "line" is between male and female...and how it's a continuum and not really a line at all. These folks are genetic males that lack testosterone receptors due to a simple mutation and look exactly like females...one slip in DNA is all it takes. We all began this life as a hermaphrodite and could really have taken either the path to malehood or femalehood. Anyway...great review!
And evolutionary psychology IS a bunch of crap...

I'm currently reading her book "The Canon...

2010-08-24T13:15:21.572+01:00

I'm currently reading her book "The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science" and her wit is so incredibly clever and delightful, that it's just a joy. I would have to say the same things about her voice as do you: the irony, enthusiasm, and humor are outstanding!

"It’s a book about the wonders of the female ...

2010-08-24T13:04:26.484+01:00

"It’s a book about the wonders of the female body, but not a book about how wonderful and special women are simply by virtue of being biologically women. Likewise, it’s not a book that espouses any limited definition of femaleness based on mere anatomy. Angier is perfectly aware that reproduction does not define women; that hormones, periods or a uterus do not a woman make."

Yes, Ana, you've made me fall in love with Angier already.