Comments on things mean a lot: Bluestockings by Jane Robinson

Trish: The cynic in me can't help but wish we'd go...

2009-10-14T20:31:45.281+01:00

Trish: The cynic in me can't help but wish we'd gone further :P But I really DO appreciate having had access to a education. I can't imagine my life without it!

Joanna: It really is unfair :/ I always try to tell people to butt out as politely as I can :P

Joemmama, I hope you enjoy it!

Jenny: lol! Let's hope so :P

Stephanie: Yep. So much changes, so much stays the same :P

Diane, I had no idea it had a different title in the US! Thank you for that!

Lynda, I hope you enjoy it!

Jodie: I'd have been very happy if The Children's Book had won, but the more I hear about Wolf Hall, the better it sounds. Plus Byatt has won before, and I'm all about spreading the love :P

Beth: SO true. This is something that worries me.

Court: It really is scary! What bugs me the most is that you STILL see theories that try to naturalize gender social stereotypes today :/

Amanda: I love old photos too. The book isn't very feel-good because Robinson does point out how much of the bias has persisted, but it definitely made me appreciate my education all the same.

Anna: So am I! Hopefully they'll continue to change until we all have equal opportunities in every area.

This sounds fascinating. Like you, I can't imagin...

2009-10-09T17:39:37.342+01:00

This sounds fascinating. Like you, I can't imagine not being allowed to expand my horizons through learning. I'm glad things have changed.

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

Oh this sounds good. I love books like this that m...

2009-10-09T17:03:49.023+01:00

Oh this sounds good. I love books like this that make me appreciate how far society has gone. I love the clips you included and am glad they added some photos in the book. I love when they do that.

Wow. I can't even imagine going to college or univ...

2009-10-09T15:58:31.637+01:00

Wow. I can't even imagine going to college or university only to be chaperoned everywhere I went. Also, the Victorian medical reasons as to why women couldn't become educated is scary. Sounds interesting though. Very interesting.

I'll have to add this to my wish list. I know some...

2009-10-08T14:44:08.112+01:00

I'll have to add this to my wish list. I know something of the bluestockings and experienced firsthand much of the modern women's movement. Young(er) women today tend to forget what others had to fight for and I see women's issues and women's rights taking a backseat once again.

I read about this somewhere before and that person...

2009-10-07T21:49:20.433+01:00

I read about this somewhere before and that person quoted the same bit about the man who said he would not lecture, which really struck me hard. And oh the medical stuff - this kind of thing was going on in medieval times and managed to persist despite all the advances of science.

I've also popped in to see how you feel about the Booker win, I know you really liked 'The Childrens Book'.

want to read this - thanks for review ;0)

2009-10-07T18:32:14.931+01:00

want to read this - thanks for review ;0)

Oh WOW...This book is called: WOMEN OUT OF BOUNDS ...

2009-10-07T17:36:22.140+01:00

Oh WOW...This book is called: WOMEN OUT OF BOUNDS here in the US.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786710519?ie=UTF8&tag=bibbythesea-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=0786710519

Now this sounds fascinating. Imagine what these wo...

2009-10-07T17:29:00.004+01:00

Now this sounds fascinating. Imagine what these women had to endure.

This book sounds amazing! It sounds like all these...

2009-10-07T17:07:36.784+01:00

This book sounds amazing! It sounds like all these impressive intellectuals considered a woman simply a life support system for a uterus. :-/

You are so right - how good would it be if Sarah W...

2009-10-07T14:19:26.622+01:00

You are so right - how good would it be if Sarah Waters wrote a university book? That is such a good idea - she'd do it really well, and I expect she'd like it. I mean she's an academic originally! Maybe her publicists have Google alerts and will suggest it to her (rather than issuing restraining orders). :P

This looks terrific! I am adding it to my list. Th...

2009-10-07T13:47:08.090+01:00

This looks terrific! I am adding it to my list. Thanks!

Nymeth, I totally understand - I didn't want kids ...

2009-10-07T13:30:02.789+01:00

Nymeth, I totally understand - I didn't want kids of my own until recently so I've heard my share of judgement as well. I'm sorry you have to go through the experience too, it's so unfair that a personal choice is made an ok topic for public discussion!

Isn't it amazing how far we've come even in the la...

2009-10-07T12:27:34.566+01:00

Isn't it amazing how far we've come even in the last 50 years? That paragraph about the woman's brain and her womb is outrageous--can you imagine how small our wombs would be if that were true?? :) Sounds like a good one for the non-fiction five, huh?

Debi: My appreciation of non-fiction has definitel...

2009-10-07T12:11:45.256+01:00

Debi: My appreciation of non-fiction has definitely increased over the past few years. I can't imagine not reading it now!

Meghan: This is right up your alley, yes :D

Jason: We could always pull a Misery ;) (Um, I hope her publicists don't have google alerts, stumble upon this, and issue restraining orders against us :P Dear Ms Waters: We'll NEVER kidnap you, and we'll happily read whatever you decide to write)

Jill: Ugh!

Cara: It is new, yes! Ironically enough, I bought it because I'm on a book buying ban :P I'm currently only allowing myself to buy one book for every twenty that I read, and so I thought that I might as well treat myself to a new release, which I normally never do.

Sandy: As much as I love reading about the Victorians, I'm infinitely grateful that I didn't live then!!

Jeane: Jason's explanation was spot on! That's pretty much what she says in the book :P

Jason, thank you for explaining! You can "butt in" anytime, you know :P

Andreea, I think you'd enjoy it!

Carol: Yes - I know I've been guilty of taking my education for granted, but books like this are eye-openers.

ds: The photographs were fantastic to look at!

Iliana, I think you'd enjoy it too!

Eva: lol! Yes, you does :P

Kailana: It's really too bad it doesn't!

Belle: This is definitely my favourite kind of non-fiction.

Zibilee: It IS incredibly sad :(

Cath: lol! And you know, I bet that wasn't a coincidence. It surprises me (though it shouldn't) how often I'm reminded of Terry Pratchett when reading English history. I love how he takes the must ludicrous and obscure facts and incorporates them into his work.

Kathi: I'm very grateful as well!

Aarti: I LIKE long comments! Nothing to apologize for :) I think that's a fantastic goal for the challenge, and I look forward to hearing about the book you decide to read!

Sam: Sorry! :P

Framed: lol, don't we all ;)

Alice: I laughed too, while feeling angry AND sad at the same time!

Heidenkind: I completely agree! The "in some parts of the world" bit was only about girls not being given the same education as boys. But the attitudes towards reproduction are awful everywhere, yes :/

Joanna: I agree, and I'm SO sorry that you're having to deal with that :/ A lot of people act like a pregnant woman is public property; like reproduction is everybody's business and not a personal experience. I could go on and on about the awful, intrusive, and simply appalling things people have told me because I don't want children of my own. But I'm really sorry people are giving you a hard time, Joanna!

Violet: It is! I really love it, as well as all the pictures inside.

This sounds like a different book and something I ...

2009-10-07T10:51:41.501+01:00

This sounds like a different book and something I would love. And isn't the cover really cute?

Fascinating. I love good social history books! As ...

2009-10-07T08:56:24.870+01:00

Fascinating. I love good social history books! As to the 'walking wombs' comments, even in today's world I was still treated as somethnig like that by parts of my family once I got pregnant. As if it was ok to have intellectual interests/pursuits while I was waiting around but once I was pregnant it was wrong for me to continue those interests. Some of these views are more present that we'd like to think...

Jason- thanks very much for clarifying. I apprecia...

2009-10-07T06:55:17.618+01:00

Jason- thanks very much for clarifying. I appreciate it!

Aha! Brain over-heating--so THAT'S what's wrong w...

2009-10-07T03:11:40.917+01:00

Aha! Brain over-heating--so THAT'S what's wrong with me!

You mentioned that women are still little more than "walking wombs" in some parts of the world, Ana--I would say in all parts of the world. I know in the US, at least, there are plenty of sub-cultures that still have that attitude.

"Victorian doctors were also concerned that intell...

2009-10-07T03:03:31.564+01:00

"Victorian doctors were also concerned that intellectual pursuits would lead to brain overheating, which in its turn would cause women's wombs to shrivel."

OMG. I cant believe this. Sorry I had to laugh a bit. LOL!

Thanks for the review, Ana. I'm putting this into my wishlist. It's fascinating, this one.

Sounds fascinating. Thanks for the recommendation...

2009-10-07T02:38:42.144+01:00

Sounds fascinating. Thanks for the recommendation. I need more books on my TBR list.

This sounds like such a good and interesting read....

2009-10-07T02:36:38.786+01:00

This sounds like such a good and interesting read...how can I resist? Seriously, you add to my tbr list like threefold :)

This sounds fantastic! Though I guess, to be hone...

2009-10-07T02:13:08.790+01:00

This sounds fantastic! Though I guess, to be honest, this is the sort of book that I purchase because the subject (and the cover) just fascinates me, and then it sits on my shelf looking pretty but not being read. I have so many British history books that fit this description. I am positive that I will read them, and I LOVE having them on my shelf, but for some reason... I just can't bring them down. However, now you've inspired me. Maybe for part of my Clear the Shelves challenge, I'll read a non-fiction history book.

PS- It seems I am unable to comment on your blog without writing a novel :-) Apologies on the length of my comments!

This does sound fascinating! My mother was the fi...

2009-10-06T23:41:19.896+01:00

This does sound fascinating! My mother was the first female in my family to graduate from college (in 1949) and even then, there weren't many things a woman could study. I'm so glad our options have improved so much in this country.

I'll be checking the library for this one. It soun...

2009-10-06T23:36:23.471+01:00

I'll be checking the library for this one. It sounds fascinating and reminds me of the nomes in Truckers, who wouldn't let girls learn to read in case their brains exploded. *g*