Russ, Joanna - To Write Like a Woman: Essays in Feminism and Science Fiction

[oyceter]

I think I liked the two other Joanna Russ books I've read better (What Are We Fighting For? and How to Suppress Women's Writing), but that is largely because I am much more interested in feminism than I am in SF.

I know! I am a genre reader, but not really an SF reader -- I grew up on fantasy, and that's still what I seek out. And I've read very little SF, so many of the things that Russ comments on, I don't know enough about to really analyze. I also haven't read several other works she refers to, including Willa Cather and "The Yellow Wallpaper" and Shirley Jackson (um. yes i know. i will some day....).

On the other hand, I continue to enjoy Russ' casual, conversational style and notes, along with her wit and her way of looking at things. I may not always agree with her, but I like that she continues to examine "marginal" genres and works, though this collection of essays focuses more (solely?) on white women instead of on POC.

Also, I am glad to have finally read this, despite the horrific overdue fine my library will charge, because I have now finally read her essay on Gothics, "Somebody's Trying to Kill Me, and I Think It's My Husband"! I'm excited because coffeeandink refers to it for romances, and I'm excited because I feel more equipped to read the Gothics rachelmanija has given and lent to me.

So, recced, but more recced if you have actually read what Russ is referring to.

Comments

[littlebutfierce]

Yay, I don't feel so alone--I, too, read much, much more fantasy than SF & I so often feel like I am the freakish exception!

[oyceter]

Yay!

I mean, I tend to feel that in my circle of LJ, it's not the exception, but sometimes at cons and etc. I feel like it is. Or, well, I tend to feel that the older canon tends to be more SF and the newer canon is more fantasy, but that may also be because there was more SF pre-1970? I am not sure.

[justinelavaworm.livejournal.com]

Which canons do you mean? There are so many of them.

I'm totally with you on preferring fantasy to sf. By a country mile. But as everyone's been saying the borders are fuzzy. Basically I'm more into books with real people and real relationships in them plus awesome world building and find what I want more frequently in fantasy and historicals and YA then I do in sf.

Also you MUST read Shirley Jackson.

[oyceter]

Which canons do you mean? There are so many of them.

That's very true. I think I am vaguely waving toward a canon that many people on Wiscon panels and people in the SF blogosphere seem to have read (so of course this is rather subjective). But it does feel like when people refer to Heinlein, most people will have read something and know what is referenced. Ditto with Le Guin's Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed. This is just stuff off the top of my head. Also, I zero in more on the things that I haven't read, because that's when I get confused and try to piece out the reference.