In defense of the sanctimonious women's studies set || First feminist blog on the internet

Category: Literature

Octavia Butler Dies at 58

Truly tragic.

She was one of the first and most prominent African American science fiction writers.

“She is a world-class science fiction writer in her own right,” Jewell said. “She was one of the first and one of the best to discuss gender and race in science fiction.”

Butler described herself as a happy hermit, and never married. Though she could be very private, Bear said, she had taken classes to improve her public speaking and in recent years seemed more outgoing.

“Mostly she just loved sitting down and writing,” he said. “For being a black female growing up in Los Angeles in the ’60s, she was attracted to science fiction for the same reasons I was: It liberated her. She had a far-ranging imagination, and she was a treasure in our community.”

Categorizing Race in the Bookstore

Jeff has an interesting post up about how bookstores tend to place any book written by an African-American author in the “African-American interest” section, even if the book has nothing to do with race or identity at all.

And remarkably, I actually agree with him on at least one point:

books written by blacks that are not “about” blackness or African-American studies belong with books written by non blacks about the same subjects. Similarly, books on African-American studies written by whites belong in the African-American studies section, if we insist on maintaining such a thing.

That seems fairly obvious. If a black author writes a science fiction novel, it should be in the science fiction section (although, in my opinion, no one should be writing science fiction novels… but that’s a different story).

Now, I’m one of those bookstore users who likes the fact that sections are divided into “Women’s Studies” “GLBT” and “African-American interest.” But when I go to the Women’s Studies section, I expect to find books about feminism and gender issues, not every book ever written by a female. Ditto for the other categories. Jeff uses the example of Toni Morrison’s Beloved, a book that I happen to quite like. Beloved, to me, is first and foremost a piece of fiction, and should be shelved with all the other fiction books — and if there’s an American Classics section, it should be shelved there, too. But, considering that it largely about blackness, I can see why some would think it should be in the African-American Interest section. But these sections, to me, imply sociological and non-fiction texts, not novels. Putting Toni Morrison there seems about as logical as putting “2,000 Leagues Under the Sea” in the Travel section.

Check out his post. Thoughts?

This is good news

Turkey has dropped charges against novelist Orhan Pamuk for insulting “Turkishness.”

Orhan Pamuk went on trial for telling a Swiss newspaper in February that Turkey is unwilling to deal with two of the most painful episodes in recent Turkish history: the massacre of Armenians during World War I, which Turkey insists was not a planned genocide, and recent guerrilla fighting in Turkey’s overwhelmingly Kurdish southeast.

“Thirty-thousand Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed in these lands, and nobody but me dares to talk about it,” he said.

The controversy came at a particularly sensitive time for the overwhelmingly Muslim country. Turkey recently began membership talks with the European Union, which has harshly criticized the trial, questioning Turkey’s commitment to freedom of expression.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has passed sweeping reforms of Turkey’s legal code with the aim of joining the EU but nationalist prosecutors and judges still often interpret laws in a restrictive manner.

Pamuk is one of my favorite novelists in any language. I have read both My Name is Red and Snow. His writing is rich and beautiful, and he deals deftly with the tension between progressivism and regressivism, secularism and fundamentalism, questioning and certainty.

This might have turned out quite differently had Pamuk been less famous and had Turkey not been trying to get into the EU. Still, it’s encouraging, and hopefully it’s a sign that Turkey will begin to deal with its past and look to its future.

Von’s: Thar She Blows

Well, there goes the last great independent bookseller in town. Again.

Von’s, a campus staple, was known for its great selection of new and used books, CDs, and craft supplies. Locally owned and reasonably priced, it featured music from the popular to the obscure, and satisifed obscure label whores like me and mine. Recently the boyfriend talked to a friend in Olympia, the punk rock Mecca of the northwest, who lamented that there wasn’t a place like Von’s in her area. Originally from Lafayette, she was amazed that this town, of all places, had a cultural gem like this particular bookstore.

So without Von’s, what?

Books: Borders, Barnes & Noble, and if you’re feeling brave enough to venture into the crap mall, Waldenbooks. Used books? The last place in town with non-textbook used books closed this year.

CDs: Borders, Barnes & Noble, and the overpriced local retail stores that pale in comparison.

Crafts: Other than my fav yarn shop, JoAnn Fabrics, Hobby Lobby, and Michael’s.

Noticing a trend? We have, for the most part, lost the last independent, DIY cultural anchor in town. They rebuilt after a fire in 1995, but because this property has been targeted as a potential site for future univeristy projects, we speculate that the owners will take the money and retire from the business. Strictly conjecture.

Then again, if Harry’s Chocolate Shop (a nationally recognized historical bar) goes under, expect widespread student and alumni protest. God forbid we burn the alcohol, let the books go.

Read More…Read More…

I *Heart* Anderson Cooper

Seriously, what a babe. And now that he has his own column, I love him even more. I love him even despite his “Of course I’m straight!” posturing, like in this piece where he talks about what his mom (Gloria Vanderbilt), who just wrote her memoir, taught him about sex.

It’s taken me a while to adjust, but I think I’ve finally gotten used to the notion of my mom as a hottie.

When I suggested she take the whole cunnilingus thing out of the book, she just laughed and told me I should have a sense of humor about it.

She’s right, of course, and that’s the most embarrassing thing of all. I’m 37 and my mom is still able to teach me something about sex.

a) You’re 37. Don’t use the word “hottie.”
b) By writing about cunnilingus, your mom taught you something about sex? Anderson, please, drop the charade…
c) It’s ok. I love you anyway.

Perhaps my dear Mr. Cooper would enjoy some of this fine literature.

(Bad sex scenes in fiction via Amanda. Anderson’s commentary via Gawker).

Everyone I’ve Ever Loved

is at Cooper Union tonight. About five steps from where I’ll be studying in the library. I hate my life.

If you live in New York, go. If you don’t, or if you’re desperately trying not to fail out of law school, be sad like me, because here’s who you’re missing: Edward Albee, Sandra Cisneros, Don DeLillo, Dave Eggers, Heidi Julavits, Walter Mosley, Grace Paley, and Salman Rushdie, among others. It hurts, I know.

Call for Abortion Stories

From an email I got today:

Are you a woman who has had an abortion?

You are not alone and your story is important.

We are editing a book about abortion and we want to hear your story.

BEYOND CHOICE: VOICES OF REAL WOMEN is not a political treatise and we do not have an agenda. We simply want the voices of real women who have had abortions to be heard. Beyond Choice will be published by a major U.S. publisher and will focus on the experience of abortion: what leads women to consider abortion, what it’s like to have one, and how it factors into real, lived lives. We are women united by only one act: we had an abortion. Beyond Choice will include voices of women who vote republican and democrat, women who are young and old, rich and poor, women who are married and single, gay and straight, women who are religious and secular, and women who condemn and are not ashamed of their experiences. You do not have to be a gifted writer to share your story. Send a 2-15 page essay told in your own words, along with your name or a fake name (if you’d prefer to remain anonymous) and an e-mail address to abortionanthology@hotmail.com by November 30, 2005. Everyone who submits an essay will be considered for inclusion in this important book.

It looks like it’ll be a good project. I’ll post more info if I get any.