Free Women, Free Men: Sex, Gender, Feminism

Author: Camille Paglia

Hi guys, how are you this rare, sunny English morning?

Today, I'm going to be discussing a more controversial book. I know, there's plenty of those to go around nowadays, right? However, this book genuinely spoke to me.

How I feel about modern Feminism


While not being a follower of modern Feminism, I can appreciate the history of first wave Feminism, where women fought for the right to vote and the right to greater work opportunity.


When I compare those noble causes to the modern Feminist movement, I actually feel a bit lost. Where does all of the man-hating stem from? How is anything being discussed today remotely relate to actually equality of the sexes?

We already established equality of opportunity, so why are so many lies being pushed onto our young women about men, and about our biological nature? It makes no sense to me. Where is the personal responsibility for our own everyday problems? Furthermore, where is the strength that first wave Feminists showed in order to prove their worth?

When I recently watched an interview with self-described 'Amazonian Feminist' Camille Paglia, I lit up. Paglia spoke with great insight into the issues faced in life by both men and women, of how human beings are always suffering because life in itself is never easy. Having watched her interview, I felt compelled to read her latest book, Free Women, Free Men.

Paglia's Writing Style

Having never read any of Paglia's work before, I wasn't sure what to expect. However, I was genuinely surprised by her coverage of historical events relating to Feminism, showing us young girls the good, the bad, and the ugly of the movement.

Paglia experienced the early stages of second wave Feminism and, by the sounds of it, it wasn't all that different from what we're seeing in the world at present. In fact, it's pretty much a repeat of what happened then: lots of male bashing, while raising women up as if they can do no wrong.




Come on. In life, we all make mistakes. I myself have made plenty of them when younger, but it's crucial that we look inside ourselves and learn from them, and that we don't pin our own failings on a scapegoat for convenience.


Camille's style of writing showcases both her intelligence and her kickass sense of humour. She speaks her own truth, while simultaneously rejecting the chaotic politics of our current age. She speaks candidly of nature and of the female body, of humanity's unconscious fears from a psychological perspective. I often found myself nodding along with her, grateful for a sane voice in this ever-changing reality.

The idea- the very foundation of first wave Feminism- was for women to have the opportunity to go after what they wanted: to work hard just like men, not to rely on special protections when they felt offended or unable to handle the real world.

My mum shall forever be my role model in this regard: she has always worked hard at her job, a woman with a blend of feminine and masculine qualities that allow her to prosper in life. To me, she is a paragon of strength.

Memorable Quotes Young Girls Should Pay Attention To



'If women seek freedom, they must let men too be free.'

This quote resonated with me because for true equality, you cannot simply bash others for how they are born (including men.)

'Radical misinterpretation of reality is psychotic- psychosis is a system. people within that system feel it's very rational.'


This spoke to me because more often than not, we are seeing our reality twisted by the perspective of a select few people, who then make enough noise for the media to take notice. Ironically, these individuals do not speak for the majority of people, and the warped world view that is spread by the media honestly makes me feel sick to my stomach.




'We must stop seeing everything in life through the narrow lense of gender. If women expect equal treatment in society, they must stop asking for infantilizing special protections. With freedom comes personal responsibility.'

Exactly. The more we focus on something, the more power we give it in our everyday lives. If you're constantly focusing on gender, you will find problems with it everywhere. It's the same no matter what you're focusing on. Try focusing on being a better person, not through pushing your personal beliefs about the world, but on actually doing good toward your fellow men and women.

These three quotes stood out to me because they speak the truth. Feminism, while once a worthwhile cause that helped women to thrive, now seems doomed to fixate on gender until it goes blue in the face, not taking into account men and women's biological or psychological differences.

Equality cannot exist while any one gender persecutes the other: that includes women bashing men. That's sexism, only toward men instead of toward women. I'm amazed that the young women following this modern movement cannot see that. To me, modern Feminism seems hell-bent on enacting some cruel revenge on men, while preaching morality to others. It makes no sense.

Overall Thoughts


I loved Camille's latest book as it shows the full reality of Feminism's journey from its first wave to modern times. The ridiculous propaganda spread through universities today needs to stops so that the sexes can come together to make a better future. Dividing people by gender, race, or however you divide them, will not solve anything. It will only make the currently unstable political climate worse.


Hopefully, people will eventually come to their senses. Be strong ladies: don't put others down in order to raise yourselves above them. Work hard and if you meet any obstacles along the way, take a deep breath and fight your way through.

You've got this: you always did.  xoxo

Find the book on Goodreads

State of Refuge: Review

Hi guys, today's review is for State of Refuge, by author David Korson.
If you love Sci-Fi Dystopian tales, then this one might be for you.


After the final war, an oppressive global government dominates the planet, erasing our history, altering our language, and deciding what jobs we do, and where we go. There is no freedom!


{As a warning: there are some references to brutal sexual assault at times, though only near the start, when some prisoners in the State of Refuge attack some female prisoners, resulting in the women's deaths.}

Summary 


When seventeen-year-old Derek Vasuez is accused of murdering his own parents, his simple life with his peers and loving girlfriend is turned on its head. Now, he's doomed to live the rest of his life in The State of Refuge with murderers, rapists, and all manner of criminals.

Setting


The story is set mainly in Kanadia (Canada, I'm guessing.) The new global government have changed many words and country names while imposing their ridiculous policies on the general population.


A Final War (likely World War 3) is often mentioned, having completely transformed modern ways of living. You can't choose your job or where you live, and forget disagreeing with the government as it could lead to imprisonment, or worse, death.



Characters


Derek (the main protagonist) begins as a sensitive young man who gradually toughens up in order to survive his hellish new ordeals. He shows great strength, determination, and loyalty throughout the book, which led me to really admire him as a character.


Another character of note is Alex, a no-nonsense Portorican girl, who displays strong survival skills and a sharp wit. Her friendship with Derek is complex: I still wonder if there was more affection between them than initially intended.


the main villains are the Reposits, a sort of Communist-style guard, leeching personal freedom from everyday people. They proved to be a nasty bunch of individuals that I certainly wouldn't want to encounter.

What Did I Like?

• I liked how the author created a strong sense of the harsh environment Derek was thrust into. I imagined a great desert plain with lots of bloodshed and pain.
  
• I liked that there were people willing to take Derek in within the State of Refuge, to train him to become a strong survivor.
  
• Finally, I loved the unexpected twist at the end. I honestly never saw it coming.

A Favourite Quote


My favourite quote of the entire book had to be this:
'We remember. You can't forget freedom.'

This was one of the most powerful quotes of the whole book, showing just how much we as humans value our personal freedom. When it's taken away from us, only then do we realize how crucial it is for us to be happy.

Overall Thoughts


I enjoyed every moment of this story, except for the brief assault mentions, though they did have their place, adding shock value where it would have the most impact.

This was a gritty story of camaraderie, sacrifice, and betrayal.


Would I recommend it?  Absolutely.
My Rating?  5 stars.


Visit the book's goodreads page here

The Hermit of Hisarya

Having read the first four books in the Sam Smith Mystery Series, I couldn't help but pick up number five when it popped up in my Amazon Recommended.



About the story

The Hermit of Hisarya is slightly different from the previous books in that it's set abroad in Bulgaria, instead of in Sam's home country of Wales. When travelling with fiance Alan for a psychology conference, Sam is pulled into a historical conspiracy, where her life and freedom are put at risk.

Themes Explored


Book five follows the themes of family, history, and dark secrets. There is a lot of talk about Communism and Fascism, and how neither system allows people to live freely: someone is always 'pulling the strings,' so to speak.



New Characters

During this fifth instalment, I met several new characters connected with Alan's past. Such characters included a charming Bulgarian couple, the wife's elderly mother, and their son Mikhail. The host couple appeared gracious, intelligent, and compassionate, even helping Sam out when she is pulled into one of the country's greatest historical scandals.

Hannah Howe: Author Avatar

Parts I Liked Most


There were several things I liked best about this book, so today, I thought I'd list them as bullet points:

• How kind the Bulgarian people are to Sam and Alan during their stay.
  
• How comparisons are made between modern politics and the past, particularly focusing on lies spread by the general media, to elicit specific emotional responses in its citizens, and to hide important historical facts.
  
• I loved the ending: the truth is finally brought to light (don't worry, I won't reveal any spoilers as to what the truth is.)

My Overall Thoughts


My overall reading experience was enjoyable. I was constantly left guessing as to what would happen next. The story hooked me from the beginning and delved deeper and deeper into politically criminal acts, which I found fascinating.

Hannah Howe has quickly become one of my favourite mystery authors.
Recommended for cozy mystery and history lovers.


My rating: 5 stars.

Learn more about the book at its Goodreads page

A Question of Will: The Aliomenti Saga, Book 1

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A Question of Will (volume 1) by Alex Albrinck was my first read of June. The story follows Will Stark: father, husband, and entrepreneur. Told from both Will and his foe's perspectives, we learn about the ancient order of the Aliomenti and their plans for any who seek to betray them.



Story overview

The story begins in 2030, with Will having built up his own empire from nothing. Time travel is a feature that comes later in the book, taking Will all the way to the year 2219. There, we learn more about the Aliomenti's insidious plans for the world. Should someone desecrate one or all of the ancient order's sacred oaths, they are sentenced to death, or much worse.

The story flowed well, though at times I had to pause and re-read a sentence, in order to get a grip on the time and location. There were many interesting twists and turns that I didn't see coming, keeping me reading. There are ancient secrets at work: elite groups having exclusive access to secret technology and supernatural abilities, all hidden from ordinary people. Luckily, an Alliance has formed to slowly bring these powers to the rest of humankind, while fighting the cruel Aliomenti.



Protagonist: Will Stark

Will's sense of decency toward his fellow people is refreshing. It is soon evident that he is willing to risk anything for the good of mankind. he is a strong, compassionate character that also admits to his own faults.

I found it particularly admirable that despite a neglected childhood and terrible parents, Will vows never to be like them, adopting a different approach to life, which leads to his eventual success.



Villains: The Aliomenti

The lead members of the Aliomenti: three hunters, one key assassin, and their leader are all callous individuals with a clear distaste for humankind. I instantly hated their narcissism, the very notion that they are the most important beings on the planet due to their abilities seeming laughable when I considered their growing arrogance.

They dismiss their vile actions as being necessary for the 'greater good,' but good for who, I found myself asking. All they served was to further their own wealth, power, control, and self-importance.

Quick note on Time Travel

I thought I'd add a quick note on the time travel used in the book. Time travel is included in the later half of the story. Using nano-technology, members of the Alliance are able to create many cool inventions, such as shape-shifting buildings, air-ships, and more.

The sheer imagination being displayed here had me in awe.



Memorable Quotes

When reading a new book, I often pick out what I feel to be memorable quotes, relative to our modern lives. In A Question of Will, I found many such quotes. It was hard to pick just one to showcase but I finally settled on the following.


'Sometimes, the easiest thing to do, the emotional response, is exactly the wrong thing to do.'

So often now, especially when using the internet, people seem to feel compelled to share their initial emotional reactions to things, no matter how much pain they leave in their wake. I've been guilty of this, as I'm sure we all have at some point or another. Hey, we're only human, after all. However, I think it's crucial that we catch ourselves in the act because if we carry on reacting immediately, I fear that we do more harm than good.

My Rating

A Question of Will explored one man's journey from losing everything he held dear, to becoming a true force for good in the world. I couldn't stop reading and would recommend this series to fans of science fiction and action thrillers.

I'm rating this 5 stars.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16041555-a-question-of-will
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Question-Will-Aliomenti-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B009F19JFM/