Emilie Buchwald

Transforming a Rape Culture is a book I've been reading for a few months on and off, skipping around. It's a collection of essays and speeches, and I've only recently just finished it. It's the best book I have ever read on the subject of rape. It's by turns infuriating and inspiring.
Some of the contributers I really do not like. Andrea Dworkin. I really, really do not like Andrea Dworkin. I find her stance on pornography offensive in its absolutism. Read the wikipedia article if you want to show more know. But, my point is, despite this, I rather like her contribution, a transcript of her speech "I Want a Twenty-Four Hour Truce'' (in which there is no rape) delivered in 1983 to a "men's movement" conference. There's at least a bit of wisdom in every contribution.
The best part about Transforming a Rape Culture is that it offers solutions. It names problems and gives concrete ideas to fix them; discusses strategies that have worked and not worked, such as counseling centers, legislation, artwork; stresses contribution on individual, community, national and global scales. After reading this book, I don't have a much easier time believing that I will see a world in which rape does not exist during my lifetime, but I have more faith in seeing a world working towards that. show less

Transforming a Rape Culture is a book I've been reading for a few months on and off, skipping around. It's a collection of essays and speeches, and I've only recently just finished it. It's the best book I have ever read on the subject of rape. It's by turns infuriating and inspiring.
Some of the contributers I really do not like. Andrea Dworkin. I really, really do not like Andrea Dworkin. I find her stance on pornography offensive in its absolutism. Read the wikipedia article if you want to show more know. But, my point is, despite this, I rather like her contribution, a transcript of her speech "I Want a Twenty-Four Hour Truce'' (in which there is no rape) delivered in 1983 to a "men's movement" conference. There's at least a bit of wisdom in every contribution.
The best part about Transforming a Rape Culture is that it offers solutions. It names problems and gives concrete ideas to fix them; discusses strategies that have worked and not worked, such as counseling centers, legislation, artwork; stresses contribution on individual, community, national and global scales. After reading this book, I don't have a much easier time believing that I will see a world in which rape does not exist during my lifetime, but I have more faith in seeing a world working towards that. show less

Some of these writers seem to assume that all men are abusive and sexist.

Many of them fail to distinguish between violence and counterviolence.

Most of them sincerely believe that simply by changing hearts and minds we can end rape forever.

These are all major faults. And though they don't entirely sink the book, they don't get us anywhere new.

Most of the best essays in this book come in at the end, these being some of the most personal. By far the best is Inés Hernández-Ávila's "In Praise show more of Insubordination". show less

I read Gildaen last night. The subtitle is a bit misleading: "The Heroic Adventures of a Most Unusual Rabbit," because it conjures up ideas of a rabbit moving among animal compatriots, when really Gildaen mixes with humans and gets caught up in their intrigues. The plot was rather predictable and the writing so-so. It's the sort of book you might call "charming," and not intend an entirely complimentary meaning. Still, I wanted lighter reading last night and it fit the bill.