We Should All Be Feminists
Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Publication date: February 3, 2015
Pages: 64
Price: $11.95 CAD (paperback) at Indigo Books & Music Online
Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions
Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Publisher: Knopf Canada
Publication date: March 7, 2017
Pages: 80
Price: $18.00 CAD (hardcover) at Indigo Books & Music Online
Hey everyone! Today I’m going to share what I thought on We Should All Be Feminists and Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions. Both these books are not that long and are considered to be essays so I’ll just review them both in one post! Enjoy!
We Should All Be Feminists
Synopsis
What does “feminism” mean today? That is the question at the heart of We Should All Be Feminists, a personal, eloquently-argued essay—adapted from her much-viewed TEDx talk of the same name—by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the award-winning author of Americanah and Half of a Yellow Sun.
With humor and levity, here Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century—one rooted in inclusion and awareness. She shines a light not only on blatant discrimination, but also the more insidious, institutional behaviors that marginalize women around the world, in order to help readers of all walks of life better understand the often masked realities of sexual politics. Throughout, she draws extensively on her own experiences—in the U.S., in her native Nigeria, and abroad—offering an artfully nuanced explanation of why the gender divide is harmful for women and men, alike.
Argued in the same observant, witty and clever prose that has made Adichie a bestselling novelist, here is one remarkable author’s exploration of what it means to be a woman today—and an of-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists. – Goodreads
First Sentence
“Okoloma was one of my greatest childhood friends.”
Review
I first read We Should All Be Feminists back in 2016 and I just reread it recently. I’ll tell you right now that this was one of the most truthful, motivating and awe-inspiring books I have ever read. Chimamanda knows that in order to get to her readers she must use brutal honesty and real-life experiences and she is hella right! I am always welcome to pick up one of her books because I know they have an importance and they are worthwhile reads. Chimamanda’s books might be short, but they are way more than ink on paper. She retells her experience as a minority and depicts the reality many women still face in some countries, why it should not be that way, and how we can change. This book has helped me time and time again at becoming a better person, to speak out in what I believe in, and to be your own person, no matter what standards are set.
I also was a really, I mean REALLY big fan of Beyoncé back in 2016. I still love her, but I can’t bring myself to pay twenty dollars for Lemonade. lol. Anyway, in We Should All Be Feminists, there are actually some lines that were said in some of Beyoncé’s songs! How freaking cool is that!
Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions
Synopsis
From the best-selling author of Americanah and We Should All Be Feminists comes a powerful new statement about feminism today–written as a letter to a friend.
A few years ago, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie received a letter from a dear friend from childhood, asking her how to raise her baby girl as a feminist. Dear Ijeawele is Adichie’s letter of response.
Here are fifteen invaluable suggestions–compelling, direct, wryly funny, and perceptive–for how to empower a daughter to become a strong, independent woman. From encouraging her to choose a helicopter, and not only a doll, as a toy if she so desires; having open conversations with her about clothes, makeup, and sexuality; debunking the myth that women are somehow biologically arranged to be in the kitchen making dinner, and that men can “allow” women to have full careers, Dear Ijeawele goes right to the heart of sexual politics in the twenty-first century. It will start a new and urgently needed conversation about what it really means to be a woman today. -Goodreads
First Sentence
“When a couple of years ago a friend of mine from childhood, who’d grown into a brilliant, strong, kind woman, asked me to tell her how to raise her baby girl a feminist, my first thought was that I did not know.”
Review
Feminism is something that is really important to me. I believe that everyone should have equal rights and equal opportunities whether they have a different race, gender, religion. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie also holds these things as valuable and important for recognition. And with that at heart she brings us such amazing and inspiring books such as this one.
Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions, is a letter that Chimamanda wrote to her friend after she’d asked her how to raise her daughter as a feminist. This book is the letter Adichie wrote back, which includes fifteen suggestions as to how to raise your child a feminist.
Once again, this book has made me reflect on how grateful I am to be in a country where women are heard. It is unbelievable that some women still have to voice or opinion and are raised to believe that that’s okay! I love how the author includes her stories from her youth. It helps the reader understand the circumstances some women and girls must go through. All in all, Chimamanda’s books leave a mark. When I read them I felt empowered ans motivated to make a change, to be better! I’m happy that we have an activist as amazing as her spreading the message through these essays! I think this is really inspiring and will totally be super helpful for some of our gals out there!
Final Review/Recommendation
We Should All Be Feminists
Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions
I give We Should All Be Feminists five stars because it is eye-opening and is sheer brilliance that everyone should read. It really decipher what it truly means to be a feminist and how important it is that you be one! UGH! It’s just such a great book! I don’t know what to say! Chimamanda is such a big role model to me!
For Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions, I rate it four stars because I loved it just as much as We Should All Be Feminists, but it seemed too short! I want more ways! I did really enjoy how it was in a letter format, though it wasn’t addressed to me, it felt very personalized.
I’d recommend these books to anyone and everyone. I think these are very important and informative but entertaining books and I’d much rather read something like this in my English class than Lord of The Flies. :/ Plus they aren’t that long! Only took me an hour or so each! Please please please give these a try! You won’t regret it!
“The problem with gender is that it prescribes how we should be rather than recognizing how we are. Imagine how much happier we would be, how much freer to be our true individual selves, if we didn’t have the weight of gender expectations.”
― We Should All Be Feminists
Let me know what you thought of We Should All be Feminists and Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions or of my review! I’d love to hear your thoughts!!!
Have a good weekend, everyone!
-Emma 🙂
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