This book is not a unified analysis (nor is it entirely about what the synopsis would lead you to believe) but rather a series of essays that are someThis book is not a unified analysis (nor is it entirely about what the synopsis would lead you to believe) but rather a series of essays that are somewhat related. Some are only tangentially related to the whole, while others clearly build off concepts introduced in those prior. It’s an academic work that is not accessible for those unaccustomed to reading such things.
It is, however, valuable. Nancy Fraser has earned her spot amongst other critical theorists and leftists for a reason. Every essay was articulated using a consistent, clear formula, and presented an idea that felt important and in conversation with the broader feminist academia. I particularly enjoyed the analysis in the essay “Struggle Over Needs” as well as Fraser’s idea of “participatory parity” that she explains and implements in a few of the later essays.
The one essay that seems majorly flawed is “A Genealogy of Dependency” which, as another reviewer pointed out, completely misses a huge part of its own argument. It’s wild that someone (or in this case, two someones) could write an entire paper about the culture and politics behind “dependency” and fail to mention disability literally at all. It’s one of the biggest reasons for someone to be a dependent. Otherwise it’s a brilliant essay, but it would hold up much better in modern discourses if it weren’t missing a chunk of its own topic.
Three essays are particularly difficult to parse if you have not read the source material that Fraser is responding to. The first, “What’s Critical About Critical Theory?” is an examination of Jurgen Habermas’ work, which I found mostly readable without the context. However, I skipped “Against Symbolicism” after the first few pages because it’s completely in dialogue with the neoliberal interpretation of Lacanianism, something I am not familiar with and Fraser does not really explain. The final of these, “Heterosexism, Misrecognition, and Capitalism” is a response to Judith Butler, part of an extended back-and-forth between the two. This one I found readable without the context, but only because I already have a basic familiarity with Butler’s views.
Essentially, this is a very good collection of feminist essays, but it is not accessible to casual readers and has parts that will appear to be missing context. Those in academic circles will enjoy this....more
I don’t really have words for how good this book is. I would consider it core reading material for any type of leftist, but even for non-leftists, theI don’t really have words for how good this book is. I would consider it core reading material for any type of leftist, but even for non-leftists, the historical events and persons outlined in nearly every chapter are incredibly important. This is one of those books that effortlessly fills the considerable gaps in knowledge left behind by the American education system.
In school, the way we are taught women’s suffrage, black emancipation, civil rights, and even aspects of later feminism is horrendously inadequate and, dare I say, purposefully neglectful. This book provides a concise, but detailed and eye-opening overview of the history of these issues and the relationship between them. I have never Googled so many names, organizations, and incidents from a single book. It has given me so many other paths to explore, and I’m afraid my TBR will never recover!
A must-read, no matter your background or political leanings....more
This is not a book for someone who is just a “Tolkien enjoyer” - it is of infinitely more use and interest to a scholar interested in Old English versThis is not a book for someone who is just a “Tolkien enjoyer” - it is of infinitely more use and interest to a scholar interested in Old English verse. The fact that Tolkien is the lecturer is appealing, but ultimately not of much consequence outside of Tolkien’s own “The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth” and prose translation of “The Battle of Maldon”, both of which are brief. The bulk of the text is comprised of helpful footnotes and appendices to both, compiled by the author, as well as a few lengthy lectures and essays by Tolkien on Old English verse in general. It is very academic.
My own experience with Old English only consists of having read Beowulf a couple of times, and thus I don’t really have the background to fully appreciate this book. But, for my part, I can see no flaws in it. The author does an excellent job of compiling Tolkien’s materials on the subject, without muddying the waters with his own commentary. When his commentary is present, it always seemed helpful and appropriate. I am inspired to read more Old English poetry as a result of this book, and will probably read it again once I have a better footing in the genre. ...more
There are many casual Norse mythology books like this on the market, but this one is particularly well-done. Other books in this genre have a tendencyThere are many casual Norse mythology books like this on the market, but this one is particularly well-done. Other books in this genre have a tendency to sacrifice historical accuracy in favor of theatrics, pop culture, and the “smoothing out” of Norse narratives for modern audiences. “Norse Mythology” by Kelsey A. Fuller-Schafer avoids these traps as much as possible.
Right from the beginning, the author is clear about only using historical source material, and lists exactly which works she will be using for the whole book. These are referenced periodically throughout all the entries for Norse gods/goddesses, monsters, and heroic figures. Most entries include a retelling of a relevant story for the character in question. These are relayed in an easy style that is entertaining to follow and remains true to the source material. And when there is conflicting information, as there often is in mythology, the author is honest about it. She explains different versions clearly, and without trying to make them agree. I found her retellings of certain heroic sagas particularly good. In my opinion these tend to be the most confusing, but Fuller-Schafer makes a valiant effort to lay out all the drama in a digestible manner.
If the Eddas and sagas themselves are too intimidating, this book is an excellent introductory step in understanding Norse myth and culture. Credit must also be given to Sara Richard for her wonderful illustrations, especially the one for Heimdalr which I think is particularly fabulous. The book’s aesthetic and its friendly writing style combine to make a pretty and approachable guide. I would recommend it to any teens or adults making their first forays into Norse myth....more
The amount of time the authors spend talking about the ills of capitalism: |——|
The amount of time the authors spend talking about Bernie: |——————————-The amount of time the authors spend talking about the ills of capitalism: |——|
The amount of time the authors spend talking about Bernie: |——————————-|
I’m not saying this is a bad thing, but it’s not personally what I was looking for. Make no mistake, the ins and outs of Bernie Sanders’ career and campaigns are sure to widen a few eyeballs, for those who were previously unaware. But I personally was already about as aware as I wanted to be. I was hoping this book would be the old man’s chance to finally let loose unfettered about how capitalism has failed us all, and he does, but only a little. It is not the in-depth critique of American capitalism that the title might suggest it is. Thusly I was a bit disappointed.
I admit that I was nearly bored at many points and found myself skimming, due to the repetitive and bland writing style. I believe this is more the co-author’s doing. A few sections do seem to have some authentic Bernie in them, and they are by far more engaging. But, most of the writing is pretty flat and full of repetitive, rhetorical question-asking. This also hindered my enjoyment significantly.
It’s not a bad book and I liked some parts. But it’s not really a theory book, and reads similarly to just about every other memoir a celebrity or politician has published. Not something I’d read again. ...more
I feared this book would be one of those “aesthetically pretty but basically useless” witch books that have been so prevalent recently. And well…it alI feared this book would be one of those “aesthetically pretty but basically useless” witch books that have been so prevalent recently. And well…it almost is. It’s an extremely surface-level book that prioritizes looking pretty and marketable over providing any real education. But it’s not completely useless, and it’s clearly written and well-organized, so it gets some points for that.
My biggest gripe is with the herb encyclopedia section. What should be the biggest and most useful section of the book is actually quite small and deliberately surface-level. The herbal uses are laughably predictable and show little research. According to this section, just about every single herb is used for - yep, you guessed it - protection, love, and/or money! Wow, I never would have guessed!
Look, while I have no doubt that many herbs can be used for these purposes (and that there is use overlap between herbs), this kind of interpretation makes me roll my eyes. I’m not saying the author is wrong, but I am saying these “uses” have been cherry-picked and twisted for marketability. What about herbs for finding lost items? Herbs for lifting a poor mood? Motivation? Calming a troubled relationship? These uses exist, but the folks who made this book decided to stick with the sexier standbys of protection/love/money.
Additionally, (and predictably), the largest section of this book is devoted to - you guessed it again - spells! There is little to no direction on how to create your own spells. But there is a huge list of tantalizing spell recipes for beginners to get their hands dirty. This section is here because this is what sells - spells sell. Beginners looking for a quick and relatively safe way to start slinging magic around will get exactly what they want. This book isn’t for anyone who wants more than that.
Now, why isn’t this book one star? The introductory section on ways of working magic is actually pretty well done. Sure, it’s basic, but it’s clear and concise, and beginners would have no trouble understanding it. And the spells section has some good ideas in it for spell construction, even if you would prefer to ultimately design your own. Additionally, the team of artists and designers responsible for this book’s overall design and layout did a wonderful job. I wish the books with more substance got this kind of treatment! Shoutouts to Mel Baxter, Tricia Jang, and Meg Baggott for their work in making this book’s pages look fantastic.
No disrespect whatsoever to the author is meant by this review. I just have to call what I see. And what I see is a pretty book that prioritizes marketability over substance. It’s not even close to the most heinous example of this phenomenon, but it’s dancing on the edge of that category. Absolute beginners will find this book intriguing and helpful. Anyone beyond that will be disappointed. ...more
This book should be mandatory reading for all coven-based Wiccans, and most solitaries should have this on their list as well. There are a couple of mThis book should be mandatory reading for all coven-based Wiccans, and most solitaries should have this on their list as well. There are a couple of minor annoyances, and one major blunder, that keep this book from being 5 stars for me. Nonetheless, those things do not detract from this work’s immense value.
First, let me counteract some of the bad reviews that are already here, because they don’t sound like the reviewer(s) actually finished the book. I only noticed Mankey make one off-hand comment about Christianity in the whole book, and it was only about himself. I do not understand how another reviewer took this to mean he spent a significant portion of the text shitting on other religions. That just isn’t true. Another reviewer is understandably upset about Mankey’s relationship with the founders of the Feri tradition. While I don’t agree with those folks either, Mankey spends only a brief amount of time discussing them. I found it easy to get past.
With that out of the way, I will briefly mention the one thing about this book that strikes me as a major blunder. In the year this book was published (2019) you simply cannot continue to use the words “witchcraft” and “Wicca” interchangeably. You just can’t. It’s disrespectful and ill-informed to continue doing so, and strikes me as massively outdated. Now, Mankey does make it mostly clear that the whole book is really only about Wicca, but that doesn’t completely remove the annoyance of conflating these words. I sincerely hope that Llewellyn allows for a second edition in the future, and that Mankey uses that opportunity to correct the terminology.
Now, why should this book be mandatory reading, in spite of the missteps? Primarily, it’s because Jason Mankey is well-educated in every subject discussed in this book, and uses both personal experience and book research to support what he says. This book is VERY well-cited. In this time where new age books spend an awful lot of time making things up as they go, it is so refreshing to find an author who will meticulously cite his sources. (Another reviewer seemed to think this was a bad thing - I’m sorry, but what are you on?) This gives this book an advantage, because it is NOT a beginner’s book. This is a new Wiccan’s third or fourth book, not their first, and I love that. Topics that other books only touch on are discussed in-depth, both from a historical perspective and an in-person perspective. Mankey dives deep into the “how” and “why” of advanced Wiccan concepts like initiations/elevations, drawing down deity, and the Great Rite. These things are discussed respectfully and clearly.
A lot of this book also consists of ritual scripts for the various phenomena described within. They are designed for group work, but there are plenty of adaptations available for solitary work too. Anyone should find some of the wording and ideas inspiring for their own work.
Other minor issues: The title is a misnomer and just kind of bad (Llewellyn, why?), Mankey’s writing is plain and a bit awkward at times, and certain bits drag on a little. None of these really detract from the book’s value.
Every Wiccan should read this book, despite its flaws. It’s too comprehensive and unique to ignore. While I will quietly continue to shake my fist about the Wicca/witchcraft misuse, I will also continually recommend this book in spite of it. Intermediate and advanced Wicca books are still fairly rare, and this one is a great entry into that category. ...more
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