Amazingly on-point, constructive critiques of the theory and practice that have held feminist movement from becoming a transformative culture, and equally piercing suggestions for change. Although written in the early 80's, every section and topic has been relevant to current culture in the US; often written seemingly in response to an article, law, or trend occurring real-time in my world. I imagine I will reread as opportunity permits. Although I felt some sadness that her critiques are still so topical, it is worth remembering that revolution is a process that takes time and effort. ( )

Although this book presented a critical challenge to feminist orthodoxy at the time it was published, it has ironically become the contemporary feminist party line. There are some aspects of this book I find praiseworthy and other elements I find problematic, but regardless of which arguments fall in which categories, I think today's feminists would do well to take up hooks's call to continually re-evaluate whatever the hegemonic consensus of the day is.

On the positive side, hooks is excellent at identifying problems and courageous at putting forth potential solutions. She proposes concrete practices which align with her theoretical proclamations. Most importantly, she airs some of the perspectives which are common among poor or non-white women yet neglected by white bourgeois feminists. However, in her attempt to introduce these valuable perspectives, I think hooks ultimately reinforces the binary logic of domination she considers to be the root of oppression. By relying on a version of standpoint epistemology in which the most marginalized people have the greatest access to truth, hooks provides a rationale for the "oppression olympics" in which the "most victimized" status is coveted, even as she critiques the victim mentality within the feminist movement. The contrasts she sets up between white women and women of color sometimes ring false or just too strongly worded (for example, she states that black women are raised communally while white women are not), which seems to reinforce barriers between women rather than breaking them down. Furthermore, she seems to neglect other axes of oppression beyond gender, race, and class. She does not talk at all about disability, immigration status, or trans/non-binary gender identity. Her discussion of LGB individuals is either in the service of making points about heterosexuality, trite, hetero-splaining, or non-existent (e.g. heterosexuality is not per se oppression any more than lesbianism is per se liberation, separatism is undesirable, lesbians should make sure there are men involved in their kids lives, etc). Lastly, she seems to be holding out for a utopian world in which there is no domination, which seems impossible if perhaps desirable as an ideal.

Despite my reservations, this book is definitely worth a read. It clarifies much of the logic behind contemporary feminist thinking, and reading it will help you understand where hooks's thinking has become hegemonic within the movement vs. where it has not gained such currency. It's also integral to the history of feminist theory. ( )

Bell hooks, writing in the mid-eighties, discusses how second-wave feminism could reclaim its focus on social justice and become relevant to everyone. Picked this up at a library book sale and loved it. Hooks' prose style is crisp and direct and quietly passionate, occupying the space where popular and academic writing meets. It is not an introduction to feminism, but it's a great read for anyone wanting to consider more deeply the place of feminism in social justice movements now. ( )

The unpacking of feminism's relationship to upper class white women in this book was interesting but not earthshattering. I got the impression this book is still heralded because it broke some very new ground a few decades ago -- ground which by now has been pretty well incorporated into mainstream feminist thought. Some of the most intriguing parts for me were when hooks set the context for "this is what feminism looks like today (in the '80s)", because although there is a lot of discussion these days about how race and sex intersect, and how class and sex intersect, there is much less discussion about the details of feminism's sordid past.

I would recommend this book for classroom historical reading, but not much more. For most people interested in the intersections of race/class/gender, there are a number of blogs you can follow today that are equally or more articulate about these issues. There is nothing wrong with this book, but it doesn't add as much as I was hoping/had been led to believe to the modern canon. ( )

I read this book for my Implications of Racism course and wrote a big paper on it, but I'll spare you readers all of the minute details. In a nutshell, this was a fascinating look at the intersection of race, class and gender and a critique of the 1960s feminist movement. hooks argued that the 1960s feminist movement was too narrow and did not give credence to the struggles and experiences of women of color or women in lower classes. A must read for anyone interested in feminism or racism. ( )