In Stitches: A Patchwork of Feminist Humor and Satire (A Midland Book) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0253206413 ISBN 13: 9780253206411

Publisher: Indiana Univ Pr, 1991

Synopsis

Here at last is the long-awaited sequel to the classic Pulling Our Own Strings. Picking up where Pulling left off, In Stitches restores flagging feminist energies and demonstrates the progress of the past decade. Contributors include Toni Cade Bambara, Dave Barry, Alison Bechdel, Mary Kay Blakely, Kate Clinton, Barbara Ehrenreich, Jules Feiffer, Ellen Goodman, Guerilla Girls, Nicole Hollander, Zora Neale Hurston, Jane Wagner, and many, many more.

About this title

From the Back Cover

In Stitches intends to reaffirm our positive directions, to restore flagging feminist energies, to demonstrate the progress of the past decade, to cherish our artists who through humor achieve clarity and insight, to demonstrate and to reaffirm that in diversity there is strength. Feminist humor has a salutary social function. It brings us an abundance of nonmalicious laughter. It encourages playfulness. It puts our problems at laughing distance, restoring our perspective and sharpening our insight. It allows us to share our deep and serious commitments in joyful ways. Feminist humor renews in the mysterious way that great comedy renews - by putting its finger on the hugely positive potential of human beings and by reminding us of our rejuvenating choices.

Reviews

Anyone who still says feminists don't have a sense of humor should peruse the hilarious and often insightful pieces assembled here by Kaufman (coeditor of Pulling Our Own Strings ). Teresa Bloomingdale discusses one of the less publicized joys of new-motherhood: sleep deprivation. Alice Kahn offers a test men can take to see if they're genuine NSMs--New Sensitive Males, a blend of "miso and macho in one man." Dave Barry reveals why housework can't be entrusted to men: they'd "hire secretaries and buy computers and fly off to housework conferences in Bermuda"--but never clean anything. Kaufman (writing as Hazel Houlihingle) explores the wonderland of "medical logic" that lets doctors evade responsibility for their actions. Barbara Ehrenreich explodes the "man shortage" myth, noting places where there's a surplus of males, such as the Senate, Harvard (853 tenured men to 45 tenured women) and U.S. prisons. On the language of clothes, Alison Lurie notes that we can lie or try to tell the truth, but "unless we are naked and bald, it is impossible to be silent." Illustrations not seen by PW.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In her second volume of feminist humor (she was co-editor of Pulling Our Own Strings , LJ 10/15/80), Kaufman tells us that "feminist humor strives to educate both weak and powerful in order to stimulate change in the direction of equity or justice." This certainly appears to be the case, as many of the selections seem to be more educational than humorous. While pieces such as "My Husband's View of Housework" (Margery Eliscu) and "Five Months Before the Wedding" (Dave Barry) are genuinely funny, others such as "My Man Bovanne" (Toni Cade Bambara) are more a poignant social commentary. Unlike Regina Barreca's They Used To Call Me Snow White ( LJ 3/15/91), there is no analysis in the text other than in the introduction. The authors represented range from Harriet Beecher Stowe to Fran Lebowitz, and the various topics include pregnancy, marriage, sex, dating, aging, and politics. Appropriate for women's studies collections.-- Kathy Ingels Helmond, Indiana Univ.
Purdue Univ. at Indianapolis Lib.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Indiana Univ Pr
• Publication date: 1991
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0253206413
• ISBN 13: 9780253206411
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 180
• Editor: Gloria Kaufman