‘Are Men Necessary?’ By Maureen Dowd

It is a question that many women ask themselves at some point. In Maureen Dowd’s book, the answer is, I think, purposefully vague. This must be for obvious reasons; women keep asking themselves this same question because there is no easy answer.

Dowd tracks many changes that have been brought about by feminism from fashion to marriage to politics. Her style is conversational and very funny even when talking about subjects that are usually not treated as a laughing matter, like sexual harassment or adultery. People who are actually looking for an answer to the title question will probably be disappointed; I don’t know whether there is an answer. But those who come in search of an interesting overview of some of feminism’s triumphs and failures will be sure to enjoy.

I love men and I think they are wonderful for friendship and companionship, but do I need a man? It’s an interesting question, because my life would obviously have been very different without men. The author uses Hilary Clinton as an example; she is successful and has a career of her own, but would she have been able to accomplish this without her husband’s prior success and subsequent public betrayal? It seems likely that her success would have been on a smaller scale. A better question seems to be whether feminism can eventually bring women to a place where they can thrive politically without introductions and support from the men in their lives.

‘Wide Sargasso Sea’ by Jean Rhys

It is hard for me to imagine how Wide Sargasso Sea would be read by a person who isn’t familiar with Jane Eyre. (It’s actually just hard for me to imagine the lives of people who haven’t read Jane Eyre, but that’s another story.) For the most part, I think Wide Sargasso Sea is very accessible to all readers, which is refreshing and unusual for a spin-off book. The book tells the story of Mr. Rochester’s first wife, the crazy woman in the attic. Jane Eyre sympathizes with Mr. Rochester; Wide Sargasso Sea is unforgiving of his treatment of his wife. For the most part I think Wide Sargasso Sea is very accessible to all readers, which is refreshing and unusual for a spin-off book. However, despite the fact that Wide Sargasso Sea stands well on its own, it is even better when the reader is able to make comparisons.

The first thing that strikes me about Wide Sargasso Sea is that the girl, Antoinette Cosway, seems to be likened to Jane Eyre. They are both lonely and poor as children with very little care or attention from their parental figures. Both latch on to a kind maid for companionship. Later, both leave home to go to school where they greatly admire the women who work as teachers. This is drastically different than Mr. Rochester’s comparison of Jane and his first wife in Jane Eyre: “This young girl [Jane] who stands so grave and quiet at the mouth of hell, looking collectedly at the gambols of a demon [Antoinette]. I wanted her just as a change after that fierce ragout. Wood and Briggs, look at the difference! Compare these clear eyes with the red balls yonder- this face with that mask-this form with that bulk”. My impression after reading Jane Eyre is that the two women are very different; my impression after reading Wide Sargasso Sea is that they are very much alike.

The other thing that strikes me about the relationships between these books is the difference between the sexuality of the two women. Jane Eyre is the very essence of self-denial while Antoinette is not. Granted, there were 100 years between the two novels, but I think the contrast is significant. Are affectionate, sexual women to be feared and ostracized? Would Mr. Rochester have accepted Antoinette if she had been repulsed by sexuality? These are all interesting questions, and hopefully we’ll all be a little less sympathetic towards Rochester after reading Wide Sargasso Sea.

‘Born To Run’ By Christopher McDougall

I haven’t been running at all lately, and thanks to Christopher McDougall, I feel really bad about it now. Or at least angry with myself for getting out of the habit. Born to Run follows several American endurance runners and an isolated tribe of Mexican runners who have what seems to be superhuman stamina. We begin with McDougall’s first meeting with Caballo Blanco (The White Horse, an American living near the Tarahumara tribe in Mexico); the story climaxes with a run in the desert that includes many of the characters introduced along the way.

Though McDougall is telling a very personal story about friends and acquaintances, he includes lots of background information to help the reader to better understand endurance running. To understand Barefoot Ted’s philosophy, it helps to have a background on proper running form and podiatric medicine. To understand the Tarahumara diet it helps to know a bit about general nutrition. To understand how the human body is adapted to running, it helps to know a little about evolution. Although Born to Run covers many years and includes many individuals, McDougall is able to travel easily between times and places in a way that isn’t confusing or overwhelming.

I suspect that this book will appeal equally to those who enjoy running and those who want to be more involved in the sport (people who have no intention of being physically active will probably not like it). Aside from being entertained, I also picked up some great tips about nutrition (Chia seeds – who knew?), running form and footwear (I don’t need to spend a lot of money!). Of course, I’m not really going to know how successful all this running information is until I try it for myself.