After reading an earlier book by Caitlin Moran, I started to read this, but did not finish it. It did not turn out to be a book for me, sadly.

I can’t really review this like normal as it’s very different to my usual reads! This is a collection of columns and short essays by Times journalist, Caitlan Moran, a self-described working class woman with strong opinions that she’s not afraid to share. I can’t tell you why I first picked this book, as generally solely read fiction, but I’m glad I did.
With a background quite different to my own, Caitlin Moran’s pieces managed to open my eyes to things I haven’t confronted in my life. She deals with topics ranging from growing up with a large family in a council house in the 1980s to spending time with Benedict Cumberbatch, back to rape and FGM and over to the dangers of technology and the social media of today, then delving into her own personal stories of aging and the place that women hold in the world. And all of these she covers seamlessly and effortlessly, with wit in the right places, disgust and anger in others, in just the right way to get that topic into your brain and to really get you thinking.
It wasn’t the quickest read as I did find my mind being almost assaulted with such a variety of different topics to take in, so this is a book that’s best read in snippets whenever you feel like to give you a chance to digest each one. But I enjoyed this far more than I thought I would, and I’m now convinced I need to pick up books like this one more often

Funny and thought provoking. Have since hand-sold this to many customers. Must read!

Title: Moranifesto

Author: Caitlin Moran

Genre: Non-fiction; essays; anthology



A few starting notes:

I received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley. NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair and honest reviews.



An explanation for those of my international readers who may not've heard of Caitlin Moran: Moran is a British journalist and author - both of fiction and non-fiction.

She usually writes for The Times - a 'posh' paper that normally takes a traditionalist or elitist middle-class to upper-middle-class view.

Her moderate left-wing politics are about the nearest thing to liberal and/or working-class that most Times readers will be exposed to.



Hands up, I enjoy Caitlin Moran's writing. I know she can be divisive but she's also really funny.

Still, honesty and all that jazz. She's often accused of White Feminism, so I'll be keeping an eye out for that.

Expect both sides explored thoroughly in this review my nerdlets! ;)




Premise:

Modern life and politics need a revolution! They need updating.

Journalist and author Caitlin Moran reckons she has the answers; so with a selection of her newspaper and magazine articles and columns, she's setting out her manifesto.



Best bits:


Caitlin Moran is funny, ok? End of.

She's zany, quirky, and a little bit controversial. All of that makes for a hugely entertaining read.

I laughed out loud more than once, and if you're looking for something that manages to casually combine serious topics with a dash of humour, then this is it!



Moran is also a total Cumberb**ch - a Benedict Cumberbatch fangirl.

...And she gets to live every Cumbercookie's dream and interview the man himself!

(*Squee!*)

Honestly, if you're a massive Cumberbabe and/or Sherlockian, there's a little section in here that you will adore.

And it rocks to see someone who's a bit older than your average fangirl fully embracing the fangirl-life! ;)




As I mentioned in the first section, Caitlin Moran is often accused of White Feminism.

This is feminism which ignores and/or excludes the needs and problems of women of colour, disabled women, queer women, etc.

I'm happy to say that she is clearly making an effort.

There are more attempts in this collection to incorporate women of intersectional backgrounds.


It's undoubtedly a step in the right direction - she's starting:


- to include the needs of women of varied backgrounds
- to point out when women are further disadvantaged by their marginalised identities (e.g. race, disability, sexuality.)
- to speak about the problems of women in other countries such as India
- to discuss (passionately) the problem of FGM (Female Genital Mutilation)
- to speak about the under-representation of people of colour, LGBTQ+ people, etc. in media and government
to defend the rights of refugees



She's far from perfect (see 'not so great bits' section) - but she's human.

And she's trying. It's up to you whether that's enough for you to give her book a go.




Caitlin Moran's voice is important.

It's important because this is the voice of socialism and the welfare state, beaming itself at the ears and eyeballs of people who've never known hardship in their lives.

It's important because she invites you in for a chat, like a kooky aunt or a batty neighbour, and then convinces you that the world can be better.

It's important because it proves to the toffs that a girl from a council house has just as much intelligence and drive as any of their families - maybe more so.

Caitlin Moran may seem 'not liberal enough' or 'too White Feminism' to those on the far-left.

But to the right? She's a one woman revolution. She speaks the unspeakable, and turns their ideas upside-down - all over a cup of tea and natter.

Lord knows, the UK needs her voice.




Not so great bits:


Because of the way this book is structured, it includes a lot of sensitive topics, but may only talk about them briefly.

Rarely, if ever, is it graphic.

There are some topics that stick out in particular though.

This is NOT an exhaustive list of the sensitive topics in this book, just those which really stood out:


- rape and sexual violence (discusses some cases IN DETAIL.)

- FGM (female genital mutilation) (covered IN DETAIL.)

- cancer

- self-harm

- sexism

- poverty



Caitlin Moran also swears like a f**king sailor, and references the sexy-times often.




Someone needs to sit Moran down and explain gender vs sexuality - cos I don't think she's getting it.

At one point she refers to men and women... and asexuals. Now, clearly she meant non-binary and other non-gender-conforming people.

But she's confused the gender spectrum with the sexuality spectrum.

Gender is how you feel in terms of male, female, and all the things in between and beyond. Sexuality is who you are attracted to.

Asexual means little or no sexual attraction. It is not a gender.

Now, if she made a mistake, then she made a mistake.

But this book is made up of articles from her archive: it's therefore been through newspaper editors, book editors, and lord knows how many hands besides.

Why did none of these pre-readers pick up on this?!




Speaking of editors... this book could've done with better structure. A ball that falls into the editor's court.

It kind of needed someone to grab hold of it and go, 'you know what? We've gone off on one. And not in a relevant way.'

Because this book meanders way more than it needs too... and a lot of pieces were clearly squished in and rationalised later, rather than making sense to the overall theme.

This book sets itself up as a schematic for a revolution - albeit a tongue-in-cheek one - and then gets distracted by... pretty much everything.

I just felt like it could be a little more focussed.




As far as the White Feminism goes, yes, an effort has most definitely been made.

But Moran sometimes still doesn't seem to get why people were upset to begin with, which can put her on the defensive.

Defensiveness is not a good look. Neither is fawning over Lena Dunham (slightly nauseatingly.)

And here's a tip my nerdlets: use 'gay people' (or 'LGBTQ+ people,') instead of 'gays,' unless you're LGBTQ+ yourself.

It's just nicer - sounds less like a different species, y'know? Likewise, say black people, disabled people, etc. It's more polite, ok?




And while this book touches on world issues, it's still very much a Britain-centric book. In fact, a lot of the time it's an England-centric, or even London-centric book.

There are also a couple of times when she says 'England' where I think she means the UK.

I'll give her the benefit of the doubt - but my Twitter followers will know how irritated that makes me.

The UK is made up of Wales, Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, and some dependencies such as the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, Gibraltar, etc.

Unfortunately, people use Britain when they mean England, and England when they mean Britain.

But I'm not English. I'm Welsh, and I'm British. There's a lot of history there. Please respect that.




Verdict:


Whether you're a Moran fan or not, this is an entertaining book. A little lacking in focus, but still a lot of fun.

You may disagree with some of her standpoints, but Caitlin Moran is an important voice - and a fun one at that.

This collection of Moran’s articles, columns and essays covers everything from her love of David Bowie and her crush on Benedict Cumberbatch to more serious issues including, but not limited to, feminism, terrorism and the NHS.

Enjoyable enough if you’re already a Caitlin Moran fan. I can’t imagine you’ll get much from it otherwise.

I started reading this book and giggled and then I didn’t.

I didn’t giggle when Caitlin talked about Wolverhampton as I knew it from first hand experience when I taught there for 2 years. And so I felt that I knew those families and those children.

I didn’t giggle when she wrote about the so-called bedroom tax.

We are lucky we own our flat. And so on nights when I can’t sleep due to my disability I can use the 2nd bedroom to allow my husband to rest. Sleeping peacefully can be 2 ideas that don’t link for me -I am always restless and awake a lot. So we need our 2nd bedroom. And it permits visitors!

I was a ‘lucky’ working class child as my father worked. So did my grandfather until he was over 70. We needed the money in our multi-generational household to pay the mortgage we had to take out when our house owner wanted to sell. At that after some 30 years of renting from him. 4 adults and 2 children in 2.25 bedroom house. With no central heating until after we bought!

I was lucky in that I was able to obtain a full grant to go to university which paid tuition and some board and lodging. Topped up by the work I did each holiday of course otherwise I could never afford the rent on the mice infested house I shared with several other students! And university moved me up a ‘class’ into being a professional.

I remember celebrating Thatcher’s educational achievement of removing the milk from Primary school children - the milk that enabled my generation to grow bigger than our parents - with a large bonfire in the city square and burning her effigy! All the while chanting ‘Milk Snatcher Thatcher’.

So do I agree with everything that Caitlin writes? No, of course not. But her Times’ columns are the first thing my husband and I read on a Saturday. And so much of what she says or rants about fit in with our backgrounds and political and social leanings - being the leftie liberals we are with our theatre and music and art visits. Yes, I am now far from my working class background which was also far from her experiences, but still her words resonate and make me think.

Caitlin Moran always tells it how it is and this book is no exception.
A clever and honest book.

Love loved loved this book! Real page turner and very humorous

Moranifesto was an enjoyable read. It is a collection of articles on a variety of topics that will have you laugh out loud as you are reading. A great book.

An entertaining read, with lots of humour. The book gives an insight in to Caitlin Moran's view of the world, lots of politics, feminism etc. but written in a way that was enjoyable to read.

A good book filled with articles Caitlin Moran wrote for The Times newspaper.

3.5 stars from me rounded up to 4.

The blurb:

‘I’ve lived through ten iOS upgrades on my Mac – and that’s just something I use to muck about on Twitter. Surely capitalism is due an upgrade or two?’

When Caitlin Moran sat down to choose her favourite pieces for her new book she realised that they all seemed to join up. Turns out, it’s the same old problems and the same old ass-hats.

Then she thought of the word ‘Moranifesto’, and she knew what she had to do…

This is Caitlin’s engaging and amusing rallying call for our times. Combining the best of her recent columns with lots of new writing unique to this book, Caitlin deals with topics as pressing and diverse as 1980s swearing, benefits, boarding schools, and why the internet is like a drunken toddler.

And whilst never afraid to address the big issues of the day – such as Benedict Cumberbatch and duffel coats – Caitlin also makes a passionate effort to understand our 21st century society and presents us with her ‘Moranifesto’ for making the world a better place.

The polite revolution starts here! Please.

Ok. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, having never read anything by Caitlin Moran before. It was partly amusing and mainly ... not.

It seemed to me to be mainly waffle about how she would like things to be. I’m sorry, but this book definitely wasn’t for me. 2.5*

Caitlin Moran is a columnist with The Times newspaper and this book explains her view of the world. Moranifesto is her political and social analysis of how things could change, if bit by bit everyone altered one little bit.

I enjoyed reading Moranifesto in the same way I enjoy watching a stand up comedian on television. Catlin starts off each chapter in italics, to denote the new content which then leads into a previously published newspaper column she had written. The next chapter continues at a tangent with another introduction in italics and a republished newspaper column. I loved the flow throughout her book and it felt more like a concert than a book. Caitlin discusses many topical issues with a left wing bias that I agree with. I like her writing style which makes for easy reading. She uses a very extensive vocabulary and is not dumbing down our language. Her newspaper columns are very polished and top quality. Caitlin also has a nice humour which makes her writing witty, for example when she explains the joys of having a boyfriend who has access to a car…

I can remember the drunken conversation I had with my friend Sian. Opening a bottle of Baileys, exclaiming, ‘Oh, my God - he took me up the Big Sainsbury’s!’ Then explaining that wasn’t a euphemism, and pointing at all the heavy, jumbo-sized tins I’d been able to buy - because I didn’t have to drag them back on the bus.

... Caitlin writes about many popular topics and I agree with most of her opinions. It was refreshing to read about a woman who likes to wear sensible shoes and outdoor gear. It was nice she highlighted those feminist issues men are ignorant of - me included.

I liked the way that Moranifesto developed, it was almost like having a series of dates with Caitlin because through her newspaper columns, her personality shined and you began to understand the woman behind those opinions. The ending of Moranifesto was very good indeed and would warm the most cynical of hearts. Books and newspaper columns are very different markets but Moranifesto is a good bridge between the two media. I think this is a GOOD read that will entertain the reader and was a refreshing change from my usual diet of crime thrillers, so it gets 4 stars from me.

Caitlin Moran is an English journalist, broadcaster and award-winning author. Moranifesto contains a collection of the columns she has written over the past few years. She tackles a diverse range of topics from TV reviews and pieces about London to feminism and a heavy dose of politics. Unfortunately, some of the pieces were dated. For example, reading about the Olympics in the UK or the Queen's Jubilee would have had more of an effect several years ago. I enjoyed her more universal and her personal articles, such as her posthumous letter to her daughter, her relationship experience and her thoughts about reading. Some of it was very touching as well as funny. As somebody who doesn't really understand the Benedict Cumberbatch obsession, I was surprised how much I enjoyed Mrs. Moran's interview with him. Overall, it was an interesting book and due to the short articles, it was nice to read bits in-between when there wasn't much time for anything else. For me personally, there was too much emphasis on feminism and politics, and some of the issues became repetitive (being able to wear comfortable shoes in the way men can or growing up on a council estate). I received an invitation from the publisher to read this and would probably not have picked this up myself. But readers who enjoy these topics will find a plethora of stuff to enjoy here because Caitlin Moran undoubtedly is witty, her style is very readable as long as you don't mind the occasional strong language, and her thoughts are insightful.

Very entertaining.
A collection of Moran's thoughts on various topics (light and heavy alike).
The writing is superb so you will enjoy her comments whether or not you actually agree with them.

A series of interesting and thought-provoking essays by a top journalist

This is a book that is easy to dip into as it is a series of essays on a huge variety of topics. Many are entertaining and/or serious but they are worth a look. Caitlin Moran can be controversial (the point really) but I really enjoyed reading these with some laugh-out-loud moments. She covers a lot from feminist issues to other ways to change the world for the better: some are deeply personal, others less so. Worth a look and good for dipping into for a change from fiction reading (my main love).

I've heard of Caitlin Moran but I can't say with certainty that I have read her columns and I know I haven't read her previous books so her writing is new to me. This book is a collection of her favourite recent columns and also new writing just for this book.

I found the book hugely entertaining. It's funny and clever and thought-provoking. I laughed out loud a few times and found myself agreeing with her quite often. I hadn't really considered some of the things she writes about but I could identify with what she was saying almost immediately. I really like the writing style. It's intelligent but down to earth. I think she has a gift for writing about a subject (such as politics) in such a way as to make it interesting and entertaining and not off-putting; something that I want to read.

I read the book from beginning to end (not at one sitting however). It's not a page turner but I don't think it is meant to be! I feel it's an ideal book to dip in and out of. I found myself reading a chapter or two whenever I had a bit of time to spare (often on the bus). You don't need to read it in order!

It not my usual type of reading but I still enjoyed it. Some pieces of writing were moving and a bit sad but there was also plenty that made me chuckle and even laugh out loud.

Hilarious, candid and thought-provoking - an important book

I had never really heard much about the journalist Caitlin Moran when I first picked up Moranifesto, a book which is essentially a collection of columns that she has written over the past year with a few new pieces mixed in. However, from almost the first page I had decided that I wanted to know more about this woman – a woman who is obviously highly intelligent with a keen insight into what it means to be alive in twenty-first century Britain but also laugh-out-loud hilarious and completely on point when touching on the trials and joys we face in everyday life. In this collection of her columns from the past few years, Moran covers a wide range of issues that are sometimes political and moral but sometimes silly and amusing.

Moran writes with a wry astuteness and chatty style that both entertains and informs. She touches on subjects that are both funny and relatable – such as her love for Benedict Cumberbatch and her struggles with both heels and cystitis – but also serious issues like the refugee crisis, abortion and the widening gap between the rich and the poor in this country. I genuinely felt that this book actually educated me on a lot of things, particularly surrounding the working classes - as Moran was raised on benefits on a council estate in Wolverhampton, the eldest of eight children. Her background is evidently a strong reference, and my opinion on a few issues was actually changed by the way that they were explained in this book.

Whilst some readers may not fully engage with all the topics that Moran touches on (men for example my find some of the more female-specific column pieces to not be important or interesting to them, but then again that is something that Moran openly addresses and wants to confront with her frank writing) and even I personally got a bit distracted during some of her more focussed pieces (such as a lot of pages dedicated to her love for the Olympics), much of it was funny, relatable and occasionally touching. This is also certainly not a book for conservatives or those who consider themselves ‘anti-feminist’. However, even if you don’t fully agree with all her opinions and ideas, they are both extremely interesting to consider and the anecdotes she weaves in amongst the serious topics are highly witty and more than once made me laugh to myself.

Obviously this wasn’t a perfect book – at times it felt a little bit disjointed (but this was probably to be expected) and a few of the chapters that focussed on topics I wasn’t particularly interested in (again, the Olympics section) were a little bit dull to read. Sadly the perfect tolerant world where everything is equal and fair that Moran imagines is also a long way off. However, after reading this I did feel, as cliché as it sounds, ‘empowered’ – not just as a woman, but as a person who can make an impact. As Moran points out, saying ‘if things were different, we would change things’ is not enough – it is us who have to make things different and whoever you are, I defy you not to feel a little bit like you personally can make a difference, even in your own small way, after reading this book.

To finish, I want to include a quote from Moran about reading that really resonated with me and I believe is true for all readers:

“Your mind is the projection screen every writer steals; it is the firing of your neurones that makes every book come alive. You are the electricity that turns it on. A book cannot live until the touch of your hand on the first page brings it alive. A writer is essentially typing blank pages – shouting out spells in the dark – until the words are read by you, and the magic explodes into your head, and no one else's.”

Daenerys

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

This collection of articles into a reqsonably coherent manifesto (or moranifesto) by Caitlin Moran is epic. It contains thought provoking pieces on migrants and the welfare state and is interspersed with a whole lot in the Olympics and also meeting Benedict Cumberbatch. It's highlight hearted and deadly serious and it is utterly perfect. I always enjoy Moran's writing as she is both crazy and down to earth. She has experienced both sides of life. I think it helps that she's from Wolverhampton and is proud of that fact as well.

This book both had me thrusting it in people's faces asking them if they remembered that thing that happened a whole ago as I've just found someone who agrees with my thinking and put it into coherent sentences. And it also had me laughing out loud over things like tights (no I will not put them away when winter ends it's cold out).

She's just an utterly great relatable writer.

I am so sorry to Caitlin Moran but I just could not get into this book. I would normally persevere anyway but I couldn't continue, so to be fair I have given it 3 stars as the part I read was ok, but just didn't keep me wanting to read on.
I just don't think it was my humour or my interests!, -although I could see where some of the humour was it just didn't work for me.
If you are interested in politics or are already I fan then you will probably really enjoy this book!

This is a coffee table book, you can pick it up and put it down at your leisure as it is a compilation of essays. Some are witty and funny laugh out loud ones and others that I found a bit old and boring to be honest.
I give it 3 stars.