A really interesting look at feminism.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Gayle E. Pitman, PhD., Netgalley, and Magination Press for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

I usually don’t read nonfiction novels, but I wanted to read this one based on the subject matter. I was curious to see how Dr. Pitman would give us the ABCs of feminism and how she would present it without it being too basic. It was actually really great, and this is a book that I would totally keep on hand. This actually reminds me that I should be getting a copy very soon.

In the introduction, Dr. Pitman did explain that there may have been some words that didn’t seem to match with the public idea of feminism, but she really showed otherwise through her commentary with each word. I liked how she did that, and I learned a lot of different things that I didn’t think about before, and was also able to dive deeper into certain topics, events, people, etc. that Dr. Pitman mentioned after her brief overviews. I felt like I was doing a research project that I actually enjoyed for once!

This is a pretty short review since there really isn’t much I could say without divulging the contents of the book too much, but all in all, I thought it was a great nonfiction novel for both YA and NA readers to dip their toes a little more into the world of feminism and what exactly it means.

Good day! Before anything else, I would like to extend my deepest, sincerest gratitude for sending me a digital review copy of this book (via NetGalley). Thank you very much for the opportunity!

Unfortunately, I am sad to say that I have lost interest in this particular title, and consequently, I have decided against finishing it. Forcing myself to finish a book I am disinterested in (solely for the sake of finishing it) can only negatively impact the entirety of my reading experience, which, in turn, could result in me writing an unfairly negative review. That is a circumstance I hope to avoid. With that said, I believe that the best course of action is for me to simply not read it and to refrain from publicly posting any feedback regarding this book.

I hope you understand where I'm coming from. Again, thank you for the lovely opportunity!

This was fairly difficult to read in the e-format I have, but I was disappointed with the brevity and superficiality of the text. I wanted something a bit deeper.

Thank you for providing a copy of this book for review however I was unable to open the file for this document unfortunately! Apologies.

I'm always a bit wary of primers on feminism because they tend to be lacking in intersectionality, and this book fell squarely into that pitfall. In short, it was very white- and cis-centric in its coverage and perspective. There were some pretty egregious faults, notably an analysis of Maxine Hong Kingston's The Woman Warrior and a presentation of Mulan as somehow a universal tale about breaking gender stereotypes that had me, someone who is from the cultural background in question, cringing at how off-base they were. The author would have been better off citing analyses by women of color instead of venturing to whitesplain nonwhite cultures. This book also cited Laci Green, and I can only hope the author didn't know better that she turned out to be a TERF because otherwise that is a bad look for a feminist publication.

Great starter for the young women in our lives! I bought two copies of this for my twin nieces just turned 13 (twins never share!). One is a reader and devoured it right away, the other was slow to get started but said she enjoyed it overall and learned a lot. So glad books like this exist!

Title: Feminism from A to Z



Author: Gayle E. Pitman, PHD



Rating: 🥄🥄🥄🥄





Down to earth, quality teen-focused book on Feminism. Downloaded through Netgalley in exchange for a free review. Came out last year and available for purchase :)

This book was super adorable. I think it's important that young girls have ways to access what feminism means and the benefits it has on society, and this book is a great resource for that. I know when I was younger there was always a sort of "shame" with openly being a feminist, even when I was in college (though only my first semester), because of what /other people/ would think of you if you declared it. As a proud feminist, I think helping girls get to the conclusion that feminism is something to take pride in sooner, is one of the most important things to learn in this world today.

I really enjoyed this book. Lots of information about Feminism, without making it feel like a dirty word as viewed through various media. Readers of all ages, especially teens, could really benefit with this book.

A great resources for adolescents to help them navigate the world and gender issues. Although this book is aimed at girls I think that boys would also benefit from reading.

3.75 stars

This book is very informative, but I would say parts of it are a little too informative. Some chapters have just too much fact-based info, and not enough personal connection. That being said, the format is really great (it's an ABC book so it covers lots of topics). I especially enjoyed the addition of the "Try This!" and "Feminism Through History" sections. The "Try This!" portion offered the reader an opportunity to DO SOMETHING with the knowledge they're gaining, which I think is a really essential part of teaching teens about feminism. The history lessons every chapter added a nice background to the claims being made, and helped the topics feel grounded. The illustrations are really nice, and I like the added colour. The cover is super pretty too. Overall, I think this is a really good informative book that could've used a little more anecdote's, and is a really necessary book to have for teens.

Disclaimer: I received this ARC courtesy of Magination Press and NetGalley. I am grateful for the opportunity to review an ARC for my readers, but this will not influence my final rating. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and based solely on the book.

I’m only sad that I had to be twenty-two years old before such a comprehensive guide to feminism landed in my lap.

Gayle E. Pitman is right in that an alphabetical guide is an entertaining and clear way to navigate the many concepts that fold into feminism. Each chapter (and thus letter of the alphabet) explores a different aspect of feminism, including intersectionality, the importance of saying “no,” sexism in the workplace, etc. The chapters also end with activities to further the learning, like lessons on embroidery or instructions on how to change a tire.

Pitman provides very clear explanations. Many of the concepts she introduced are ones I have learned in passing (either on the internet, through friends, or in university classes). But to her own explanations she adds personal experiences, anecdotes, occasional statistics (I’ve never been one for a book heavy on stats, though of course they are important), and many excerpts from well-known studies. “Feminism is not something we just made up,” she’s saying. “There’s proof and there’s cause and effect.”

One activity that really stood out to me asked readers to consider how transgender people would feel in various places. For example, would they feel safe in gym class? In a public washroom? At home, on the bus, in class? The goal of the activity was the consider how someone else’s perspective (specifically, a transgender person’s perspective) would differ from one’s own. Pitman’s book does this on several occasions, challenging the reader to look outside their own experiences: because, as she shows at multiple points, feminism is about understanding the experiences of others (not only your own). Her book looks at feminism for women of colour, feminism for plus-size women, feminism for the LGBTQ+ community.

Not only that, but she praises the important of men working for feminism. I’ve always been for men supporting feminism (I know some feminists are not for it, and that can be their opinion). Pitman supports her reasons why men need to be allies and never puts down cisgender male experiences or equates them as lesser.

I do question where this book would thrive. As much as I enjoy it, it’s not what I would curl up with on a Monday night after a long day of work. Perhaps parents should look into having this book in the home for kids to be able to access — because may I just say schools do not cover this content even close to enough. Schools should have this on display for children to browse. But as a leisure reading, no. Not as much. Unless your goal is, indeed, to access feminist theories — which this book covers in spades.

RATING
This book has five crowns hands down. Pitman is clear on the content and not only does she teach the material, she clearly understands and lives what she preaches. Her passion for feminism comes through on the page, making me want to share in her love.

Posting review on Goodreads on: November 4 2018 (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2516493306)
Posting review on blog on: November 4 2018: (https://bookprincessreviews.wordpress.com/)

A good basic level introduction to demo soon. I think this would be good for middle school aged girls. Easy to understand and organized in a fun way.

I was approved for this title after the archive date and was unable to view the book. Thanks for the opportunity to review this book, and I wish I could have seen it.

Feminism From A to Z is a fantastic overall look at feminism. This volume is a must read for anyone interested in showing their children (or needs a brush up themselves) on what feminism truly is.

Definitely wished I had this book when I was younger, I would have loved it! This book allows you to come up with your conclusions and think outside of the box. This book is a great tool and resource for anyone who wants to learn more about feminism.

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Feminism from A-Z by Gayle E. Pithman, PHD

Non-Fiction

4/5 stars

Publication Date: 23 October 2017

I received a free e-book from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Feminism From A-Z is an alphabetical primer on feminism for teenage girls. Each chapter examines a different topic related to feminism, and includes activities relevant to that topic, as well as biographical ‘her-story’ entries. Every topic is backed up with feminist theory that draws on other disciplines, such as psychology and sociology.

An example I enjoyed was ‘E’ for Easy Bake Oven. It explored the process of gendering children through toys. Where boys receive blocks and action figures, girls receive toys like the Easy Bake Oven, which encourage girls to be home makers. It discusses concepts such as androcentrism, gender polarisation and biological essentialism. It brings up the role of the media and advertising in creating and perpetuating gender roles and stereotypes. The activity for this chapter explained, step-by-step, the process of changing a tyre.

I really enjoyed Feminism From A-Z. I thought it was well researched, and it explained things simply, but intelligently for a teen audience. The activities were age appropriate and thought provoking, and the her-story biographies were fascinating and inspiring.

I wish I had a book like this when I was a teenager

Thanks to NetGalley and Magination Press for sending me a copy of this book.

Described as an alphabetical primer on feminism for teen girls.
This is a great starter kit for teens. Lots of positive reinforcements for finding personal strength, being independent and speaking up for yourself and others.
The overall information contained in the pages was super, I especially liked the Herstory sections.

"Hell hath no fury like a drag queen scorn."
----Sylvia Rivera------

When I looked into the author I wasn't surprised to find she's a professor.
This reads a bit like a textbook. Complete with "homework" in the try this sections.
Some of the try this stuff was a bit over zealous (I'm looking at you cross stitch instructions).
I did like that she included helpful everyday things, like learning to say No in everyday occurrences and how to change a tire.
These are both things I think everyone should know how to do.
It did seems geared more to older teens despite the impression that it could be passed on to kids much younger.