Afbeelding van de auteur.

Shirley Abbott

Auteur van Womenfolks: Growing Up Down South

8+ Werken 502 Leden 13 Besprekingen Favoriet van 1 leden

Over de Auteur

Bevat de naam: Shirley Abbott

Werken van Shirley Abbott

Gerelateerde werken

The Seasons of Women: An Anthology (1995) — Medewerker — 46 exemplaren
Home cookery. Ladies' indispensable companion (1973)sommige edities27 exemplaren
Mme. Begue and Her Recipes the Picayune's Creole Cook Book (Antique American Cookbooks) (1984) — Introductie, sommige edities15 exemplaren

Tagged

Algemene kennis

Leden

Besprekingen

I'm just as conflicted about my feelings regarding this memoir as the author seems to be about her feelings regarding Southern women. She both praises and insults them in turns, and seems to be both embarrassed by and nostalgic of a past she can't compartmentalize.

The author grew up in Hot Springs, Arkansas and knew my northwest part of the state when it was still dirt roads and, in her words, "primitive". It would be interesting to know how she sees NW Arkansas now with the rapid growth that has taken place in the last 15 years or so. Dirt roads are awfully scarce!

Published in 1983 when the author was in her late 40s, she obviously has a very different perspective from how most women in Arkansas would see themselves today. She makes a lot of assumptions about the intelligence of Southern women and her thoughts on the "Southern belle" are awfully stereotypical (though I will admit one mother and daughter pair I know did come to mind). Rather than being stuck with a choice between staying home to raise a passel of ignorant, dirty children who take after their ignorant, dirty mother; or escaping as an émigré to the North to find an education that is supposedly non-existent here; many of today's Southern women know that the best kind of education is the one you give yourself. Self-education can be very thorough, as well as very freeing, and is an option that many choose so they can live on their own schedule and terms---a concept that "educated" feminists seem to have such a difficult time grasping.

I purchased this book with hopes of learning about the daily lives, responsibilities, and dreams of Southern women from the past. Instead, this reads more like an author attempting to convince herself and everyone else that she's not as ignorant and hillbilly as "those people" from whom she came. While I did enjoy quite a bit of the social history in the book, I came away with little respect for the author.
… (meer)
 
Gemarkeerd
classyhomemaker | 1 andere bespreking | Dec 11, 2023 |
Basement bookshelf between fireplace and office
bottom shelf
inscribed "For John - Whose appreciation for fine things and their origin is always a pleasure to observe. We hope you enjoy this. It comes with our love - Susan and Jack - Christmas 1983"
 
Gemarkeerd
JRHFA | Nov 3, 2021 |
very interesting story of girl who is so close to father but as he loses his identity and she is getting hers, they lose their closeness forever. a complicated story i'm sure for her.
 
Gemarkeerd
mahallett | Aug 8, 2013 |
Deze bespreking is geschreven voor LibraryThing Vroege Recensenten.
This book tells the story of eight different couples, and the various choices, sacrifices, and struggles that they each encounter in finding and keeping love. It shows each of the people both before and after the 9/11 New York Tragedy. The characters were easy to relate to, even though at times it was hard to follow. It was interesting to see how the differences in the relationships, and even how each person interacted with each other, post 9/11. Even though you don’t realize how something like that could impact personal relationships and love, it truly does.
Some of the characters were not fully developed or followed as much as I would have liked for them to have been. I would have liked to know more about each of the people, but there’s only so much information that you can fit inside a book. This may have been Abbott’s debut novel, but I would definitely look for other novels written by her.
… (meer)
½
 
Gemarkeerd
bookfetish | 7 andere besprekingen | Nov 16, 2011 |

Lijsten

Prijzen

Misschien vindt je deze ook leuk

Gerelateerde auteurs

Statistieken

Werken
8
Ook door
4
Leden
502
Populariteit
#49,320
Waardering
½ 3.6
Besprekingen
13
ISBNs
24
Talen
2
Favoriet
1

Tabellen & Grafieken