Woman's Inhumanity to Woman [Paperback]

The book does have some weaknesses. For example, certain passages are repeated almost verbatim, and the house copyeditor must have been on vacation throughout production of the book. Content-wise, Chesler does tend to oversimplify and generalize certain situations. I took particular issue with the recurring theme that women always resent the smartest, prettiest, boldest woman in the room, and find a way to turn against her. I don't think it can be written off simply as 'resentment.' Probably it has more to do with the "smartest, prettiest, etc" exhibiting a superiority complex than women envying what they do not have, or have less of. Humility about one's gifts is just as desirable in women as it is in men, and lack of it seems just as obnoxious in women as it does in men.

Other weaknesses include Chesler's frequent anecdotes about her own betrayal at the hands of other women. I kept getting the feeling that she was using the book as a means to publicly address these women (although she did use pseudonyms), and "get the last word in."

However it is worthwhile to overlook these flaws. The book has so much to teach.

Chesler wonderfully weaves in compelling examples from psychology and primatology, folklore and fairytales, literature and life in order to illuminate the points and principles she is making. She doesn't pull punches in revealing hard truths, but she doesn't end her analysis at critique--she furnishes concrete examples of how sisterhood functions at its finest, and provides proactive approaches to more ethical behavior, which will enhance women's ability to flourish independently and in relationship with one another.

The clarity of Chesler's thinking and the resonance of her writing make Woman's Inhumanity to Woman a riveting read--and one that just might change the way you understand and engage with the world we live in.

Some other revewers did mention that most of the anecdotes are subjective and heresy, also we are only read onesided views of events. However it is still good to hear those thigs. Though as I was reading about how women can be backstabbing, envious, man stealing career wrecking one-woman-uping :-)and otherwise conniving and power hungry i couldn't help but think men do these very same things too. Though we may tyr and destroy our rivals in a verly slightly different fashion.

I think many of these types of behavior are part of human nature everyone wants to be the top dog and I think anyone who expects women not to have many of the same drives as men does not understand human nature and is actually dehumanizing women by expecting them to not have the same complex natures characteristics as men.

I will also add that if I was to think that every black man and woman I met is my friend and will look out for me it would be very foolish. Why should any woman expect all women to care about her?

Though men and women have some differences I have always believed that in many ways we are alike and expecting anyone to treat you right simply 'cos they are the same gender/race/ethnicty/religion/whatever as you will get you in a lot of trouble

Other things that I was able to learn more about Virginia Wolf Florence Nightingale Sojourner Truth and other remarkable women. This book also did remind me that though many of us don't know how to get it we want this world to be better but we don't know how to get so it is best to have patience and empathy for people and that the whole human family is suffering