David Harvey Book

This is a long one, 700+ pages I believe. I read it because I got into an online argument with an Australian feminist girl who I have no connection with in real life, and haven't had any contact with since. The argument was about whether or not pornography is rape. Though this book has many logical twists and turns, there are arguments in a number of these essays (both academic and otherwise) that lead me to believe this Australian girl may have been right, in some certain senses anyway.

The essays in this book range from utterly dry to colorful and entertaining. The sheer volume of information in this book can be tiring, but the numerous points of view and sheer breadth with which the subjects of pornography and feminism intersect justify it's length. Although it concerns only one subject matter, you often forget you are reading about pornography or feminism specifically, as many of the ideas in this book apply to many other areas of life, from violence on TV to civil rights to science and literature.

After reading this book, any person will be able to make that terrific leap to believing that one's own mother is an actual woman (a realization that those of us without daughters of our own may find it hard to make), and that the way women are treated in society, even today, is truly important. Every man, and any woman who feels the need to reevaluate her ideas of feminism could make important personal strides by reading this book. Though, it is far from an effortless read.