Reviews for The Secret Feminist Cabal: A Curtural History of Science Fiction Feminisms

The average rating for The Secret Feminist Cabal: A Curtural History of Science Fiction Feminisms based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-07-06 00:00:00 Scott Holsinger As someone who wrote part of her graduate thesis on feminist literary utopias, I loved this book. It joins and chronicles the conversation about feminist science fiction. I found it irresistible, and picked it up at WisCon 35, the feminist science fiction convention. Published by Seattle's feminist sf Aqueduct Press, the book is on the 2010 Tiptree Award Honor List. As well as a good read, I admit it is also sheer fun carrying around a book titled The Secret Feminist Cabal. The book pairs well with Justine Larbalestier's The Battle of the Sexes in Science Fiction and Daughters of the Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century (both on my bookshelves and highly recommended) and Pamela Sargent's Women of Wonder anthologies (on my wish list). It also points to Aqueduct Press and Tachyon Publications for more fantastic feminist sf reading. I most enjoyed the chapters: "Birth of a Sub-Genre: Feminist SF and its Criticism" (about the emergence of the writing and including a discussion of utopias); "Another Science "Fiction?"? Feminist Stories of Science" (about women in science); and "Beyond Gender? Twenty-First Century SF Feminisms" (which includes discussion of the Tiptree Award, its judging process, and its texts). It includes discussion of some of my favorite books including Nicola Griffith's Ammonite, Octavia Butler's Lilith's Brood (formerly Xenogenesis trilogy); and Joan Slonczewski's A Door into Ocean as well as The Carhullan Army (which I just read with Seattle's Feminist Science Fiction Book Club). I already had a long feminist science fiction reading list, but after reading this I also added Sheila Finch's Triad, Judith Moffet's The Ragged World, and Theodore Roszak's The Memoirs of Elizabeth Frankenstein. And I moved Margaret Cavendish's The Blazing World, Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow, and Gwyneth Jones' Life to the top of my to-read list. Comments: I noted how in her critique, Merrick points out that WisCon is not a "utopian feminist space" with regard to some of the short fallings of the genre and conversation particularly with regard to race. As a newcomer, I described my own my first WisCon as rather utopian Why WisCon? A Quest: Utopia Found!. Merrick raises the discussion of whether the Tiptree Award is still needed to raise awareness of women's writing and feminist contributions to the field ' Are women more well known and accepted in the field making this special recognition unnecessary? My own answer is an emphatic, "Yes, it's still needed." Even as an avid reader, as a young woman growing up in a small town, it took me a long time to find the reading I connected to and this conversation. The award helped. Also, it brings attention to more challenging and interesting texts which might otherwise be overlooked. Quotes: "Inspired by the transformative visions of the 1970s utopias...feminism was meant to transform sf and its future visions," - Helen Merrick, The Secret Feminist Cabal "...'the language of love' that 'current science lacks and a utopian science would discover'" ' Hilary Rose "A feminist science will acknowledge subjectivity in its methods; it will look at problems not just analytically but also holistically; it will aim for the complex answer as best and most honest; and it will be decentralized and organized cooperatively. In all these ways, a feminist science is utopian, since these conditions, values, and goals do not describe contemporary science." ' Jane Donawerth "alternatives to sex role stereotyping are central to the utopian visions of feminist writers" ' Pamela J. Annas "Science fiction may be a place where feminists go to dream of utopia or plot revolution but it is also a source of pleasure." ' Helen Merrick, The Secret Feminist Cabal "It is the utopian mode of thinking that separates science fiction from the other categories of popular feminist fiction..." ' Carolyn Heilbrun

Review # 2 was written on 2019-05-30 00:00:00 Russell Brady Difficult read due, in part, to the relentless academic language used throughout. I get it's an academic tome, but gee. The subject matter is not actually scifi feminisms: it's more a treatise on science fiction criticism(s). Merrick is stuck in a time warp that is the present day, and thus includes only those authors and critics from the Good Old Days that are already familiar to avid readers in both the genre - and essay collections around - the genre. Homage to Joanna Russ is always welcome, but even her appreciated and respected presence is overplayed here. There are other volumes on this important subject, and when I'm not so tired, I'll put a list of my praiseworthies in this space. One method I recommend highly for adding to knowledge of the subject is to read everything Joanna Russ ever published. And when you've done that, read everything Justine Larbalestier has published, compiled or edited. You are then likely to be well-informed and appreciative.