Books & Life
Jan Clausen
In these essays and reviews, Clausen ( The Prosperine Papers ) raises provocative questions–about feminism, lesbianism, activism and the web of relationships among these and a host of other ‘isms.’ She pinpoints the potential pitfalls of common assumptions underlying anti-patriarchal poetry of the ’70s (‘Feminist poetry is useful’; ‘individual ego plays a minimal role in its creation’). With lucidity and a welcome sense of humor, Clausen is refreshingly honest: she calls ’70s feminism a ‘womb/crucible’; she enjoys fiction by men partly because of the ‘vacation it provides from ideology’; she describes her difficulties as a ‘flommy,’ or stepmother, to her lesbian lover’s daughter. At times, Clausen’s reviews are unfocused; her es says lack political subtlety and ignore her own admonitions (she laments that Doris Lessing is not a feminist). But this decade’s worth of writing reflects the growth and evolution of an individ ual as well as a movement.
Check for it on:
Details
ISBN | 9780814204702 |
Genre | Literary Criticism; Literary Collection (Single Author) |
Copyright Date | 1989 |
Publication Date | 01-Apr-89 |
Publisher | Columbia University Press |
Format | Trade Paperback |
No. of Pages | 237 |
Language | English |
Rating | NotRated |
BookID | 1413 |