I know that Beth Moore puts a lot of work into these studies, & this one is no exception. As informative & uplifting as her video lessons are, sometimes I have a hard time getting past many of her personal quirks & nuances. For one thing, I feel like she's yelling at me in some segments or just preaching over my head in others, while maybe others (Priscilla Shirer, etc) might teach in my style of learning. Not to mention that a lot of it is directed at me using "pet-names" that my mom doesn't even use ("Girlfriend", "Beloved", "Darling", "Sweetie", "Honey", "Dear One", etc). It's easier for me to get past those overpowering nuances while reading her, rather than watching her. But that still doesn't shake the pet-names. And as someone whose health limits my ability to clean thoroughly, George's emphasis on maintaining a household can be demoralizing. Instead of encouraging, the book can feed feelings of inadequacy. And while Moran can be wildly funny and chatty, she’s dealing with serious issues. Her chapter on feminism should be required reading for all human beings. And a section about delivering her first child is painfully, almost excruciatingly, honest and real. Everyday Sexism began as an online community project by British journalist Laura Bates. Exasperated by the normalization of everyday sexist behavior and sexual harassment, Bates created a community for over 50,000 women to share their stories. This book retells some of those stories, focusing on the pervasive impact of sexism on women’s lives, in a world that largely seems to think it has overcome gender inequality. This book is an eye-opening call to arms, a reminder that the fight is not over. 27. Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez

Let's start with the positives. Moran's storytelling, while verging closely into column territory with its style, is witty, often heartwarming and very funny, especially when discussing her quirky family and upbringing. As a child, Moran couldn't stand the idea of being pitied, even in her own diary, so would be ridiculously happy when discussing the most mundane of things. Each chapter opens with an account from Moran's life, how it moulded her feminist opinions, then moves into a rambling, colloquial chat about issues Moran considers pressing for the feminist movement, although your mileage may vary on this front. Some parts, such as her discussion on abortion which includes her own experiences, are powerful and get to the true heart of the matter. I truly appreciated this chapter and Moran for spelling out what should be obvious to all - there is nothing wrong with choosing to have an abortion and sometimes it's the easiest decision a woman can make. I first did this study with a church group 4 years ago. I was distracted, and didn't keep up with the assignments. This is a "must-read" for any and every woman. Elizabeth digs into Biblical truth and shares practical application for our every day lives. She is sweet, kind, and encouraging all the while gently prodding each woman to be a woman after the heart of God. Elizabeth George is bestselling author and national speaker dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. For over 30 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth has helped countless men and women:

While it’s impossible to capture the nuances and richness of the female experience, the following 10 books present unique, moving portraits of being a woman.

Reclaim your rightful identity as a woman of God as you begin to appreciate--and celebrate--the differences between genders. Discover the asset you were meant to be in the world and learn how to work your innate abilities to create a lasting legacy as well as immediate blessings in your personal world and beyond. Let me be clear from the outset: I am a Feminist. Yes, I might have a willy, but I believe very firmly in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes. To be honest, the issue for me lies with those who do NOT believe in this. If anything, we should stop talking so much about 'feminism' and spend more time heaping shame on those idiot men (and women) who continue to believe that a woman's place is in the home, or a strip club, or behind a secretary's desk. If we were all feminists by default, then gender equality would become less of a choice, and the sceptics would be shown for what they are - a bunch of arserags. Rule #5: Don't say, "I want to reclaim the phrase 'strident feminist' in the same way the hip-hop community has reclaimed the word 'nigger.'" (SHE ACTUALLY SAYS THIS.) Unfortunately the e-reader I was using at the time has lost all of my notes on this, but I wanted to write something here anyway because I think Caitlin Moran is such an extravagantly gifted writer and I thought this book was a kind of masterpiece of its type. So when this book popped up at the library I thought: Why not? And I listened along to the audio version, which turned out to be a good decision. Her exuberant, fierce personality comes through – in both her prose and voice. (I have yet to see her on TV or onstage, but I have a feeling she’d be just as exciting.)

But no, according to Moran, the only women who get raped are those who "deserve" it by dressing and acting a certain way. Caitlin Moran has a chatty, teenager-ishly snippy voice and she made me collapse into a helpless fit of distinctly unflattering, full-blown guffaws more often than what I had foreseen. But still make sure to take this mash-up of pop culture commentary, criticism, and opinions on gender rights issues with a pinch of salt. Better still take this as a memoir and a lengthy, one-sided rant and little else. For example if you are reading this with a pre-supposition of Ms Moran's capacity for empathy, your eyes may glaze over lines like the following in a desperate hurry to get to the funnier or more relevant bits - That’s the focus of my book, Mountain Song: A Journey to Finding Quiet in the Swiss Alps, which shares my story of how spending so much time alone and close to nature changed everything for me. Mrs. Dalloway has a simple plot arc: it follows a single day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway as she goes about errands and plans a party. Yet this modernist portrait of one woman’s inner life, with her memories and stream-of-consciousness digressions, becomes a vivid account of imagining the paths not traveled when life feels like it has passed you by. 31. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste NgSCREAM! I loved this book, it is like spending an evening with your new, very funny/very clever,best friend.

Christians need to be real. They need to be who they are if they are going to be effective. Not try to be copy cats of the secular world.In this magical realist novel, Isabel Allende spans several generations of the same Latin-American family, but focuses on protagonist Clara. In the tradition of Gabriel García Márquez, this is an epic book full of life and events, where everything happens in an endless stream of dramatic family developments — which sounds like a lot, but you’ll be hooked. Widely considered to be Allende’s finest novel, The House of the Spirits is a riveting read that will leave you feeling that you’ve stepped into a whole new world full of magical women. 55. The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories by Charlotte Perkins Gilman In any case, she is replacing one set of body image standards with another which defeats the very purpose of her proclamations. Motivational author Louise Hay survived childhood abuse, rape, and cervical cancer, and in the late 1980s, she led support groups for people with HIV/AIDS. She emerged from these experiences a champion of the power of positive thinking and self-love. The Power is Within You is the best-selling author’s self-help manifesto on how to nurture yourself, listen to your inner voice, and treat yourself with the kindness you deserve. 24. Very Good Lives by J.K. Rowling George Eliot’s 19th century classic Middlemarch tells the story of several characters in provincial England. It’s a moving and wise narrative documenting a moment in time, but also a timeless tale about human nature. Eliot’s book is brimming with idealism and a belief in people’s power to do and be good; it’s no wonder that many consider Middlemarch the book that changed their lives. Brilliant and optimistic, this admittedly long novel really is worth your time. 45. A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen Saltwater by Jessica Andrews is a coming-of-age tale about Lucy, who leaves the North of England to go to university in London, then travels to her grandfather’s old cottage in Ireland. A poetic, fragmented story about family, class identity and growing up, Saltwater is a beautiful and visceral tribute to the North and its values — it’s no wonder the book won the 2020 Portico Prize. 49. Sealed by Naomi Booth

I just found all of Moran's arguments totally one-sided, narrow-minded and slightly creepy for their complete inability to take the full picture into account. Another example of this was her burlesque vs. stripping argument -- I know next to nothing abou either, but I would be very surprised if burlesque was made "for women by women" as Moran claims to state. The suggestion that Lady GaGa is a feminist and should be placed upon a pedestal. To me, a feminist icon should be one who presents ideas. GaGa strikes me more as someone who is reaping the benefits of feminism, but not adding much new to the conversation. She is definitely a polarizing lightning rod, but more in the realm of image and sexuality. She definitely confronts and shatters stereotypes, but beyond that adds little to the conversation. Having said all this, perhaps the reason more people refuse to identify as feminists is because of the crazy ideas held by the more militant branch of feminists. I've heard of women claiming that all heterosexual sex is rape. Some are choosing to raise their child as 'genderless', allowing their child to 'choose their gender' identity when they reach their teenage years. More still argue that you're 'waging war on women' unless you completely support all the ideas and demands of their 'modern feminist' movement.This is an abridged review. You can read the full thing here. Also, I demoted it by one star because while I was writing the review, I got to further reflect on (and remember!) all the reasons this book pissed me off so much in the first place. It's pretty bad.