Reading Challenge Update and Women Artists

I've read a lot of books since I posted last, so I'll just list the two best ones:

My Dear I Wanted To Tell You - Louise Young
World war one through the experiences of three women and two men. Very well written.

Towards Another Summer - Janet Frame
A woman believes that she is turning into a migratory bird. I love Janet Frame's writing, try Owls Do Cry or Faces in the Water next.

And, here's a list of, often unknown or unrecognised, modern (ish) female artists. Google them for more information:

• Shirin Neshat
• Teresa Margolles
• Marina Abromavic
• Tracey Emin
• Louise Beorgious
• Kiki Smith
• Francesca Woodman
• Kara Walker

Women Authors Only Reading Challenge

I finished my next lot of books! They were:

Go To Sleep - Helen Walsh
This book was a gritty and fairly terrifying look at a new, incredibly sleep deprived single mother, who just wants her baby to go to sleep. Oddly, while the depiction of the sleep deprived mother is realistic and effective, major plot points are completely unbelievable. For example, a large part of the plot hinges on one of the mother, Rachel's, young clients (she is a social worker) coming to check up on her after the birth. Still, it was good - it was reminiscent at times of Lionel Shriver's We Need To Talk About Kevin, and Sarah Moss's Night Waking.

The Little Black Book of Stories - A.S Byatt
I enjoyed this as I was reading it, but it annoyed me when I actually stopped to think about it. It's a collection of short stories, about everything from evacuees who saw 'a Thing in the forest,' to a woman who turns to stone, to a struggling artist and a (so privileged he doesn't know his own privilege) doctor. A.S Byatt seems to fall into that trap of casting the poor characters as pale, waif like, and skinny. When in fact people living in poverty are more likely to be overweight from eating too many carbs, because carbs are cheap, quick, and they keep without a fridge. But fat people just aren't as romantic as skinny people, are they? And why does the poor, but likeable, character, who happens to be a very talented artist, have to be pale? This story is the most modern of all of them, so it would be completely believable for her to be Somali, say, or Indian, or in fact any race other than Caucasian. But no. It is not to be.
My favourite story was the woman-who-turned-to-stone one.

Joe Cinque's Consolation - Helen Garner
I picked this up at random because I enjoyed Ms Garner's previous work The First Stone. It's not as good as The First Stone, in my opinion, but it's still good.

I'm not sure what will be next... any suggestions?
Thanks for reading!

Indigenous Female Authors

This list is fantastic, if way too short. Take a look:

Five Indigenous Female Writers Who Should Be On School Reading Lists

bell hooks Quotes!

I have only read one of bell hooks's books (Feminism is For Everybody) but I loved her practical, down to earth style that she combines with what would be called (I guess??) radical feminism. 
All quotes come from Goodreads. And yes, 'bell hooks' is intentionally not capitalized, as that is how Ms. hooks spells it. 

"I will not have my life narrowed down. I will not bow down to somebody else's whim or to someone else's ignorance."
- bell hooks

"Love is a combination of care, commitment, knowledge, responsibility, respect and trust."
- bell hooks

"Feminism is for everybody."
- bell hooks (my favourite!) 

"No black woman writer in this culture can write "too much". Indeed, no woman writer can write "too much"...No woman has ever written enough"
- bell hooks

"Being oppressed means the absence of choices"
- bell hooks

"One of the most subversive institutions in the United States is the public library.."
- bell hooks (I love this one too!)

"There will be no mass-based feminist movement as long as feminist ideas are understood only by a well-educated few."
- bell hooks

Interested? If you want to read more of her work, maybe start with Feminism is For Everybody or Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center or Ain't I a Woman? Black Women and Feminism. Try your public library to find them!

Thanks for reading. 

Letters To Asylum Seekers and Reading Challenge Update

Hello!

If you're Australian too, you probably know just how terribly our government is treating asylum seekers and refugees. If you want to help, you could do this - write a letter to an asylum seeker! While I haven't done it yet, I plan to today. There are also plenty of protest meets and rallies to go to if you are in a major city; try The Refugee Action Coalition for more information. (http://www.refugeeaction.org.au/).

Have you read my earlier blog post about my women authors only reading challenge? If not, these are the rules: a) I record all the books that I read
         b) I only read books written by women
         c) I only read books that I can find for free or for under $5

These are the book titles of my next two reads:

The Silver Dark Sea - Susan Fletcher
I love this one! It's written very beautifully.

Louise Michel: Rebel Lives Series - I'm not sure of the author, but it's more of a compilation than a written account.
I cheated a little with this one - firstly, because I'm not entirely sure if a woman wrote it, and secondly because it was $8. There is a very cool anarchist/feminist bookshop a bus ride away and I found it there. It's a very interesting book, about a woman (commonly termed 'The Red Virgin') who was instrumental in setting up The Paris Commune that Marx and Engels often talk about.

Anyway, thanks for reading! And book suggestions, please leave them in the comments. :)

What Would an Intersectional Menstrual Activism Movement Look Like?

A bit of a mouthful! The menstrual activism movement consists of the combined efforts of Spirtual Menstruationists, and Feminists. Although it is an inspiring movement, it has problems with intersectionality. So, instead of complaining about it, I'll write what a truly useful and intersectional Menstrual Activism movement could look like. If you have suggestions, leave them in the comments!

• No more cultural appropriation. The spiritual menstruation movement, in particular, seems to labour under the delusion that a) Native American culture is the best example of a female honouring culture ever, and b) native American wisdom and stories can be used by anyone. They can't. Instead of this, let's provide advice to and discussion on the issues surrounding menstruation and women's health to women in diverse communities - for example, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, Native American women, African American women, Latina women, Jewish women, Muslim women, Christian women. 
• Both parts of the movement are fantastic about providing advice on talking to daughters about menstruation. But the advice needs to be wider than that - providing support and a voice to parents who need to talk to their transgender children, for example, or daughters with severe intellectual disabilities. 
• The movement should focus on a wide range of issues - menarche, menstruation, birth control, pregnancy, abortion, miscarriage, menopause, post natal and pre menstrual depression, metal health, ovarian and breast cancer, etc. 
• More support for a wider range of women! This would include support for women in mandatory detention, in prison, homeless women, pregnant teen girls, etc. The movement currently seems geared towards young, white, Anglo, middle class women. 
• An active campaign presence - the menstrual activism movement is currently centred around the internet. We need leaflets and magazines, talks, lectures, billboards, books, audio books. We need these to be available cheaply or freely in community centres, churches, schools, synagogues, mosques, libraries, etc. 
• No more Women=body and earth, Men=mind and heaven/sky. The spiritual menstruation does this a lot. This is still sexist, even with good intentions. 
• More support for women's community initiatives - the Malala fund, Kiva loans, homeless and women's shelters, etc. 
• More advice aimed at poor and working class women. Advice, especially health advice, tends to suggest things like 'getting plenty of exercise!' 'eating good fats like brazil nuts and avocados!' and 'using cloth pads!' Do they realise how expensive brazil nuts are? And cloth pads, which you first need to buy and then need to wash? I know it's cheaper in the long run to use reusables, but not everyone has the outlay to pay for them to begin with. 
• Support for transgender women and men. Feminists are generally good about this, but the spiritual menstruation movement tends to ignore the issue. 

So, what else would you add/take away? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for reading. 

Women Authors Only Reading Challenge

I have set myself a three part reading challenge! You are welcome to use my criteria and do the challenge yourself if you like.
These are the rules: a) I will record all the books that I'm reading
                              b) I will only read books written by women
                              c) I will only read books that I can find for free or under $5
Sound interesting? Here are my first five books.

We Need To Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver
This book was good, plus it passed the Bechdel test. The book is written in first person by Eva, and deals mostly with Eva's relationship with her son Kevin.

Room - Emma Donaghue
This was my favourite of the first lot of books. It is written in first person by Jack, who is five years old, and follows him and his mother ('Ma') during their imprisonment in Room, held captive by 'Old Nick' (who kidnapped Jack's mother when she was 19) and their life after their escape.

The Girl in the Attic - Valerie Mendes
This novel follows Nathan as his parents divorce and he and his mother go to spend Christmas at Cornwall. Nathan meets Rosalie, the mysterious girl in the attic, and together they deal with Nathan's family's break up, Rosalie's abusive alchoholic father, and her mother's death. It's a sweet book, and it's set in Cornwall, which is always a plus.

Between The Acts - Virginia Woolf
I haven't finished this one yet, but I'm liking it so far. Virginia Woolf can be a little dense and difficult to get through, but her writing is beautiful. The book sympathetically portrays the female characters - the spinster, the unhappy wife. It also manages to poke some fun at the upper class.

The Resistance - Gemma Malley
I have not finished this book, and doubt I will. It is the sequel to The Declaration, which I read a few years ago. Despite The Resistance being set in 2140 (a time in which they have created a pill that makes it possible for humans to live forever) the main Authorities, the creator of the Longevity pill and the man who carries on his legacy, and the charismatic leader of the resistance movement are still all men. A quarter of the way through the book there have been 8 named male characters, who all play vital roles in the story, and 1 named female character. Despite the fact that this character, Anna, was the main character in the prequel, her role in this book seems to consist mainly of caring for her brother, Ben, and reading books at home. Anna has appeared in one scene so far. I do not have high hopes.

If you have suggestions for books, please leave them in the comments! :)
Thanks for reading.

Please Sign This Petition!

Please ensure that the men who raped a sixteen year old Kenyan girl are brought to justice.

Here is the link : http://www.avaaz.org/en/justice_for_liz_loc/?boMFwfb&v=30662

Books about children and young people in war

Number The Stars 

I am David 

Ashes

Josie Under Fire

Natasha's Will 

The Silent Shore

The Green Glass Sea

One More River

The Endless Steppe

Angel on the Square

The Impossible Journey 

The Turning

The Book Thief

Manja

Goodnight, Mister Tom

Back Home

The Diary of a Young Girl : Anne Frank

I Want To Live : The Diary of a Young Girl in Stalin's Russia

No Pretty Pictures

The Queen's Own Fool

The Boy in the Striped pyjamas

Carrie's war

The Singing Tree

Sisterland

Remembrance

Chains

Forge

Little Women

Anastasia : The Last Grand Duchess

Private Peaceful

Mornings in Jenin

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

The Silver Donkey

Micko and the Fifth Treasure

Hitler's Daughter

Children of the King

A Rose For The ANZAC Boys

The Children's War : The Second world war Through the Eyes of the Children of Britain
This is a list of books about children or young people caught in war - some of the stories ( in blue ) are suitable for older children. Some for teens or mature older kids, ten and up ( in green ). All Quiet On The Western Front and Slaughterhouse Five, although not about children, are also great and horrifying books about war for teens and young adults.

Any other suggestions are welcome and will be read and added to the list! Thanks for reading!

International Day Of Families

Happy International Day of Families!
 May 15 is the international day of families, established by the United Nations, and a day to celebrate all types of families. This year's 'theme' is: advancing social integration and intergenerational solidarity; more information on the United Nations website here.

GetUp petitions

GetUp! is an Australian group that campaigns for social justice. Here are some of the latest petitions. Please sign!

Petition Australian politicians to allow same-sex couples to marry.
http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/marriage-equality/petition/sign-and-share

End victim blaming and petition radio talk back host John Laws to apologise for his misogynistic and inappropriate comments on air last week.
http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/womens-rights/shame-on-blame/shame-on-victim-blame

Sign the petition asking federal environment minister Tony Burke to save the Great Barrier Reef from destruction by Coal Seam Gas mining.
http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/coal-seam-gas/save-the-great-barrier-reef/save-the-reef

Thanks for reading and signing!

The Malala Fund

"They will not stop me. I will get my education if it is in home, school, or any place."
- Malala Yousafzai

In 2012, on 9 October, Malala Yousafzai (then aged 15) was shot in the head by the Taliban for her believe that all children have a right to education - and for daring to say it aloud. Using the pen name Gul Makai, Malala blogged about the ongoing fight for a girl's right to education. The humanitarian website Vital Voices established the Malala Fund to support the education of girls in Pakistan, girls who would otherwise be working as domestic labourers. You can visit the website here, where you can donate to the fund, and you can sign up for newsletters regarding the fund, as well as sending a message to Malala. Please visit, whether or not you can support the fund.

Thanks for reading!

25 children's books with strong main characters

1. What Katy Did - Susan Coolidge

2. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

3. Tom's Midnight Garden - Phillipa Pearce

4. Out Of The Dust - Karen Hesse

5. Goodnight Mr Tom - Michelle Margorian

6. Back Home - Michelle Margorian

7. The Fearless Treasure - Noel Streatfield

8. The Green Glass Sea - Ellen Klages

9. I Am David - Anne Holm

10. The Giver - Lois Lowry

11. Number The Stars - Lois Lowry

12. The Dark Is Rising Series - Susan Cooper

13. A Wrinkle In Time (and sequels) - Madeiline L'Engle

14. The Penderwicks (and sequels) - Jeanne Birdsall

15. My Side Of The Mountain - Jean Craighead George

16. Ramona Quimby series - Beverly Cleary

17. 45 And 47 Stella Street - Elizabeth Honey

18. Paddington Bear - Micael Bond

19. The Moomins (and sequals) - Tove Jansson

20. The Roman Mysteries Series - Caroline Lawrence

21. Matilda - Roald Dahl

22. The Good Master ( and The Giving Tree) - Kate Seredy

23. Nanny Piggins series - R. A. Spratt

24. Anne Of Green Gable - L. M. Montgomery

25. Winnie The Pooh - A. A. Milne

From the historical heroes and heroines in The Roman Mysteries, The Secret Garden, and The Good Master, to the contemperary ones in The Penderwicks, 45 And 47 Stella Street, and the Ramona Quimby stories, to the non-human ones in Paddington Bear, The Moomins, and Winnie the Pooh, there are so many amazing children's book characters.

Thanks for reading!

Take Action On Amnesty International

Amnesty International provides online petitions that you can sign, and messages you can send. These are some of the important petitions/messages at the moment, please take a moment to sign one or send a (ready written) message!

Sign the petition asking the Australian government to stand with Afghan women fighting for their freedom, and asking that these women be included in the coming reconciliation and peace talks before Australia withdraws her troops.
http://www.amnesty.org.au/action/action/31089/

Sign the petition demanding an end to the 'sorcery' killings in Papua New Guinea - although the cultural beliefs of the Papua New Guineans must be respected, they should never be an excuse for the brutal torture and killings that are taking place.
http://www.amnesty.org.au/action/action/31512/

Send the message to WA Premier Colin Barnett demanding that the over 140 children being kept in an adult prison in Perth be removed.
http://www.amnesty.org.au/action/action/31569/

Send the message to the Minister for Indigenous affairs, Jenny Macklin, to stop universal rent deductions on Aboriginal people in NT.
http://www.amnesty.org.au/action/action/31377/

Sign the petition demanding Bahrain free the five medical professionals still detained after taking part in anti-government protests.
http://www.amnesty.org.au/action/action/31046/

Sign the petition saying that asylum seekers should be treated fairly and with compassion, that 'children don't belong behind bars.' and 'innocent people shouldn't be locked up for years.'
http://www.amnesty.org.au/splash/behindbars

Please take the time to sign a petition or send a message to support causes you believe are important.  Remember- one name or message can be the difference between 'yes' and 'no.'
All the petitions and messages are respectfully and peacefully worded, but do read before you sign, and don't sign anything you don't agree with.

Thanks for reading and taking action!

Drying Herbs

I've been growing herbs and wanted to preserve the herbs that I didn't use fresh. Drying them is easy, and once dry they keep well in a plastic sealed container. This is how to dry them:

Step one: pick your herbs. Not all herbs dry well- The herbs that I've found dry well are thyme, oregano, marjoram, and, surprisingly (it has a high water content) lemon balm. Rosemary also drys reasonably well, but stay away from sage. If you're not sure about a herb, try a little bit to test.

Step two: cut bunches of the herbs, and tie each type of herb in a separate bunch with a piece of string or elastic band. Make sure you cut stems, too, so you can fasten them by the stems.

Step three: place the bunches in paper bags, and tie the tops of the paper bags with string or elastic bands. Try not to place strong herbs alongside herbs with a weaker scent and flavour.

Step four: leave them for about a month. Less time will work for some herbs, but some need more, so check them every two weeks.

Step five: use them! You can easily grind them with a mortar and pestle, or sprinkle them in or over dishes, or you could even make tea or tea bags out of them.

Enjoy your naturally dried herbs! If you have a large crop of a herb that doesn't dry well, you could try freezing them- either in ice cubes, or just on a baking tray in the freezer.

Thanks for reading!

Earth Day

Earth day (April 22) celebrates the environment and Earth, and is intended to raise awareness about environmental issues. Here are some suggestions for meaningful Earth day celebrations:

1. Plant a tree, or any plant really. Trees use carbon dioxide to make oxygen, so they use up excess carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions.

2. Have an Earth day meal, using organic or home-grown food. (See suggestion 9)

3. Learn more about environmental issues, such as climate change.

4. Go on a rubbish walk- walk pretty much anywhere, collecting rubbish and litter. Remember to wear gloves.

5. Have a clothes swap- invite people over, and have everyone bring old clothes that they don't want anymore; everyone (including you!) donates clothes and swaps them for other people's unneeded ones.

6. Raise money for an important cause-maybe for a group helping animals that have lost their habitats, or for a charity such as Oxfam or Amnesty International.

7. Try and use as little electricity as possible- turn off your computer and TV, and try using candles instead of electric lights.

8. Go outside, and enjoy the natural world outdoors.

9. Go to a farmers market; farmers markets usually sell lots of fresh food, fruit and veggies. (See suggestion 2)

10. Hug a tree- we know how beneficial trees are for the environment, so enjoy them and show them some love.

Thanks for reading! Have a great Earth day!

Rest In Peace, Margaret Thatcher

Yesterday, on the 8th of April, 2013, Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first female prime minister died, aged 87.
Often known as 'The Iron Lady,' Margaret Thatcher was an influential and controversial figure in politics; whether you agreed or disagreed with her policies and decisions, it cannot be denied that she was a strong and powerful woman, and an influential and decisive politician.

Here is a link to a news story about her death yesterday: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-08/former-british-pm-margaret-thatcher-dies-following-stroke/4617126

Human Right Websites.

Here are some links to Human Rights Websites- On Amnesty International you can take action online on many important causes. All of the sites have information on human rights, which is why I am posting the links.

Amnesty International- this website provides infomation on important causes, a newsletter, and you can take action online.  http://www.amnesty.org.au/  

The Official United Nations Website- this has information on human rights, peace and security, development, humanitarian affairs, and international law, as well as world UN news.
http://www.un.org/en/

Oxfam website- Oxfam provides information on it's projects and campaigns, as well as an Oxfam shop where you can buy fair trade products.
https://www.oxfam.org.au/

Human Rights Watch- this websites provides international news, information on it's campaigns, and a newsletter. http://www.hrw.org/home

Youth For Human Rights- it aims to educate young people about human rights, and to take action against discrimination.
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org/

There's five human rights websites for you to browse. The links I've provided for Amnesty International and Oxfam are to the Australian websites, sorry if you live outside of Australia. If you look around on the internet it shoud be pretty easy to find versions applicable to your country of residence.

Thanks for reading!

Books!
 This is a list of some of my favourite books. 

Goodnight, Mr Tom- by Michelle Margorian.
The classic book about children in war and the relationship between Mr Tom and young evacuee Will.

Cat's Eye- by Margaret Atwood.
A book about how our childhood experiences will help to shape our adult selves.

1984- by George Orwell.
Set in a dystopian future, this is a warning about the evils of totalitarianism.

The Chronicles Of Narnia- by C.S Lewis.
 Especially The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe; these are great adventure stories about the White Witch, the Pevensie children, and Aslan the lion.  

Mansfield Park- by Jane Austen.
The love story of Fanny Price and  her cousin Edmund.

Pride and Prejudice- by Jane Austen.
Jane Austen's most famous book, about Elizabeth Bennett, her family, and her relationship with striking Mr Darcy.

I Capture The Castle- by Dodie Smith.
The story about the coming of age of Cassandra Mortmain.

The Children's War: WW2 Through The Eyes Of The Children Of Britain- by Juliet Gardiner.
Exactly what the title says, it is a collection of photos and text about children on the Home Front.

Thank you for reading.

Hi!

I am a fifteen year old girl living in the Southern Hemisphere. I will posting book lists, and links to websites and to news stories about issues I feel are important- such as peace, feminism, equality, nature, art, and crafts; I will be also be posting ideas for meaningful ways to celebrate days such as Earth day and Harmony day.
The title of this blog refers to to Virginia Woolf's classic book Three Guineas:

'...[A]society which the daughters of educated men might found and join...In the first place, this new society, you will be relieved to learn, would have no honorary treasurer, for it would need no funds. It would have no office, no committee, no secretary; it would call no meetings; it would hold no conferences. If name it must have, it could be called the Outsiders' Society...It would consist of educated men's daughters working in their own class - how indeed can they work in any other? - and by their own methods for liberty, equality and peace.' (A Room Of One's Own and Three Guineas, by Virginia Woolf, annotated edition published by Penguin Books, 1993)

This blog is my (small) segment of the Outsider's Society.

Goodbye for now, thank you for reading!