I read most of it. Society commentary off a pop song, not my thing. I am serious about blaming society. In that context, I understandand get women are very often put in the position to defend patriarchy, misogyny and all kinds of things that go against their own interests as women. (same goes for POC and anyone marginalized…that’s how society works) I see it very clearly with my family and culture, and my mom was a proto-feminist, which for an Asian American family is semi-rare. I also see it with the powers that be within American society and all the shit going on now….and Ms. Carpenter seems to be repeating the deal.
Well, most essayists will use a hook or prompt to go off on.
It was just one minor example of how ingrained blaming mothers is in society, which exists within a calcified patriarchal structure.
We seem to mostly agree here. Anyway, I like her take on things 
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Yes I think we agree. A lot of people and women in particular have been gaslighted to do the work of society, a patriarchy….and the pressure from some to move backwards in time and society. Call me old, because I don’t listen to much current pop music and to fully get it, I’d have to listen to the song and I know I won’t . I have skimmed articles that mention Ms. Carpenter’s backwards moves. I get the point of the article besides my reaction…have to call this stuff out and create dialogue, especially for the target demographic. Critique is education.
Hahaha…Repo Man is one of my favorite movies. And yes, I do know what a suburban punk from SoCal is. 
Mine, too.
signed,
a former white suburban punk just like you
My daughter’s favorite movie I think, I don’t know how many times she’s watched it.
She has a stupid dangling green “tree” in her car in homage to the movie … I’m very anti dangly things like that. Gets in my way whenever I have to drive her car.
Currently lost in A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam - a book I’ve intended to read for years. Initial take is “Holy Sh*T I can’t believe I didn’t read this earlier!”
Beyond the story, the arrangement of the work is perfect; it’s told in seven “books” and each of these could also be titled “A Bright Shining Lie,” as they expose increasingly more of the main character and what was happening in Vietnam politically, socially, militarily.
Fairly certain this will end up on my list of books I think most everyone should read (along with The Only Plane in the Sky and One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This).
I really need to dig out my What I’ve Been Reading List. I think I’m around 20 books this year, but many have been rereads. A few, though, I’d like to recommend.
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Have you read What the Taliban Told Me by Ian Fritz?
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I’ve been on a tear reading novels lately:
Strange unsettling story. Tackles similar themes as her other novels, which I think did it better. Curious to see the film as so much of the book is interior dialogue.
My current read. Really enjoying this retelling from a female perspective. I’ll seek out another books by this author.
I’d never heard of this 1930s novel about domestic alienation. Good one. Reminds me a bit of Cheever. It’s still in print after all this time.
Enjoyed this collection of novellas/short stories set in India. Some will stick with me longer than others.
I clocked pretty quickly that this book would require more suspension of disbelief than I was up for and dropped it. Didn’t care for the protagonist’s machimso and smug self sufficiency.
Didn’t enjoy this collection of short stories from an author whose books I otherwise enjoy for a light read. I was surprised that any book using a pejorative for Roma/Sinti people would be printed this decade. Also, the stories were just lame. The characters weren’t fleshed out or realistic.
This was my last read, and I thought it was clever and fantastic. I was sorry it ended.
In the self-help category, this is my favorite by this author so far:
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Can I assume this is in your queue?
There was a movie starring real-life Mr and Mrs Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.
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Not yet – but maybe I will request it. Have you read it? I also read that there were some short stories published about the eldest daughters misadventures in New York City.
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I’m about halfway through Return to Wyldcliffe Heights by Carol Goodman. It’s a present day gothic mystery, and I can hardly bear to put it down! Perfect for fans of Jane Eyre, Rebecca, etc.
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I haven’t read either. I know of the complementary titles thanks to the movie.
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Thanks for the rec! I put it on my list.
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I have a whole batch of crime novels lined up on the shelf. First one started today. I’m a long term follower of M J Arlidge’s “Helen Grace” books. This should be interesting. Or perhaps not. All previous books have featured Grace as a Detective Inspector. This one sees her having resigned from her job and now a civilian. Just from the first few pages, I can see she’s going to get stuck in to a “people trafficking” thing. Very on trend for the UK at present.
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I eead *this, rather than listened (my brother gave me a heads up)), so technically it’s “what I’m reading” It’s a viewpoint of the “Shy Girl” saga.
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Not yet, though it’s in the stacks, along with Ghost Wars and To Lose a War (my books are loosely arranged by theme/topic), also on Afghanistan and the Taliban.
I’ve a feeling I’m going to need to follow A Bright Shining Lie with a jarringly different book; I’ve a lot of fiction titles calling to me, and I’m leaning toward speculative fiction of one sort or another. Or maybe I’ll start on my goal of reading the George Smiley books?
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You must, they are wonderful.
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In Proving Ground, Mickey is now driving a Chevy Bolt !
By the way, it’s something annoying that with Mickey being on Netflix, and half-brother Harry on Prime, the twain cannot meet on screen as they have in print.
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