Caitlin Moran "How To Be A Woman"

Caitlin Moran on hearing Don's comments

On Tuesday 19th March 2013 Hove Book Group met up for another evening of top flight cultural discourse.  Here is an eye witness account of what went down.

Nick implored the group to explore their female sides with three selections that took us down Equality Avenue.  We came to the event having all read Caitlin Moran's best selling book "How To Be A Woman".  Nick felt the book was mis-sold and was more about Caitlin than a generic book about women.  Nick likes to think of himself as someone sympathetic to feminism, as long as it doesn't involve too much shouting at men that is. Despite this modern and enlightened approach Nick felt the book did not offer much more than some great one-liners and sporadic wisdom - specifically the sections on abortion and child birth.  A good read.  6/10

To Nigel, a renowned 50 something liberal male, Caitlin Moran is preaching to the converted.  There's very little in her book for him to disagree with.  He will encourage his daughter to read it once she is 15 or 16.  Nigel felt there were some parts of the book where Caitlin could have been far more succinct without diluting the message.  Nigel ran through the notes he had made at the end of each chapter.  Some chapters were far more successful than others.  The ones that Nigel thought were most effective included "I Start Bleeding", "I Become Furry" ,"I am Fat", "I Encounter Some Sexism", "I Am In Love", "I Get Married", "I Get Into Fashion", and "Abortion".  Nigel took issue with Caitlin's support of celebrity gossip magazines, "Buying them only encourages them and their agenda to undermine women Caitlin".  Her style is fairly strident and opinionated which might not be to everyone's taste, and some sections are a little overlong, but fundamentally it's a wise and funny book with some helpful and thoughtful insights.  7/10  

Before the meeting there had been some speculation about Don's reaction to this book.  Previous books that Don disliked having been shredded, thrown on a compost bin etc. Don confessed that this was a new genre for him and that he really liked Caitlin's column in The Times newspaper.  So far, so encouraging, alas he then stated that a lot of the content had already appeared in her newspaper columns, that she was "fine in small doses" before a parting shot that this book was "witless, turgid and unfunny".  Don stopped reading on page 161.  Ouch.  Take that Caitlin Moran.

Don said what?!

Jason's wife had read him some funny sections of the book a few months before this gathering, and so inspired Jason to read the whole thing.  Once Jason sat down and started reading "How to Be a Woman" properly he felt he'd already heard the best bits.  That said, by the time Caitlin Moran stated "in many ways, there is no crueller or more inappropriate present to give a child than oestrogen and a big pair of tits. Had anyone asked me I think I would have requested a book token or maybe a voucher for C&A instead", Jason realised he was reading a helpful book and as Caitlin states, "I'm neither 'pro-women' nor 'anti-men'. I'm just 'Thumbs up for the six billion."  "Right on", murmured Jason. 6.5/10

Robin lost his kindle on a plane and, with it, his copy of this book.  Nigel's copy arrived too late for him to finish it.  Doh!  Robin then digressed, and described how none of his girlfriends had ever engaged in masturbation.  Whilst the group digested this sensational news, Robin then questioned the extent to which Caitlin had masturbated.  Robin felt this was a book that might as well have been subtitled "common sense, with some jokes and improbably high levels of masturbation". 5/10

Caitlin hears Robin's remarks about female masturbation

Hamish felt this was not a book about feminism, rather a book about Caitlin and modern life.  His wife had found it hilarious, Hamish less so.  Was it more funny to female readers?  The jokes are integral to the book. Hamish thought her account of the birth of her first child was absolutely brilliant; and her husband's tears at her suffering is beautifully and memorably described. She can also squeeze in a gag on how the whole experience has given her perspective: "I doubt that I will get angry about Norwich Union changing its name to 'Aviva' ever again." 5/10

Keith stated that this was his kind of feminism and Caitlin was his kind of woman.  Great news.  Persuasive, honest, passionate, inclusive.  Keith was impressed by Caitlin and her book. The book's achievement is to make feminism seem unthreatening and simple. Caitlin is not anti-men and believes that we're all just "The Guys", that sexism is just a form of bad manners, and that one thing that would help is more imaginative porn.  Keith says a hearty "Yes" to all of the above.  9/10

Tristan heartily enjoyed it.  A funny, liberal book.  Tristan then distributed an eye opening photo of Germaine Greer to illustrate a point about female-centric pornography.  Tristan stated that it is really important that we talk about this stuff and understand it.  That Caitlin Moran's book is also engaging, brave, clever, and funny is a bonus.  Everybody should read it.  8.5/10 

An interesting debate with a variety of views - with most participants from Hove's number one book group feeling that this was a well written book with humour, insight and power.  Thank you Caitlin Moran.


The Pixies' legendary female bassist informed Nick's musical choice "Doolittle" by The Pixies....

Sadly at this point the notes became a series of illegible scrawls and crude and childish drawings.

The Allmusic review concludes with "A fun, freaky alternative to most other late-'80s college rock, it's easy to see why the album made the Pixies into underground rock stars."  Broadly speaking: 

Nick and Nigel are fans and very positive about the band and this album.

Jason and Robin don't like it.

Keith, Hamish and Tristan were only partly convinced by it.

Thelma and Louise

Finally the group discussed the film "Thelma and Louise".

Despite some dreadful music, Nick really enjoyed this film.

Nigel loved it when it first came out, however felt it had dated badly and was struck by the almost universal overacting.  Still watchable but not as good as it seemed all those years ago.

Once again, at this point the meeting notes degenerate into stream of consciousness mumbo jumbo and arcane symbols that not even the experts at the British Museum could interpret.  

The end.