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Word for Woman Is Wilderness
Word for Woman Is Wilderness | Abi Andrews
THE OFFICIAL NORTH AMERICAN EDITION!"Beguiling, audacious... rises to its own challenges in engaging intellectually as well as wholeheartedly with its questions about gender, genre and the concept of wilderness. The novel displays wide reading, clever writing and amusing dialogue." --The GuardianThis is a new kind of nature writing -- one that crosses fiction with science writing and puts gender politics at the center of the landscape.Erin, a 19-year-old girl from middle England, is travelling to Alaska on a journey that takes her through Iceland, Greenland, and across Canada. She is making a documentary about how men are allowed to express this kind of individualism and personal freedom more than women are, based on masculinist ideas of survivalism and the shunning of society: the "Mountain Man." She plans to culminate her journey with an experiment: living in a cabin in the Alaskan wilderness, a la Thoreau, to explore it from a feminist perspective.The book is a fictional time capsule curated by Erin, comprising of personal narrative, fact, anecdote, images and maps, on subjects as diverse as The Golden Records, Voyager 1, the moon landings, the appropriation of Native land and culture, Rachel Carson, The Order of The Dolphin, The Doomsday Clock, Ted Kaczynski, Valentina Tereshkova, Jack London, Thoreau, Darwin, Nuclear war, The Letters of Last Resort and the pill, amongst many other topics."Refreshingly outward-looking in a literary culture that turns ever inward to the self, although it still has profound moments of introspection. Uplifting, with a thirsty curiosity, the writing is playful and exuberant. Riffing on feminist ideas but unlimited in scope, Andrews focuses our attention on our beautiful, doomed planet, and the astonishing things we have yet to discover." --Ruth McKee, The Irish Times
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review
Robotswithpersonality
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Mehso-so

I think I understand what the author wanted to accomplish. Unfortunately, even as the reader does witness a progression in the protagonist's thinking (a good thing, because she started out a bit insufferable), the latter half of the book was weighted down by a higher percentage of rambling space-exploration-based science-nerdery (to each their own) and veering from feminist analysis to feminist mysticism (also not my bag), 1/?

Robotswithpersonality and these lengthy passages, while eventually arriving at (arguably oft-reiterated) points (arrived at from different angles) made it hard to stay in the mood and mindset best suited to be receptive to the author's final pronouncements on the themes of intersectional feminism and environmentalism, censuring a patriarchal, colonialist, anthopocentric view of the world. 2/? 11mo
Robotswithpersonality Specific problems for me:

The idea of identities outside the gender binary are really only touched on in relation to the Indigenous Two Spirit sense, and then briefly, alongside acknowledging historically Indigenous matriarchies. I'm just left with a bad aftertaste of earlier waves of feminism, i.e. 'being a woman means this, this, and this, and men are historically trash' without much nuance added. It feels like near the end the author might be pushing beyond those boundaries, but it's a long time to spend reading over and over again this reaffirming of a pretty rigid dichotomy. 3/?
11mo
Robotswithpersonality Much as it makes a juicy topic to expand upon in critical opposition, I really didn't want to spend that much time reflecting on Ted Kaczynski's thoughts or actions. 😑

One motion blurred black and white photo of vague scenery as seen from vehicle was enough, it didn't really act as further scene setting repeatedly interspersed in the text as the locations changed. 4/?
11mo
Robotswithpersonality And last, but not least, my main gripe:

Cognitive dissonance, the way it's written, feels like a memoir, but it IS a novel and makes me mistrust any facts delivered. What's real and what is fiction? Without footnotes citing sources, I have to hedge that it's all fake and that does take away from what I think the story was hoping to do. You could argue that there are all kinds of novels that don't bother to cite what might fall under the umbrella of 'common knowledge', but this writing goes in depth on a number of topics, scientific, historical and sociological, and it just feels like work not done that only some direct quotes are given credit in just two pages of acknowledgements (no other citations, list of sources in the book). 🤨 5/6
11mo
Robotswithpersonality ⚠️ Misogyny, SA, processing trauma, animal death, suicidal ideation, suicide, nuclear war anxiety 6/6 11mo
5 likes5 comments
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Robotswithpersonality
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Satisfied floof.

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Robotswithpersonality
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Parks are beautiful, BUT...

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Robotswithpersonality
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Always happy to learn a tree-related word!

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Robotswithpersonality
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Beautiful sketches.

3 likes1 stack add
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AlizaApp
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Pickpick

A young British woman travels solo across Iceland, Greenland, northern Canada and into Alaska by herself, in a trip inspired by Into The Wild but gender-swapped. I loved the first half but lost enthusiasm in the wilderness section.

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Anna40
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First bookstore visit in over a year with my family. I didn't buy anything - too many unread books at home, but read a few pages of The Word for Woman is Wilderness. The story sounds great, but somehow the writing didn't draw me in ...anyhow, so nice to be book browsing again :)

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Soubhiville
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Mehso-so

This wasn‘t what I was expecting or hoping for... it is a novel about a woman who travels from the UK to Alaska to prove that a woman can have the same kind of freedom and solitude that the “wild men” like Thoreau and McCandless. She goes by boat, dog sled, bus, and hitchhiking.

Along the way, and especially once she arrives at her cabin, it gets heavily bogged down with philosophical rambling, unfortunately too much for me.

TW in spoiler⬇️

Soubhiville Trigger warnings: attempted rape, suicide 3y
51 likes2 comments
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Chrissyreadit
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#littlechristmasswap opening day! Thank you Kim for a book that feeds my adventure loving soul ❤️❤️❤️ and for DELIGHTFUL vegan Christmas chocolate- so much fun!! thank you Amy for organizing this fun swap!

BarkingMadRead 😘😘😘 3y
AkashaVampie those chocolates look so good.... not saying that just becuz im on a diet. haha 3y
bookish_wookish Looks yummy! 3y
94 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Soubhiville
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@Mitch thank you for this book, which I‘m very much looking forward to reading, and the adorable reading cat pin! Which of your kitties posed for this?
I hope you and Mel are having a good day. Sending warm Christmas hugs. ❤️❤️❤️

Mitch Sorry it‘s a double for you! 🥰 3y
Soubhiville @Mitch No worries! My little free library will get the paperback for my neighbors to enjoy. It‘s the dangers of doing many holiday swaps, lol. (edited) 3y
57 likes2 comments
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Soubhiville
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@Melmar I love my #jolabokaflodswap package, thank you so much! The tagged book sounds so good! I had to put down Pattern Behavior this morning because flipping through I thought I might wake up my husband laughing! And I‘ll certainly enjoy the chocolate. Thank you! I hope you have a lovely holiday!

Thank you for hosting @MaleficentBookDragon 💕

Mitch Fab book! And mint chocolate looks divine. Have a wonderful holiday break. Love to you both 🎅🏼😘🎅🏼 3y
Soubhiville Sending you both Christmas love as well @Mitch ! I have to work today, but then get 4 days off. 🥰 3y
Mitch @Soubhiville enjoy every moment 🎅🏼😍🎅🏼 3y
Sharpeipup That chocolate bar sounds amazing! 3y
71 likes4 comments
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monalyisha
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Mehso-so

Mixed feelings about this novel, which investigates why there are no Mountain Women narratives & why women have just as much of a right to solitude & nature as men do (maybe more, given what society puts us through).

There are lots of Big Ideas here but it reads more like a philosophical manifesto (against dualism & in favor of interconnectivity & fluidity) than a novel. Andrews never uses contractions, a stylistic tic that I find so grating.👇🏻

Caroline2 Yeah. I ended up bailing on this one. 3y
monalyisha 1/2: I genuinely enjoyed some pieces of Andrews‘ writing & I agree with many of her conclusions...but I also didn‘t know exactly what I was in for when I started, & her interest in & capacity for Science & Math far exceed my own. I‘m going to level with you: I don‘t ever want physics diagrams in my novels. 😅🙈 I‘m sure that‘s a result of gender biases in my education but hey. Here we are. (edited) 3y
monalyisha @Caroline2 I might have bailed, too, if I weren‘t reading it for book club...& if it weren‘t my choice. Whoops! 😂 Reading it *definitely* felt like work but ultimately, I‘m glad I finished. It‘s a topic I have interest in & I was a Philosophy minor & *adored* my Critical Theory lit classes in college. So, I was probably more predisposed to not hate it. But I do regret unwittingly putting my pals through the experience. And I didn‘t love it. (edited) 3y
monalyisha 2/2: I also don‘t think I‘m melancholic enough to truly connect with the narrative. Is that a #humblebrag? I don‘t mean it to be. 😬 I‘m sure it‘ll affect my capacity to create great art. 😉 3y
Caroline2 @monalyisha Nope, I totally agree. It was too moany for me too. 😆 3y
71 likes5 comments
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monalyisha
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In a reader‘s life, historical moments are not just marked with “Where were you when...?” but “What were you reading when?”

mrp27 Cheers! 3y
Palimpsest I was at the library with my mom and my husband texted me a map with the electoral number and said it‘s official! 3y
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Kangaj1 Last election, I was reading The Circle by Dave Eggers. This week I am reading Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones. 3y
monalyisha @Kangaj1 Weirdly, we quoted the Tayari Jones book in our wedding ceremony 5 years ago...& I still haven‘t read it. 🙈 We did a coffee ritual, which we created ourselves, & the quote was, “And this is how it started. Just with coffee and the exchange of their... stories... Coffee can start a life just as it can start a day.” 3y
Bookzombie @monalyisha That is so sweet! If I wasn‘t already married, lol. 🙂 3y
sprainedbrain 💙💙💙 Appropriately, I was reading this today 3y
96 likes1 stack add7 comments
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monalyisha
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WOW! What a chapter heading! Packs a punch! 😱

AmyG 😬 3y
ephemeralwaltz 🤔🤔 3y
Heideschrampf Ehrm... no. 3y
monalyisha @ephemeralwaltz @Heideschrampf Don‘t worry; that‘s her point! 🙃 3y
50 likes5 comments
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monalyisha
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Reading this unapologetically feminist novel while refreshing the election results over & over & over again & shoving a peanut butter cup in my face each time I refresh.

How are you handling the morning?
Fuck.

Sace I'm on my 23rd mini kit Kat 😂 3y
monalyisha @Sace Thank God(dess) for leftover Halloween candy & Fall Litsy swaps, eh? 🍂🍫 3y
Sace @monalyisha Amén! I bought the bag knowing full well we weren't getting any trick or treaters. 😂 3y
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atla I‘ve basically banned myself from all corners of the internet (except Litsy and goodreads) until Friday. I broke that intention for about 20 minutes this morning, and then I realized that I still didn‘t know anything, was now (more) anxious, had no control of the outcome, and that someone will let me know when we know something substantial. Did some meditation and about to take my dog to a nature preserve. Am definitely getting fudge soon tho. 3y
monalyisha @atla That all sounds very wise; I wish I had your self-control. Also, I wish I wasn‘t such a baby about the cold & that I could dig myself out from underneath my heating pad & enjoy the scenic, Great Outdoors. At least today is a work from home day (& I‘m sure my sympathetic, Massachusetts library admin team is fully expecting everyone to be anxiety-ridden blobs). 3y
MittenGirlPeach Back in bed, though I did get dressed. Michigan, my Michigan is improving with every minute. Needless to say, I slept badly. Thankful for my Litsy community! 3y
monalyisha @MittenGirlPeach Getting dressed is, frankly, an impressive achievement! 💯 3y
Eggbeater I ate a pint of ice cream last night. Fuck is definitely the word. I showered this morning and felt like I accomplished something big. 3y
MittenGirlPeach @monalyisha 😉 sweatshirt skirt, tee shirt, no bra. But still, I did make some effort! 3y
SamAnne I'm mustering for the work day. And thinking about how I can talk to my neighbors and people who voted differently than I did, to find some common ground and change some minds to more kindness and acceptance in the coming year. Fuck. 3y
inthegreensandblues Took today off work and am trying to avoid looking at the news! Listening to an audiobook, and also eating too much candy. 😂😭 3y
74 likes2 stack adds11 comments
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monalyisha
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“Wildness in women does not mean autonomy and freedom; their wildness is instead an irrational fever... Women are both excluded from, and banished to, nature.”

Art by: Cecily Brown (2003)

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Caroline2
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Bailedbailed

This needed serious editing! A 19yr old girl goes backpacking to prove that girls can travel too....! Some of the feminists rants are quite funny, but most of it is patronising and annoying. Just because it‘s the first time it‘s occurred to you, doesn‘t make it profound!! Maybe if I was a cocky 19yr old again I would appreciate it all more? But overall, it just made me groan. 🙄 DNF: 90 pages.

Scochrane26 How old is that book? Women have been backpacking & traveling for a long time (see Wild). Not a new thing. (edited) 4y
squirrelbrain I didn‘t love this one either - it just didn‘t work as a novel for me. 4y
Caroline2 @Scochrane26 Exactly!!! It‘s a weird book, the main character prattles on about women not having enough “adventures” but then she goes on about all these other women who have done awesome things?! Make up your mind!!! 😆 4y
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Caroline2 @squirrelbrain Yeah. It doesn‘t work at all. It‘s like a first draft. 4y
rockpools Oh how disappointing! 4y
VeganCleopatra That's unfortunate. Love that cover though. 4y
monalyisha She did feel a little Holden Caulfield-y (or, at least, what I gather his character was like. I didn‘t actually read The Catcher in the Rye. 🙈). 3y
Caroline2 @monalyisha Nah! She WISHES she was like Holden!!!! 😆 3y
87 likes8 comments
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monalyisha
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Hi, matches!

Don't buy me this book. 🙈

I know I said I wanted it...but my Book Club just decided to read it for an upcoming pick, so I'm going to buy it for myself.

Thanks!

Also...I'M SO EXCITED TO READ IT!

Image from @twodollarradio.

59 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Zoe_reads_books
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squirrelbrain
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Pickpick

Such an unusual book. It follows Erin, a 19 year old British girl, who travels to Alaska to question why many ‘explorers‘ are men and whether a journey would be different if taken by a woman. It references Thoreau, McCandless, Kerouac and the Unabomber (a lot).

It‘s fiction masquerading as NF, which confused my poor little brain. I enjoyed most of it, and it definitely challenged me, but found the philosophising and NF bits rather extraneous.

TrishB Lovely review 👍🏻 4y
Cortg Interesting!
4y
Caroline2 Hmmm, I‘m still not sure about this one. I‘ve got it but now I know it‘s fiction (I thought it was nf too) it‘s really put me off. 😐 4y
squirrelbrain It really read like NF @Caroline2 so fried my brain a little bit... 🤪 4y
Caroline2 Yeah I bet...weird!!! 4y
71 likes3 stack adds5 comments
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squirrelbrain
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I‘m not very good at sticking to my #weeklyforecast and I have some books to drop off at the library tomorrow so I can guess what will happen there!

I‘m nearly halfway through the tagged book, and the birthday sorting jar picked the Atkinson (I‘m only halfway through my birthday pressies from 3 months ago)

On Kindle I started the Reid last night and lots of people are talking about the Attenberg, which I have on ARC.

Megabooks I really want to read Such a Fun Age! 4y
Cinfhen So we might cross read xx of course, I didn‘t pick up a book all day although I finished my audio of Beauty Queens 👸🏼 4y
66 likes2 comments
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squirrelbrain
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A gift from the lovely @kathedron - not read it yet but really looking forward to it!

This novel follows a 19 year old as she leaves the UK and treks through the North American wilderness .
#girlgonewild
#movember

Cinfhen Which I still haven‘t read/ it‘s in hibernation 🐻 4y
Caroline2 Oh I have this book on my #nfnov tbr pile. It sounds interesting. 👍 4y
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Caroline2 @Cinfhen ohhhh Wild is one of my all time favourite memoirs. Ignore the hype, it‘s very good. 😉 4y
squirrelbrain It‘s actually fiction @Caroline2 - I thought it was nf at first too.... 4y
Caroline2 NO WAY!!! I thought it was a true story!! Argh, I feel duped now! 😒 4y
93 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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Caroline2
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Another book from the TBR shelf! 😯 #downinthewoods #ayupaugust

erzascarletbookgasm Great cover 👍 5y
TrishB That looks interesting 👍🏻 5y
Caroline2 @TrishB sounds good doesn‘t it! 😀 5y
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Caroline2 @erzascarletbookgasm I‘m such a sucker for a great front cover! 😆 5y
Cinfhen This one sounds great 👍🏽 5y
Hoopiefoot Such a great read! 5y
squirrelbrain It does sound great - stacked! ❤️ 5y
78 likes5 stack adds7 comments
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DannyOlda
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Pickpick

I really enjoy science and travel writing. The feminist perspective of this book, though, made it especially refreshing. The voice is convincing and enjoyable to read, though I feel like we listened to all the same Radiolab episodes.

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DannyOlda
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Touché

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Craftylikefox
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From Sweatpants & Coffee
I probably won‘t be doing much reading. I will spend most of it outdoors. This is always a tricky day for me and I need to stay out of my head.
For all the wonderful mothers out there, Happy Mother‘s Day 💕

Rachel.Rencher ❤❤❤ 5y
JoScho 🖤🖤🖤 5y
kgriffith Thank you for sharing this, and I‘m glad you know what you need and are taking care of yourself 💜 5y
tracey38 I have a hard time with Mother's day, too. Glad you are taking time for you. 5y
33 likes4 comments
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Hoopiefoot
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Girl power night here. Great book to accompany a great women‘s national championship game. 🏀

54 likes1 stack add
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twodollarradio
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Star review! Publishers Weekly: “This deeply feminist adventure tale is a splendid, innovative response to the genre of masculine travelogue.”

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twodollarradio
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This is a new kind of nature writing—one that crosses fiction with science writing and puts gender politics at the center of the landscape.
?Our March release just arrived!?
“Uplifting, with a thirsty curiosity, the writing is playful and exuberant. Riffing on feminist ideas but unlimited in scope, Andrews focuses our attention on our beautiful, doomed planet, and the astonishing things we have yet to discover."
—Ruth McKee, The Irish Times

rather_be_reading welcome to litsy 📚☕📚 @LitsyWelcomeWagon 5y
LitsyWelcomeWagon Welcome to Litsy! Hope these #Litsytips by @RaimeyGallant http://bit.ly/litsytips and #LitsyHowTo videos: goo.gl/UrCpoU are helpful. There‘s so many fun things to do: book exchanges, buddy reads, photo challenges and more! 5y
RaimeyGallant Welcome! 5y
12 likes1 stack add3 comments
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ReadingEnvy
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Pickpick

The Word for Woman is Wilderness by Abi Andrews is a philosophical novel exploring the connecting between feminism and answering the call of the wild. It feels like essay and memoir at times, combining a quest with film transcripts and charts, and it's already been a part of conversations I've had with other readers. It's also in conversation with a lot of books I've read about Alaska and Canada this year.

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Weaponxgirl
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#readingwomenmonth I picked this up for a friends birthday. About a woman who goes to Alaska after watching to much bear gryllis and wonders why it's always the men who have the hardship travel narrative. I'm going to ask to borrow it after she has read it
@ephemeralwaltz @Andrew65

rmaclean4 I look forward to hearing your thoughts...I have been eyeing this one. 6y
Weaponxgirl @rmaclean4 it will be a while unfortunately, the friend I'm gifting it to is a slow reader. Well by litsy standards anyway but I'm really intrigued by this. 6y
56 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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WhereTheBooksGo
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Had fun picking these from my local #bookshop - the cover of The Word for Woman is Wilderness is perfection! And who can resist Jasper Fforde?

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