Welcome to Litsy!

The title drew me in and when I went to pull it from the shelf I realized I have read so many books from this section of the library, all with such different titles that I knew I needed a new Goodreads Tag so I've added Social Sciences Equality, because despite reading so many, little has changed but each empowers me to be more bold in my existence and desire to see more for future generations.

Having never identified as a witch, I felt a little skeptical going into this, but I ended up being SO seen by it. After all, how many women persecuted through the ages as witches identified as such? I kept saying, “Exactly!” out loud as I listened. I especially connected with the chapter on choosing whether or not to have kids (I chose no) and aging. Definitely in defense of women!

So good! Riveting feminist non fiction that explores the history of witches in connection to the patriarchy, shares the impact it has had in the past through now, and empowers the reader to respond effectively. This one informed and infuriated me and so feel more prepared to fight what is surely to come over the next few years. Great on #audio

French take on the patriarchy and how we got here. It's interesting.

#SheSaid @Riveted_Reader_Melissa

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Time spent reading yesterday: 3 hours 30 minutes = 35 points x‘s 5 for 4 readathons = 175 points.

#HauntedShelf
#FrightClub
#31by31
#Spookoween
#Witchathon
#ReadAway2024

Hello #SheSaid!

I hope you are having a good week! See you in the comments…

Time spent reading yesterday: 6 hours 30 minutes = 65 points x‘s 5 for 4 readathons = 325 points. 🤓

#HauntedShelf
#FrightClub
#31by31
#Witchathon
#Spookoween
#ReadAway2024

👻🎃👻🎃👻🎃👻🎃👻🎃👻🎃👻🎃👻🎃👻

Hello #SheSaid!

I hope everyone is having a good week.

Just a reminder if you have not seen it yet to check out our other post to nominate books to read next year. I‘d like to get the survey out soon, so nominate before the end of the month.

See you in the comments for this weeks section:

Time spent reading yesterday: 8 hours = 80 points x‘s 7 for 6 readathons = 560 points.

#HauntedShelf
#FrightClub
#31by31
#Spookoween
#Witchathon
#ReadAway2024
#BirthdayBashReadathon
#GNreadathon

Time spent reading yesterday: 8 hours 30 minutes = 85 points x‘s 6 = 510 points.

#HauntedShelf
#FrightClub
#31by31
#Spookoween
#Witchathon
#ReadAway2024
#BirthdayBashReadathon

#WickedWhispers

A non-fiction #Witch book that I am reading for #SheSaid this month. So far interesting & feminist—I‘m identifying with a lot of it.

It‘s on my #HauntedShelf #TBR & although it has some lovely purple on the cover, I‘m going to use it for the #Grey prompt on the #BookScavengerHunt list.

Team #Flerken

Hello #SheSaid. I hope the Fall/Spring season is treating you well wherever you are.

I‘m all caught up this week and really enjoying this book… it‘s funny to me because some of the books she references are ones we have read with SheSaid like Backlash….and other parts remind me of books languishing on my TBR pile (mountain) that I just have not gotten to yet. I am also enjoying the French perspective on all of it.

Yesterday‘s small #LibraryHaul 📚I picked up my witchy holds for #SundayBuddyRead & #SheSaid & found the third book at the library bookstore for $1. It‘s not a spooky season book but it looks good. Also looking good are the $1 “disco” pumpkins I bought at Target a few weeks ago.
💃🏻🕺🏻🪩🎃🧡

Hello #SheSaid!

I got through the intro & started Chapter one. Sorry, I did not realize the introduction was a long chapter in and of itself…bad planning on my part.

Join in as you catch up (like me)! I‘m really enjoying this one so far….lots of thoughts…see you in the comments!

Up Next in for #SheSaid! Put in your library holds, and it is available on Kindle Unlimited if you use that!

Very good!!

Not quite what I was expecting, but very intriguing: the French author, relying heavily on French sources, explores the tropes and history of persecution of “witches” that have come down through the centuries, and looks at how they continue to play out today. Some of the themes are aging, being single, being “unattractive,” being independent and powerful. Having a cat comes up too!
#Nonfiction2024 #HarryPotter

Corinne Maier, 1977: “We live in a society of ants: in which working and nesting shape the alternate prospects of the human condition. If work is the opium of the masses, does that make children our consolation? A society in which life is limited to living and reproducing is one that has no future, for it has no dreams.” For her, procreation represents the deadlock of the heart of the current system that leads directly to ecological catastrophe.

In “Une vie à soi” Erika Flahault distinguishes between “women en manque,” who feel something is missing, but put up with their situation, despite some suffering; “women en marche,” women who are learning to appreciate their situation; and the “apostate du conjugale,” women who have left marriage behind and are deliberately organizing their lives, loves, and friendships outside the framework of the couple.

In 1233, a bull issued by Pope Gregory IX declared cats to be “the devil‘s servants.” Then, in 1484, Pope Innocent VIII ordered that all cats seen in the company of women be considered their “familiars.” These witches were to be burned along with their animals. The cats‘ extermination contributed to the growth of the rat population, so aggravating subsequent outbreaks of disease, which were blamed on witches.

Really enjoyed this audiobook. Smart, feminist, compelling.

This book was utterly fascinating, completely heartbreaking and horrifying. The ribbons tying the past and present were drawn into the light and into understanding. I am descending into a changed worldview. I would very much like to learn more.

As a last ditch effort to drag myself out of my reading slump, I am trying to audiobook for the first time. And I have to say this book is fascinating!

Men don‘t age better than women, they‘re just allowed to age

I was hoping for more legit history, but still an interesting read that stoked my feminist rage in ways both new and familiar.

This is a fantastic book that compares the old witch trials with the pressures and prejudices women face today. While reading this book I admit to feeling really frustrated and angry. It's 2023 and it feels like women are losing rights again 😾
#NaturalitsyBingo2023 #freechoice @AllDebooks #BBRC #bookintranslation originally in French @LibrarianRyan #WickedWords #globe @AsYouWish

This lovely surprise package arrived the other day! Thank you Stacy for such a fun, thoughtful gift. ❤️ This book looks awesome! And these pens are hilarious (I dare any of my RN co-workers to steal one)! Thanks for the cute keychain and notecards 😊 I‘ve been completely disorganized this year so expect a mystery box from evil Amazon. 😈 Happy Holidays! ☃️ #LitsyLove

Surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. Picked it up on a whim. I got this from the library, but have since bought a copy for myself and a couple for friends as Christmas gifts. Definitely one I‘ll read again.

This is a thoroughly researched book, detailing ways in which women have been and continue to be vilified. I found the passages on how women have internalized patriarchal and misogynistic viewpoints illuminating. By turns heartbreaking, informative, and infuriating, my only issue is that the text is dry. I do not know if this is an issue with the writing itself, or with the translation, but I did find it a bit of a slog.

Starting this! 🧹
I am interested to read about the comparisons of the historical treatment of witches vs the pitfalls women still face today as written by French feminist Chollet.

After the storm. Happy Thursday.

Happy Mother's Day! My lovely mother-in-law took me to the bookstore this week and got me this pile of witchy goodness, and then we played a board game about a magical library. It was the best! Sending my love out to all of you mother-figures (whatever your gender may be). You are incredibly important! 💕

“The witch embodies woman free of all domination, all limitation; she is an ideal to aim for; she shows us the way…[yet] historians seem determined to deny that witch-hunts constituted ‘a burst of misogyny without parallel in Western history.‘”

More of a collection of feminist essays than a historical account of witches, but I really enjoyed this book.

Full review on my blog: http://sprainedbrain.blog/2022/03/26/review-in-defense-of-witches-by-mona-cholle...

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Happy Publication Day-& Happy International Women‘s Day! With a captivating cover & intriguing premise, I really looked forward to diving into this translated read. Chollet redefines “witch” & offers instead a feminist perspective on four topics- independence, fertility (namely to not have children), aging and healthcare. A definite discussion starter and meticulously researched, this had less of the historical/geographical angle that I expected.

An in depth examination of the persecution of witchcraft and its effects on the modern ways in which women encounter discrimination.

This was a bit of a dense, academic read. And while it has a lot of fantastic information, it tries to do too much, with chapters on aging, healthcare, relationships, motherhood, and environmentalism. And the common thread of witchcraft is not as interwoven throughout the text as it could have been. 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑

My latest #netgalley approval. YAY!