Thursday, April 20, 2017

BBRBF Book Club: Secret History of Wonder Woman


Well, I am taking off tomorrow yet again for Las Vegas (Vegas trip 2 out of 3, for those keeping track) to manage 200+ meetings and 5+ customer events at NAB, my team's largest trade show that we do every year.


But you didn't come here to listen to be blabber on about that. Today is this month's BBRBF Book Club review day! This month, we imagined what is like to be a superhero with Jill Lepore's The Secret History of Wonder Woman.


Be sure to keep an eye on the other club members' blogs for their thoughts and inspired outfits: Helene from Circle Skirts and Petticoats, Kat from The Miss Information Blog, Kristina from Eyre Effect, Noelle from The Classy Junk,  Laci Fay, and Justyna from Hazel & Honey!


Lepore's book was interesting to me when we voted to reach it for April. While I don't usually enjoy historical books - especially ones that are non-fiction - I was excited to step out of my comfort zone, try something new, and learn about a bad ass female superhero.


While the book is all about Wonder Woman, somehow I found it to be nothing about her. The book was a deep dive into the history of women's rights, from the suffrage movement onward, and while it was fascinating to read about the women of the past who rose to fight for our rights today, I found myself wondering when I'd get to read more about Wonder Woman herself.


There were comic strips included between each chapter and Lepore referenced the booted heroine throughout, but I couldn't help but feel as though she never brought it full circle back to Wonder Woman. I was expecting more info about Wonder Woman's actual creation, I guess!


Still, I feel as though it was an important read. Hearing about these women who put fought against the ridiculous laws and beliefs of their time to bring equality to women mad me proud to be one.


Something as simple and obvious today as spreading knowledge on birth control was considered illegal (God forbid a woman deserves the right to say when she has had enough child bearing) and women like Margaret Sanger and Ethel Burne were actually arrested and put to trial (and even jail!) for opening a clinic with the goal of educating women on their options when it came to family planning.


Burne and Sanger were charged with violating a section of the New York State Penal Code that stated it was illegal to distribute anything that prevented conception - apparently that included knowledge and advice! Can you imagine??


I noticed lately that many of the covers of the books we read for BBRBF Book Club have similar colors. I feel like this is not the first time my outfit consisted of blues/golds/reds. Hmm. Still, I managed to pull something unique together with this Lady V London blue floral dress by pairing red and gold accessories with it.


Isn't this Rosie the Riveter brooch pretty damn appropriate considering the topic of this historical read? HELL YEAH, WE CAN DO IT!


Next month we are reading Caraval by Stephanie Garber. Feel free to read along with us or stay tuned to see our thoughts and Caraval-inspired outfits in May!