Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1312809 in Books
• Published on: 2004-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 352 pages

Customer Reviews

Nothing Spinster Found in Expose of Sinister Editing
In a clearly biased book, Myrna Blyth's "Spin Sisters" cannot be read as 'spinsters'. Blyth is as erudite and savvy as the women she is verbally savaging. This gives her authority, wisdom, and inside knowledge.

In 2001, Bernard Goldberg's "Bias: A CBS Insider Exposes How the Media Distort the News" was published and was lambasted by his media colleagues. Now, with a similar tone and message, Blyth will be find speaking counter culturally will anger her former peers. Blyth, unaffected, has boldly let in the light into what is to most of us a shuttered world.

Her precise point, that those women buying women's magazines have different, more conservative values than those editing and publishing them, is logical and long known. Where Blyth steps in is to provide anecdotes and examples, having been part of the value divide. She's portrayed as a whistle-blower, but the real story is that she's not a cubical warrior. She ran the show, picked the editors, stories and angles. Her culpability is deeper than the average unknown whistle-blower.

It is as much of a political book as it is a media analysis text, but it reads more like an expose. That Blyth has a conservative tack in her book isn't subtle. The trouble is not her tone, but in her facts. She cites circumstances how alarmism littered the editorial choices, while feminism is peddled to women oppressed in their own ignorance of what feminism is and isn't.

Dividing the hyped up prose from the truth won't be hard for readers. A walk through the checkout counter magazine stand, comparing women's publications as you do, will show that the publishers aren't pushing messages found in family magazines like "Focus on the Family" and "Marriage Partnership."

I fully recommend "Spin Sisters: How the Women of the Media Sell Unhappiness and Liberalism to the Women of America" by Myrna Blyth. Think for yourself. Don't let my review, the publicity behind the book or against the book determine your thinking.

Anthony Trendl

Gossipy, inaccurate and doom-laden
Myrna Blyth claims that women's magazines conspire against women to make them victims. Well, they might, but her book does exactly the same thing: it tells women that they are victims of a conspiracy to make them victims!

I do not accept that women are victims of this conspiracy. Women are able to think for themselves. I trust in women's ability to think; the majority of women will not accept (let alone buy!) something that if they are unhappy with it. There is the possibility that there are large numbers of magazines giving women similar messages BECAUSE women want those messages.

'Spin Sisters' is not a good book. Blyth aims to be scholarly, but her arguments are illogical, contradictory and incomplete. She tells some amusing anecdotes, and that is is the main virtue of her book. But it seems rather sad that she can only reinforce the "You are a victim!" message, instead of giving women something positive to consider - wouldn't that be far more valuable?

Excellent and a good read
Myrna Blyth's contention is that U.S. publications aimed at women are overwhelmingly left-of-centre and have liberal feminist attitudes and values and a relentless propagandistic message that women are stressed, discontented victims (not to mention an unhealthy obsession with thin glamorous female celebs). According to Blyth, none of this (except perhaps the unhealthy obsession with celebs) much reflects the actual attitudes, values and situations of real women out there. If you are left-of-centre yourself, you may think this is all a good thing. But whether you are happy about it, or feel that women are being conned and manipulated, you're going to struggle if you want to deny that what she is saying is basically correct. The evidence (including evidence from left-wing organisations) is just too strong. Its a good book, an enjoyable easy read, and a very important point that she's making. And if you think women's magazines don't matter much, you're wrong there too. Women's media is enormously influential and in effect is becoming THE media. And if you doubt that, try reading the (UK) Daily Telegraph since Charles Moore left.