Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #310579 in Books
• Published on: 2002-03-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 213 pages

Synopsis
The Female Man is a suspenseful, surprising and darkly witty chronicle of what happens when Jeannine, Janet, Joanna and Jael - four alternative selves from drastically different realities - meet. Joanna's world is like our own, Jeannine's world is even poorer & grungier, a place where neither World War II nor its resulting developments of technology have happened. Janet - the explorer - comes from 'Whileaway' where men have died off, leaving a world without the 'poisonous binary' of gender. Finally we meet Jael, warrior and assassin, who takes the other three to where the final war between men and women is being waged. The Female Man, Joanna Russ' innovative science fiction novel, caused a furore when first published in the 1970s - it has a power that has stayed fresh, witty and WEIRD. A welcome new edition of a book that now looks as good as it reads.

Customer Reviews

Compelling
This book is very much a product of the 70's. These characters are all beautiful, intelligent women who, for one reason or another, don't really have men in their lives.

On first glance, the issues mentioned seem to be a touch out of date but while reading, I could not help myself from wondering if women are really as powerful nowadays as much as we would like to think or if, on the other hand, we have managed to tip the balance so far that men are now at a disadvantage - just like in "Whileaway". Still it would be truly a sad world if women all end up like "Jael".

This is a beautifully written book with good insight into the 70's feminist imagination! Enjoy!