The H-Spot

February 15, 2017
A sound analysis of what really makes women happy.Filipovic, a New York Times contributing opinion writer and Cosmopolitan.com columnist, undertakes an assertive, eye-opening investigation of women's happiness. "The American pursuit of happiness," she writes, "has morphed from a political promise made in the very declaration of our independent nation into a thoroughly capitalist endeavor, packaged and sold to individuals with the promise that if you just get this thing--if you just choose to pay for this thing--you'll be fulfilled." But as the author adeptly points out, happiness is not a thing--not something that comes in a can or from an exercise class or even from a romantic partner. Deep, long-lasting friendships, the right to be sexual in all its myriad forms, being a wife, mother, and/or a boss are just some of the numerous ways women are pursuing their individual paths to happiness. She addresses the food/fat/fashion dilemma that women have faced for decades (the "desire to shrink oneself fattens the American diet industry to the tune of $61 billion"), the increasingly incendiary issues of sexual and domestic violence, and the growing concerns of women regarding their right to make their reproductive choices. Filipovic also takes up the change of power in Washington, D.C., with the ascendance of a president who has bragged about sexual assault, and she discusses what this means for women in particular as he begins his administration and makes changes that could take feminism backward. Coming on the heels of the best chance so far to have a woman in the White House, the author's research and analysis are spot-on, and she provides readers with plenty of useful information to drive deep and necessary discussions for years to come. A timely, enlightening exploration of what American women truly want and need to live purposeful, fulfilling, happy lives.

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April 1, 2017

Part feminist history, part memoir, and part call to action, this engaging volume presents a sound argument for shifting both policy and cultural attitudes toward a prioritization of female happiness. Attorney and journalist Filipovic gives a comprehensive look into what makes American women happy--and why so many aren't--in a system that seems set up to limit them. Using detailed research and thoughtful analysis, as well as numerous interviews with women of varied backgrounds, Filipovic discusses some of the most significant points of female happiness (or lack thereof)--from female friendship to motherhood to equal pay, and more--in all their complexity and through an intersectional feminist lens. Filipovic, who writes for the New York Times, Cosmopolitan.com, among other publications, is unflinchingly honest in her analysis of what it means to be female in America, both in 2017 and throughout history. VERDICT Thought provoking and sure to spark discussion, this title will appeal to fans of Roxane Gay and other feminist writers, as well as readers seeking well-researched works that speak to today's political climate.--Molly Hone, Pequannock Twp. P.L., NJ

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2017
In her first book, Filipovic, a decorated journalist who writes about gender, politics, law, and global affairs, advocates for public policy designed to promote female happiness and, even more radically, female pleasure. To make her argument, she blends history, contemporary cultural analysis, individual stories, and autobiography. Each chapter addresses a subject where women's pleasure is discouraged by law and cultural practice. In the chapter on sex, Filipovic tells the story of Samantha, who took a purity pledge and remained a virgin until marriage. Transitioning from over a decade of sex avoidance to marital consummation in a single night proved impossible, and both Samantha and her marriage suffered. The takeaway: a cultural and educational policy designed to strengthen marriage actually weakens it by denying female pleasure. Pleasure is likewise discouraged for women at work, in parenting, regarding food, in female friendships, and in expectations of sacrifice. Women, according to Filipovic, must give until it hurts. She ends with concrete actions and public-policy suggestions that would promote female pleasure, a necessity for a strong society.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)