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Book Review: We Should All Be Feminists - A Guided Journal

Editor's Note: This review was originally published in San Francisco Book Review.


Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s We Should All Be Feminists: A Guided Journal is based on the author’s book-length essay of the same title. The journal edition reiterates important points on the intersectionality of oppression that manifests in how women-identified people experience race, gender, national origin, and other salient identities. Journal prompts are pre-empted by quotes from the author’s writings, as well as important moments in U.S. and global feminist history. The final pages include lists of nonprofits whose missions are centered around uplifting women and girls.

The hardbound volume is beautifully rendered in pages that will inspire introspection and self-revelation. If you’re looking for a muse, there are full-color photographs of the author looking fashionable and fabulous. Trivia about feminist icons such as Rosa Parks, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Malala Yousafzai is a great reminder about how courage and bold vision made way for progress.

The guided journal offers an invitation to reflect on lived experiences, while also developing a lens to see the world through the experiences of women with different backgrounds. While the journal may be targeted at those who identify as women, it can be useful for anyone who wants to embark on a journey of self-discovery to examine deeply held beliefs, while also focusing attention on what can be done to advance the feminist cause. 

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