“The Soul of A Woman”....did many of the same things to me as
....”Becoming” by Michelle Obama...
And “
....”Paula”, ( non-fiction by Isabelle Allende)...
And
....”The Sum of our Days”: ( non-fiction by Isabel Allende)...
I melted with pleasure!!!
“The Soul of a Woman”.... [a tribute to feminism]....is intimate, pulsing with depth, breadth, life, and love.....even great moments of humor.
It’s filled luminous stories, and wisdom. Isabel’s writing is PASSIONATE!
“The Soul of A Woman” feels like LOVE MESSAGE to fans like me.
I’m swirling with joyful intoxication...and appreciation. This book was just what I needed.
If there is an audiobook with Isabel reading...I’ll purchase it —listen to her words bath me while hiking on the trail.
A few things I was already familiar with from other books...which added to my enjoyment.
I absolutely love Allende’s fiction books...not a single one I’ve not enjoyed....but her non-fiction books ( all three of them)... are something very special to me.
Inside this slim non fiction gem...Isabel covers a lot of ground:
early childhood and adolescent years, family, ( mother, father, stepfather, motherhood, marriage ( I love reading about her marriage to Roger), friends, mentors, her ‘Paula Magazine, business relationships, taboos, authors who inspired her, thoughts about Allende’s past books, sensuality, divorces, loss, death, weddings, men, women, children, revolutionary days, societies, driving, exercise, food, letter writing with her mother, personal values, grandchildren, husbands, the pleasure of home with her husband Roger, reading, writing, TV, her dog, her creative growth, discipline, goofing off a little, aging, social issues, (rape, violence, victims, cruelty, covid, freedoms, etc.),....and MORE.
A few excerpts I love and relate with ....( I love the entire book)....wanting to read it again.
“There were hundreds of taboos directly related to women that we wanted to challenge—
sex, money, discriminatory laws, drugs, virginity, menopause, contraception, alcoholism, abortion, prostitution, jealousy... to name a few”.
“I have been training for years to be a passionate old woman, just as others train to climb mountains or play chess”.
“While my body deteriorates, my soul rejuvenates. I suppose my defects and virtues are also more visible. I spend and waste too much and I am more distracted than before, but I have also become less angry; my character has softened a little. My passion for the causes I have always embraced and for those few people I love has increased”.
“Nowadays, agism is politically incorrect, as sexism and racism have been for decades, but nobody pays any attention. There’s a monumental anti-aging Industry, as if aging were a character flaw”.
“This is the era of emboldened grandmothers, and we are the population’s fastest growing group. We are women who have lived long lives; we have nothing to lose and therefore are not easily scared; we can speak up because we don’t care to compete, to please, or to be popular; and we know de immense value our friendship and collaboration. We are anxious about the situation of humanity and the planet. Now it’s a matter of agreeing to give the world a formidable shake”.
“The most joyful moments of my life were holding my newborn babies to my breast.
And the most painful moment with holding my dying daughter in my arms”.
What do women want?
“To be safe, to be valued, to live in peace, to have their own resources, to be connected, to have control over their bodies and lives, and above all, to be loved”.
I was drawn in from the start...( great opening paragraph)....
Whether Isabel was examining the inner world of her personal experiences, recounting her own inspiring journey...or offering wisdom and insights - teachings to pass on to the younger generation of women ....
“The Soul of A Woman” is smart, enthralling, powerful, and wonderful.
My FAVORITE Chilean writer. I’m thrilled to know she is living in the Bay Area. I’m SUCH A FAN....I went to listen to Isabel speak 3 different times at book readings. Love everything about this tiny spitfire talented woman.
Huge thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Netgalley, and Isabel Allende.