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Era of Ignition: Coming of Age in a Time of Rage and Revolution
A passionate manifesto with personal stories, anecdotes, and opinions from the front lines of modern American womanhood from actor, filmmaker, and activist Amber Tamblyn
Amber Tamblyn is one of the most talked-about feminist voices today. Through her fierce op-eds in media outlets such as the New York Times, Glamour, and Hollywood Reporter and her work as a founder of the Time’s Up organization, Tamblyn has tackled subjects including discrimination, sexual assault, reproductive rights, and pay parity, among others.
Now, Tamblyn examines the very paradigm our society is built on, pulling at the threads of the ingrained patriarchal and misogynistic fabric. Tamblyn presents her insightful and pointed take on the current state of feminism and expertly weaves together her own experiences and opinions with the larger movement. In her late twenties and early thirties, Tamblyn experienced a crisis of character and a gradual awakening–her own era of ignition–that enabled her to take back the power in her own life and find her own voice as a bold, outspoken, and respected advocate for women’s rights.
Using the same galvanizing voice that helped her recent op-eds go viral, Tamblyn delivers an incisive call-to-arms that will capture the heart of the movement as it educates and inspires readers.
Amber Tamblyn is one of the most talked-about feminist voices today. Through her fierce op-eds in media outlets such as the New York Times, Glamour, and Hollywood Reporter and her work as a founder of the Time’s Up organization, Tamblyn has tackled subjects including discrimination, sexual assault, reproductive rights, and pay parity, among others.
Now, Tamblyn examines the very paradigm our society is built on, pulling at the threads of the ingrained patriarchal and misogynistic fabric. Tamblyn presents her insightful and pointed take on the current state of feminism and expertly weaves together her own experiences and opinions with the larger movement. In her late twenties and early thirties, Tamblyn experienced a crisis of character and a gradual awakening–her own era of ignition–that enabled her to take back the power in her own life and find her own voice as a bold, outspoken, and respected advocate for women’s rights.
Using the same galvanizing voice that helped her recent op-eds go viral, Tamblyn delivers an incisive call-to-arms that will capture the heart of the movement as it educates and inspires readers.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2019
110 people are currently reading
5208 people want to read
About the author
Amber Tamblyn
16 books908 followersAmber Tamblyn is an author, actor, and director. She's been nominated for an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Independent Spirit Award for her work in television and film, including House M.D. and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Most recently, she wrote and directed the feature film Paint It Black. She is the author of three books of poetry, including the critically acclaimed bestseller Dark Sparkler, and a novel, Any Man, as well as a contributing writer for the New York Times. She lives in New York.
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March 20, 2019
Let me just start by saying that there is no way I am going to do this book justice via this review. It's just not going to happen. Now with that out of the way...
A little background--I am a cis white male. I identify on the political spectrum as being a leftist (preferred) or a liberal. I believe in equality, find racism abhorrent and believe that all people were created equal and should be treated as such.
And yet...
When Christine Blasy Ford came forward with her allegation of sexual assault against Bret Kavanaugh during Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings, I was reminded of a time when I was in high school when I had a crush on someone who was not interested in me. I kept at it though, trying again and again to get her to show some sort of interest in me. Eventually my persistence paid off and after a formal dance one night, we made out on the couch in my living room. And today I am horrified that it happened. I did not know it then, but that was me asserting male privilege.
In Amber Tamblyn's part memoir, part manifesto Era of Ignition the scenario I've just told you about is addressed, along with so many other issues a feminist like Tamblyn feels need to be addressed in the age of Trump, where not only unfettered racism, but unfettered sexism and discrimination against the LGTBQIA community seem to be part of acceptable discourse. As I have already stated, I will not do this book justice here because in just a little over 250 pages, Tamblyn addresses so much and it needs to be addressed.
I'll start by telling you that I read this book for the wrong reason. Before I picked it up, I knew Amber Tamblyn was the wife of the comedian David Cross, who I am a tremendous fan of. However, in recent years, Cross has found himself the target of controversy--first telling a racist joke at the expense of Asian comic Charlene Li and then downplaying Jeffery Tambor's abuse of Jessica Walter while doing a media tour for the Netflix produced Arrested Development with other male cast members. In the book, Tamblyn addresses both of these situations and does not spare Cross simply because she is married to him. In fact she uses both stories as examples of how even someone who is supposedly as woke as David Cross appears to be with his comedy and politics (I mean he was one of the brains behind Mr. Show) wields his cis white male privilege without even realizing it. No man is spared for doing this--she even takes her father to task for encouraging her to "tone up" and congratulating her when she is successful (thinly veiled encouragement feeding into Hollywood's impossible body image standard) and it seems rightly so. Suffice to say, being a fan of David Cross is a wrong reason to read this book.
However, it is possible to do the right thing for the wrong reasons, and once I began to read Era of Ignition Cross was out of my thoughts, unless Tamblyn brought him up herself (usually to admonish him for not seeing how he benefits from his privilege.) As I said, this book is one part memoir and one part manifesto--you need to know Tamblyn's journey to understand how she comes to her vision of the world as she feels it should be. However, while she is writing about her vision of feminism and how it should apply to the world, she is cognizant of what she is not, advocating for women of color and of members of the LGBTQIA who she feels are not given a spot at the table. In fact, one of the most poignant parts of the book is when she is accused of being a "white feminist" and she owns it. She realizes that even though as a woman she has been oppressed by the patriarchy, she herself has benefited from being a white woman, and what's more a white cis woman. Given the format she has chosen to transmit her message to everyone, she allots space in the book to both an African-American feminist (Airea D. Matthews) and a trans woman (Meredith Talusan) in order to allow them to have their perspectives heard. This is a brilliant move on Tamblyn's part, as she knows she does not have the life experience to speak to either of these perspectives. By asking these friends of hers to speak, her entreaties to consider the points of view of both minority and LGBTQIA voices prevents it from just being lip-service, which is a trap I think it is easy for liberals to fall into. It is very easy for those of us on the left to talk a good game, but living it is a much more difficult proposition and requires the utmost vigilance to be successful.
By the end of Era of Ignition I found myself questioning if I had done all I could to be an ally to the cause of feminism. In chapter 18, Tamblyn provides a guide to the things men can do to be better allies (the first is to listen rather than talk...it only gets tougher from there guys) but there is so much more to this than two pages of guidance in a 250 page book. Remember that story I told you earlier about making out with my crush? Tamblyn relays the stories of women in this book that just were eventually so worn down by the continued advances of men that they eventually gave in an had sex, "just to get it over with." Does that mean what I did was an assault? I'd like to think it wasn't, but given my behavior at the time, I can totally see that my crush finally gave in so she wouldn't have to deal with it anymore. I'm ashamed that I did what I did, even though it happened almost thirty years ago.
I have been lucky this year in that I have read three books that have rocked my beliefs and I hope have made me a better person because of it. The first was Elizabeth Catte's What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia which taught me that stereotypical views of Appalachia serve political purposes for both the right and the left. The second was Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas which forced me to view immgrants through a lens where they just weren't another statistic to me, but actually living, thinking human beings. And now Era of Ignition. Amber Tamblyn has taught me that even if I think I am giving it my all to be an ally to the feminists in my life, I am probably not trying hard enough, as the lazy path is just to rely on my white skin and the fact that I have a penis. The world can not expect the victims to be change agents. What needs to happen is that those of us with privilege need to admit that we have it, own it and use it to level the playing field. My friend Ed and I like to say we have the face of the enemy (the cis white male.) Maybe we should start using that to change the world. If Tamblyn can see what the world should be like, I think those of us who own our cis, white, maleness in the same way Tamblyn owns her "white feminism" should do what we can to make that vision a reality.
A little background--I am a cis white male. I identify on the political spectrum as being a leftist (preferred) or a liberal. I believe in equality, find racism abhorrent and believe that all people were created equal and should be treated as such.
And yet...
When Christine Blasy Ford came forward with her allegation of sexual assault against Bret Kavanaugh during Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings, I was reminded of a time when I was in high school when I had a crush on someone who was not interested in me. I kept at it though, trying again and again to get her to show some sort of interest in me. Eventually my persistence paid off and after a formal dance one night, we made out on the couch in my living room. And today I am horrified that it happened. I did not know it then, but that was me asserting male privilege.
In Amber Tamblyn's part memoir, part manifesto Era of Ignition the scenario I've just told you about is addressed, along with so many other issues a feminist like Tamblyn feels need to be addressed in the age of Trump, where not only unfettered racism, but unfettered sexism and discrimination against the LGTBQIA community seem to be part of acceptable discourse. As I have already stated, I will not do this book justice here because in just a little over 250 pages, Tamblyn addresses so much and it needs to be addressed.
I'll start by telling you that I read this book for the wrong reason. Before I picked it up, I knew Amber Tamblyn was the wife of the comedian David Cross, who I am a tremendous fan of. However, in recent years, Cross has found himself the target of controversy--first telling a racist joke at the expense of Asian comic Charlene Li and then downplaying Jeffery Tambor's abuse of Jessica Walter while doing a media tour for the Netflix produced Arrested Development with other male cast members. In the book, Tamblyn addresses both of these situations and does not spare Cross simply because she is married to him. In fact she uses both stories as examples of how even someone who is supposedly as woke as David Cross appears to be with his comedy and politics (I mean he was one of the brains behind Mr. Show) wields his cis white male privilege without even realizing it. No man is spared for doing this--she even takes her father to task for encouraging her to "tone up" and congratulating her when she is successful (thinly veiled encouragement feeding into Hollywood's impossible body image standard) and it seems rightly so. Suffice to say, being a fan of David Cross is a wrong reason to read this book.
However, it is possible to do the right thing for the wrong reasons, and once I began to read Era of Ignition Cross was out of my thoughts, unless Tamblyn brought him up herself (usually to admonish him for not seeing how he benefits from his privilege.) As I said, this book is one part memoir and one part manifesto--you need to know Tamblyn's journey to understand how she comes to her vision of the world as she feels it should be. However, while she is writing about her vision of feminism and how it should apply to the world, she is cognizant of what she is not, advocating for women of color and of members of the LGBTQIA who she feels are not given a spot at the table. In fact, one of the most poignant parts of the book is when she is accused of being a "white feminist" and she owns it. She realizes that even though as a woman she has been oppressed by the patriarchy, she herself has benefited from being a white woman, and what's more a white cis woman. Given the format she has chosen to transmit her message to everyone, she allots space in the book to both an African-American feminist (Airea D. Matthews) and a trans woman (Meredith Talusan) in order to allow them to have their perspectives heard. This is a brilliant move on Tamblyn's part, as she knows she does not have the life experience to speak to either of these perspectives. By asking these friends of hers to speak, her entreaties to consider the points of view of both minority and LGBTQIA voices prevents it from just being lip-service, which is a trap I think it is easy for liberals to fall into. It is very easy for those of us on the left to talk a good game, but living it is a much more difficult proposition and requires the utmost vigilance to be successful.
By the end of Era of Ignition I found myself questioning if I had done all I could to be an ally to the cause of feminism. In chapter 18, Tamblyn provides a guide to the things men can do to be better allies (the first is to listen rather than talk...it only gets tougher from there guys) but there is so much more to this than two pages of guidance in a 250 page book. Remember that story I told you earlier about making out with my crush? Tamblyn relays the stories of women in this book that just were eventually so worn down by the continued advances of men that they eventually gave in an had sex, "just to get it over with." Does that mean what I did was an assault? I'd like to think it wasn't, but given my behavior at the time, I can totally see that my crush finally gave in so she wouldn't have to deal with it anymore. I'm ashamed that I did what I did, even though it happened almost thirty years ago.
I have been lucky this year in that I have read three books that have rocked my beliefs and I hope have made me a better person because of it. The first was Elizabeth Catte's What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia which taught me that stereotypical views of Appalachia serve political purposes for both the right and the left. The second was Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas which forced me to view immgrants through a lens where they just weren't another statistic to me, but actually living, thinking human beings. And now Era of Ignition. Amber Tamblyn has taught me that even if I think I am giving it my all to be an ally to the feminists in my life, I am probably not trying hard enough, as the lazy path is just to rely on my white skin and the fact that I have a penis. The world can not expect the victims to be change agents. What needs to happen is that those of us with privilege need to admit that we have it, own it and use it to level the playing field. My friend Ed and I like to say we have the face of the enemy (the cis white male.) Maybe we should start using that to change the world. If Tamblyn can see what the world should be like, I think those of us who own our cis, white, maleness in the same way Tamblyn owns her "white feminism" should do what we can to make that vision a reality.
April 6, 2019
Era of Ignition is a beautiful mess, with an emphasis on the mess.
March 20, 2019
This book put my own personal thoughts into words. Amber Tamblyn is a great. Now I just want to read everything she's done. She's said very impactful and insightful things surrounding the #metoo movement.
dnf
April 10, 2019I've made the decision to DNF this book. I still respect Amber Tamblyn a lot and I was enjoying the personal stories, I even agreed with some of her attitudes/opinions towards the oppression of women. But I'm sick of being politicised to and preached at by celebrities, who only vaguely live on the same planet as I do. She wasn't overly obnoxious with it even, but it just turned me so far off the motor broke completely. All momentum gone, game over. And also sick of being told to be an "ally" as a white person, because it will make a significant difference. Yeah, everyone of color or in some kind of minority needs a white savior and it's my job to speak out on their behalf (because they NEED me as their voice)...*side eyes*
August 18, 2022
2.9✨
…idk y’all 🥴
This really didn’t feel like it was written for ME. However!!!! I wouldn’t say it was BAD and I wouldn’t even say that I had a bad time reading/listening. Some of Tamblyn’s writing was spot on. I could hear the poet. The interview was such a nice change up (and I listened to it on audio).
BUT!!!! And this is a big ol BUT. This was so unfocused (TO ME) and rambley. There were some moments where I was legit thinking if DNFing because sis was waaaaay into left field (re: the several chapters about her campaigning for Hillary Clinton, how to be president as a woman, her complaints/recollection of mistreatment for being a woman in her industry to name a couple). The essay written by Airea D. Matthews started off rough, I was truly worried at how academic it was presenting and thankfully I ended up really enjoying the addition. But when I tell y’all. Tamblyn often came off reaaaaalllllll obtuse. Her writing felt very insensitive (and not in ‘cool, women’s rage way’) and seemed to miss the “intersectionality” mark — especially in the first 100 or so pages. And I won’t lie, some of the name dropping of celebrities and industry insiders felt a tiny bit… pretentious? 🤔
But then Tamblyn would come back around and surprise me. I’ll give her kudos — her recognition of white feminism in herself and others and the work that is done to absolve it was impressive to hear. It’s not often I see or hear white women check themselves. And after what felt like a rocky and slightly misplaced beginning — her solidarity with women of other identities shone bright and it was refreshing. And again, the prose in a few spots was really hitting.
Listen, I really want to give this a 3✨ but I can’t do it. 😭 I just feel like too much of this book fell short for me. But I think I will keep it on the shelves for now. I think it’s important to listen and learn from perspectives that are vastly different from your own. I wasn’t sure what I would be getting into reading a memoir/feminist theory written by a former celebrity turned poet and social activist, especially one being white and a woman. But I think she did something that other white women (and men, hell) NEED to read.
—
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…idk y’all 🥴
This really didn’t feel like it was written for ME. However!!!! I wouldn’t say it was BAD and I wouldn’t even say that I had a bad time reading/listening. Some of Tamblyn’s writing was spot on. I could hear the poet. The interview was such a nice change up (and I listened to it on audio).
BUT!!!! And this is a big ol BUT. This was so unfocused (TO ME) and rambley. There were some moments where I was legit thinking if DNFing because sis was waaaaay into left field (re: the several chapters about her campaigning for Hillary Clinton, how to be president as a woman, her complaints/recollection of mistreatment for being a woman in her industry to name a couple). The essay written by Airea D. Matthews started off rough, I was truly worried at how academic it was presenting and thankfully I ended up really enjoying the addition. But when I tell y’all. Tamblyn often came off reaaaaalllllll obtuse. Her writing felt very insensitive (and not in ‘cool, women’s rage way’) and seemed to miss the “intersectionality” mark — especially in the first 100 or so pages. And I won’t lie, some of the name dropping of celebrities and industry insiders felt a tiny bit… pretentious? 🤔
But then Tamblyn would come back around and surprise me. I’ll give her kudos — her recognition of white feminism in herself and others and the work that is done to absolve it was impressive to hear. It’s not often I see or hear white women check themselves. And after what felt like a rocky and slightly misplaced beginning — her solidarity with women of other identities shone bright and it was refreshing. And again, the prose in a few spots was really hitting.
Listen, I really want to give this a 3✨ but I can’t do it. 😭 I just feel like too much of this book fell short for me. But I think I will keep it on the shelves for now. I think it’s important to listen and learn from perspectives that are vastly different from your own. I wasn’t sure what I would be getting into reading a memoir/feminist theory written by a former celebrity turned poet and social activist, especially one being white and a woman. But I think she did something that other white women (and men, hell) NEED to read.
—
✍🏽 Add me as a friend or follow my Goodreads for more reviews like this!
📚 Follow me on IG: @whataprilreads
🐝 Keep tabs on me here, so you know when I start a new project! https://linktr.ee/whataprilreads
March 3, 2019
4.5/5 Stars
Amber Tamblyn's Age of Ignition is one part feminist memoir and one part social justice exposition, specifically dealing with the rise of the #metoo movement and her experience in that context. If you only know Hollywood Amber Tamblyn, you might think her place of undeniable economic and racial privilege might mean this work is yet another for and about white women, but I am here to tell you this book is so much more.
Tamblyn does an excellent job dedicating space and time to intersectional feminist issues for women of color and LGBTQIA women. She is also careful not to speak for marginalized women as much as she wants to make sure white women understand that feminism for non-cis white women has different central issues and must be included in discussions about feminism.
The second half of the book is much stronger than the first in my opinion. In fact my favorite part is an interview she included with Meredith Talusan, who is a non-binary Trans woman and journalist who immigrated to the U.S. from the Phillipines. I found her perspective on feminist issues in the U.S. to be fascinating. I also enjoyed the essay Tamblyn included by Airea D. Matthews, a poet and assistant professor at Brin Mawr College. This essay is a deeper look at the history and importance of feminism for women of color.
Overall, I recommend this work for all people who want to learn more than the news will tell you about the #metoo movement and intersectional feminism. Amber Tamblyn's prose is straightforward and accessible. I also found this book to be an empowering reminder that yes, we women have work to do, but together we can get there, bit by painful bit.
Thank you to Goodreads and Crown Architect for providing me with this Giveaway win.
Amber Tamblyn's Age of Ignition is one part feminist memoir and one part social justice exposition, specifically dealing with the rise of the #metoo movement and her experience in that context. If you only know Hollywood Amber Tamblyn, you might think her place of undeniable economic and racial privilege might mean this work is yet another for and about white women, but I am here to tell you this book is so much more.
Tamblyn does an excellent job dedicating space and time to intersectional feminist issues for women of color and LGBTQIA women. She is also careful not to speak for marginalized women as much as she wants to make sure white women understand that feminism for non-cis white women has different central issues and must be included in discussions about feminism.
The second half of the book is much stronger than the first in my opinion. In fact my favorite part is an interview she included with Meredith Talusan, who is a non-binary Trans woman and journalist who immigrated to the U.S. from the Phillipines. I found her perspective on feminist issues in the U.S. to be fascinating. I also enjoyed the essay Tamblyn included by Airea D. Matthews, a poet and assistant professor at Brin Mawr College. This essay is a deeper look at the history and importance of feminism for women of color.
Overall, I recommend this work for all people who want to learn more than the news will tell you about the #metoo movement and intersectional feminism. Amber Tamblyn's prose is straightforward and accessible. I also found this book to be an empowering reminder that yes, we women have work to do, but together we can get there, bit by painful bit.
Thank you to Goodreads and Crown Architect for providing me with this Giveaway win.
December 21, 2018
Amber Tamblyn writes a book of essays about feminism and her involvement with the #MeToo movement prefaced with her own experiences in Hollywood as a woman and young girl. While it does have some memoirish aspects to it, I wouldn't go into it expecting your typical light-hearted, humorous celebrity memoir because this is not that. All the pieces about her life are there to set up what she has to say about feminism and working with the #MeToo movement. It was a pretty interesting read. I plowed through it pretty quickly.
April 24, 2019
I think I should start by saying that I’m one of the “them” that Amber Tamblyn writes so much about in this book. By that I mean that I am a straight, white male. I know, I’m 0 for 3 (or at least that’s how I feel after reading this book), but please bear with me as I give my honest opinion.
Fine, you don’t have to bear with me—this book was written for females, after all, and as Tamblyn implied in her book, my opinion doesn’t matter. Still….
My first major problem is the “us and them” approach that Tamblyn uses excessively, from the start. With the passionate rhetoric she uses, you’d think this were an all-out war between men and women. That is, all men vs. all women.
Hm.
Hopefully you can understand why I took issue with being called “one of them” throughout, especially with such a vehemently negative connotation. I mean, I hate the division in America as much as anyone. And yeah, I want equality, but this “us and them” approach that has defined a lot of the feminist rhetoric is not helpful in creating a sense of unity, especially as a male reader who wishes to understand to what extent sexism exists in the corporate world.
Which leads me to my next point: the word “sexism” is being used far too liberally in this movement. It was incredibly annoying listening to everything Tamblyn considers sexism which is…everything. Pretty much every time she was slightly offended, she was a victim of sexism. Same for every woman.
But, I mean, really? She points to all the heat Hillary Clinton took in the election, and says its evidence of a chronic, deadly misogyny that wishes to demolish women. Or something like that. Instead of acknowledging that such is the nature of modern American politics. It’s not a matter of gender or race (although both are often targeted in politics). Politics have quite literally become gladiatorial, and whatever the opponent can do to incapacitate his opponent(s), he will.
I think of Ray Kroc, the “founder” of McDonald’s. He summed up the corporate world as being a “rat eat rat” system. I’m not sure the former rat really cares about the gender of the latter rat. Just my take.
The problem is, Tamblyn doesn’t acknowledge this. Instead, everything women have suffered proves they are victims of sexism. Even though most men have suffered the same thing, without sexism having anything to do with it.
For example, when Tamblyn had trouble getting her Paint It Black movie produced and the producers simply didn’t understand her vision, it was sexism. Well, I’ve heard lots of stories of producers just “not getting it”, especially from many now-popular male artists.
And oh yeah, another example would be the politics. There’s a list of “Requirements for Women to Become President of the United States”. Let’s just say that was agony to read. Tamblyn delights in using excessive hyperbole in her attempt to paint a picture of just how impossible it is for women to succeed in politics, and to explain why we haven’t had a female president. And it’s cringeworthy:
“Keep smiles between 50 percent and 50.7 percent of their full width.”
“Emotion is illegal.”
“You must be pro-everything and also anti-everything at the same time”
Except this goes on for 6 pages, and it’s not pretty. The hyperbole is lost on me, since I would argue that everybody is held to extreme standards when running for office. Of course, Tamblyn is such a fan of Hillary that she loses perspective, and again points to sexism. Sure, gender may be a target during an election; but you’ve gotta be kidding me if you argue that only women politicians have to meet the most ridiculous criteria, and have to withstand the most ridiculous attacks possible during an election. This is America.
My point is, much of what Tamblyn speaks of, claiming that men don’t have to deal with anything close to whatever it is that women are having to go through, is simply unfounded. She has come to view everything through a particular lens, a lens that is eager to play the victim and also blame as many people as possible.
The whole first half of the book is a whirlwind of pathos. Tamblyn throws around a bunch of bold claims without any ethos to back up those claims. Eventually she does present some data, which makes the experience certainly more tolerable, even though the data is largely unsatisfactory. Tamblyn simply doesn’t seem open to the idea that maybe it’s not all sexism. The truth is, much of it has nothing to do with gender and everything to do with complete depravity.
Lastly, I should probably warn you that the writing style is very haphazardly put together, scrapbooked in a way. Tamblyn’s passion shines through, but that doesn’t distract from the lack of cohesiveness. Tamblyn clearly has a love for the English language, but sometimes her construction comes across as trying too desperately hard to be poetic. Still, if you love to see the incredible amount of passion God enabled us humans to have, Era of Ignition will certainly satisfy you.
In sum, I just didn’t walk away from Era of Ignition with any level of enlightenment or understanding. But seriously, if you made it this far…good job sticking through the rant of a straight white male. God bless.
Thanks for the Goodreads Giveaway!
Originally posted here: https://eyesofchrist.com/era-ignition...
Fine, you don’t have to bear with me—this book was written for females, after all, and as Tamblyn implied in her book, my opinion doesn’t matter. Still….
My first major problem is the “us and them” approach that Tamblyn uses excessively, from the start. With the passionate rhetoric she uses, you’d think this were an all-out war between men and women. That is, all men vs. all women.
Hm.
Hopefully you can understand why I took issue with being called “one of them” throughout, especially with such a vehemently negative connotation. I mean, I hate the division in America as much as anyone. And yeah, I want equality, but this “us and them” approach that has defined a lot of the feminist rhetoric is not helpful in creating a sense of unity, especially as a male reader who wishes to understand to what extent sexism exists in the corporate world.
Which leads me to my next point: the word “sexism” is being used far too liberally in this movement. It was incredibly annoying listening to everything Tamblyn considers sexism which is…everything. Pretty much every time she was slightly offended, she was a victim of sexism. Same for every woman.
But, I mean, really? She points to all the heat Hillary Clinton took in the election, and says its evidence of a chronic, deadly misogyny that wishes to demolish women. Or something like that. Instead of acknowledging that such is the nature of modern American politics. It’s not a matter of gender or race (although both are often targeted in politics). Politics have quite literally become gladiatorial, and whatever the opponent can do to incapacitate his opponent(s), he will.
I think of Ray Kroc, the “founder” of McDonald’s. He summed up the corporate world as being a “rat eat rat” system. I’m not sure the former rat really cares about the gender of the latter rat. Just my take.
The problem is, Tamblyn doesn’t acknowledge this. Instead, everything women have suffered proves they are victims of sexism. Even though most men have suffered the same thing, without sexism having anything to do with it.
For example, when Tamblyn had trouble getting her Paint It Black movie produced and the producers simply didn’t understand her vision, it was sexism. Well, I’ve heard lots of stories of producers just “not getting it”, especially from many now-popular male artists.
And oh yeah, another example would be the politics. There’s a list of “Requirements for Women to Become President of the United States”. Let’s just say that was agony to read. Tamblyn delights in using excessive hyperbole in her attempt to paint a picture of just how impossible it is for women to succeed in politics, and to explain why we haven’t had a female president. And it’s cringeworthy:
“Keep smiles between 50 percent and 50.7 percent of their full width.”
“Emotion is illegal.”
“You must be pro-everything and also anti-everything at the same time”
Except this goes on for 6 pages, and it’s not pretty. The hyperbole is lost on me, since I would argue that everybody is held to extreme standards when running for office. Of course, Tamblyn is such a fan of Hillary that she loses perspective, and again points to sexism. Sure, gender may be a target during an election; but you’ve gotta be kidding me if you argue that only women politicians have to meet the most ridiculous criteria, and have to withstand the most ridiculous attacks possible during an election. This is America.
My point is, much of what Tamblyn speaks of, claiming that men don’t have to deal with anything close to whatever it is that women are having to go through, is simply unfounded. She has come to view everything through a particular lens, a lens that is eager to play the victim and also blame as many people as possible.
The whole first half of the book is a whirlwind of pathos. Tamblyn throws around a bunch of bold claims without any ethos to back up those claims. Eventually she does present some data, which makes the experience certainly more tolerable, even though the data is largely unsatisfactory. Tamblyn simply doesn’t seem open to the idea that maybe it’s not all sexism. The truth is, much of it has nothing to do with gender and everything to do with complete depravity.
Lastly, I should probably warn you that the writing style is very haphazardly put together, scrapbooked in a way. Tamblyn’s passion shines through, but that doesn’t distract from the lack of cohesiveness. Tamblyn clearly has a love for the English language, but sometimes her construction comes across as trying too desperately hard to be poetic. Still, if you love to see the incredible amount of passion God enabled us humans to have, Era of Ignition will certainly satisfy you.
In sum, I just didn’t walk away from Era of Ignition with any level of enlightenment or understanding. But seriously, if you made it this far…good job sticking through the rant of a straight white male. God bless.
Thanks for the Goodreads Giveaway!
Originally posted here: https://eyesofchrist.com/era-ignition...
March 18, 2019
Really well written and interesting book about feminism and how as white women we can do better. Tamblyn leans heavily on those who know more than she does on the issues and I really appreciated that. A super engaging and igniting read.
November 14, 2019
So this one didn't do it for me. I got about halway through and decided to stop. It was slightly repetitive and was kind of all over the place. It didn't flow and
really just wasnt holding my interest.
I like and agree with some of her views on Feminism but she lost me on the delivery.
I really wanted to love this one but alas did not.
•
There are a lot of positive reviews, and I'm sure several readers would find this a powerful read.
really just wasnt holding my interest.
I like and agree with some of her views on Feminism but she lost me on the delivery.
I really wanted to love this one but alas did not.
•
There are a lot of positive reviews, and I'm sure several readers would find this a powerful read.
January 14, 2023
amber tamblyn wrote my favorite fiction book of last year so I thought I would try out her nonfiction. While it was certainly an engaging and quick read, I didn't find myself connecting to it the way I have with her writing in the past. She covers a lot of ground in such a short novel — discussing her marriage, motherhood, affiliation with the Clinton campaign, the 2016 election, Brett Kavanaugh, Harvey Weinstein, Woody Allen, the different waves of feminism, intersectionality...
All the topics were interesting on their own, but it had to stay fairly surface level and sporadic to fit it all into one book. I think I would like to read more in-depth on some of these topics, but otherwise this didn't feel like essential reading
All the topics were interesting on their own, but it had to stay fairly surface level and sporadic to fit it all into one book. I think I would like to read more in-depth on some of these topics, but otherwise this didn't feel like essential reading
April 1, 2019
I have... Thoughts...
May 6, 2019
I rec'd Era of Ignition as a giveaway. Tamblyn's beliefs are farther left than mine by far. She's a fairly militant feminist. She describes the requirement to elect a woman - particularly Hillary Clinton - as something that must happen. Personally, when it comes to electing the president it should be the best person - regardless of gender. Please note I didn't not vote for Trump. Women/feminists need to pick their battles. An all or nothing gets us nowhere. One thing feminists never talk about is Wilson's stroke. He would have surely vetoed the bill that had he been well enough in 1919.
January 16, 2024
I can not express enough how much I loved reading this book.
The description of the #MeToo movement and how things have changed in the world.
Amber self-rection of her most intimate moments she shared.
Harvey Weinstein and his sexual abuse and conduct, the fact that a generation of men didn't think certain actions were considered abuse.
It is truly humbling to read.
She was open and honest about her own life situation, her personal abuse situations.
I've truly enjoyed every detail of this book.
Love that Amber herself is able to self-reflect on moments in her life and also bring light to certain situations that occurred during the time of the # Me,Too. Movement.
The description of the #MeToo movement and how things have changed in the world.
Amber self-rection of her most intimate moments she shared.
Harvey Weinstein and his sexual abuse and conduct, the fact that a generation of men didn't think certain actions were considered abuse.
It is truly humbling to read.
She was open and honest about her own life situation, her personal abuse situations.
I've truly enjoyed every detail of this book.
Love that Amber herself is able to self-reflect on moments in her life and also bring light to certain situations that occurred during the time of the # Me,Too. Movement.
October 10, 2019
A helpful primer on feminism and misogyny - at least for a cis, white man like myself. At times, it sends up flags of saviorism and white feminism, which Tamblyn herself confronts and tries to address - most importantly by stepping aside and letting other, more marginalized women write part of the book.
August 31, 2019
3.5 stars.
March 7, 2019
I did know what to expect out of this book, however, the first thing I want to say is that this book should be required reading for any white women in America. Tamblyn beautifully shows us how we can be ally’s to our fellow feminists. She also wonderfully portrays how to hold men we love dearly accountable for their, as she puts its, “problematic-adjacent” behavior. I tore through this book in a 24hr period, and I’m so glad I read it. Beautiful prose, and brilliant essays from a black feminist writer, along with a lovely interview with a trans non-binary scholar as well, this book teaches so much.
March 6, 2019
POWERFUL!
June 3, 2019
Just ripped through this. A beautifully personal account of the rise of #MeToo, and its reverberations. I identify with Amber's perspective as an actor, and I admittedly have not known how to act and effect change, confront my feelings, interfere with my biases, interfere with deeply ingrained inherited social behavior. This is a comprehensive overview - I recommend it to anyone who needs some clarity, affirmation, and courage on how to proceed as we look toward the 2020 elections.
April 25, 2019
"I think the greatest problem with feminism is the obsession with it's perfect definition, with the purity, perfection, and precision of the definition. In the same way that women are upheld to a purity mentality - if you are not the most qualified, the most attractive, physically abled, if you are not the perfect definition - then you do not get to count. This idea that there is not one form of feminism that is correct or right and that it's okay to not adhere to the rules of what former wares of feminism or people have believed is correct about it. Its very ideas and nature are mercurial and must move and shift as our culture does. It must move and shift for the sake of it's future, not for the sake of preserving its past."
This is an extremely impressive and well written book by Ms. Tamblyn that is about her work with #MeToo; her experience with sexual abuse/harassment in her past personal relationships and as a young actor in Hollywood; an awesome conversation with non-binary trans journalist, Meredith Talusan - where they discuss intersectional feminism; her thoughts on white feminism, and being better allies to women of different races, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds; important and personal criticism of her husband, David Cross; campaigning for Hillary Clinton and the aftermath of Trump being elected, and a touching letter to her young daughter.
A very eloquent, personal, and informative read!
This is an extremely impressive and well written book by Ms. Tamblyn that is about her work with #MeToo; her experience with sexual abuse/harassment in her past personal relationships and as a young actor in Hollywood; an awesome conversation with non-binary trans journalist, Meredith Talusan - where they discuss intersectional feminism; her thoughts on white feminism, and being better allies to women of different races, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds; important and personal criticism of her husband, David Cross; campaigning for Hillary Clinton and the aftermath of Trump being elected, and a touching letter to her young daughter.
A very eloquent, personal, and informative read!
March 11, 2019
Love the focus on being a “white feminist” and how to realize as a white woman when the times you’re engaging in “white feminism” is and how to learn to combat that in favor of intersectionality. I enjoyed that she had a colleagues of color and non cis woman contribute on these essays about intersectionality. Very well done. I’ve seen Ms Tamblyns remarks about being pregnant with a daughter in the aftermath of Donald Trumps Inside Edition tape taken out of context and wielded against her as a monster of a mother. I identify very strongly with her remarks as the tape was devastating to me and the fact that no one cared was earth-shattering to me. It very much changed my feelings about how I view men in this country and women who are participating in the patriarchy. Reading this it was very validating that the tape and the wholesale dismissal of it was in fact the watershed moment I had felt.
April 22, 2019
An engaging collection of essays about feminist issues--from gender inequality and misogyny to reproductive rights and the #MeToo movement. One of the highlights for me is a conversation with Meredith Talusan, a non-binary trans writer born in the Philippines, who left her gender equitable culture and came to the US, only to realize during her transition just how inferior women, and especially trans women, are in our country. Tamblyn culminates her writing with a poetic letter to her daughter Marlowe, acknowledging the difficulties facing women today, but also celebrating how far we've come and how much potential our future generations have going forward. It is a contemporary companion to other feminist manifestos, one I intend to pass down to my daughters, so that they may understand what it was like to experience what Tamblyn describes as our recent "Era of Ignition."
March 11, 2022
A fiercely bold book that sole purpose is to ignite a feminist revolution or a revolution of any kind.
I like Tamblyn's relaxed and uninhibited way of writing. She's straight to the point and lays it out there for you to take it as you please. She understands the that some may agree with her and others will not and she accepts it, mulls it over and basically lets it go.
Its not so much a book about feminism, but as a manifesto of various proportions. I found it was relevant and important. I'm so happy I read it.
I like Tamblyn's relaxed and uninhibited way of writing. She's straight to the point and lays it out there for you to take it as you please. She understands the that some may agree with her and others will not and she accepts it, mulls it over and basically lets it go.
Its not so much a book about feminism, but as a manifesto of various proportions. I found it was relevant and important. I'm so happy I read it.
March 25, 2019
Tamblyn talks about how she comes into herself as an activist.
April 10, 2019
"The producer Audrey Rosenberg once told me that women are taught to confuse intuition with anxiety, and I believe this is true at any age. We are kept off-balance in so many ways - like being told that rational thought is the only approved way of thinking and that emotional intelligence is a hindrance, a crutch on which women alone exercise their drama. We are asked to ignore our intuition lest we come off as crazy or hysterical."
"One of the most important gifts we can give one another, regardless of gender, is the gift of not only being believed but being believed in."
"...I know myself better than I think I do and...I know my worth better than others think they do."
"Because this world needs you. I need you."
"Every day, women across the country consider the risks. That is our day job and our night shift. We have a diploma in risk consideration. Consider that skirt. Consider that dark alley."
"Most women are used to being told how unlikeable we are, in a variety of coded ways - of how disagreeable, irrational, or even repellant we act, speak, or think."
"For women in America who come forward with stories of harassment, abuse and sexual assault, there are not two sides to every story, however noble that principle might seem. Women do not get to have a side. They get to have an interrogation. Too often, they are questioned mercilessly about whether their side is legitimate. Especially if that side happens to accuse a man of stature, then that woman has to consider the scrutiny and repercussions she'll be subjected to by sharing her side."
"Putting our minds to something has never been the problem. The problem has been: Who decides whose mind is worthy?"
"And what is misogyny? Outside its dictionary definition, what is it? How does it move in the world? Have you ever partaken in it, either knowingly or unknowingly? Are you sure? How can you be sure? If we as a society cannot even identify the many mercurial forms of misogyny and how it persists, then how can we possibly say what it isn't? How can we possibly tell women where and how it does not exist?"
"Male politicians so rarely experience attacks based on their gender, but female politicians always do."
"One of the most important gifts we can give one another, regardless of gender, is the gift of not only being believed but being believed in."
"...I know myself better than I think I do and...I know my worth better than others think they do."
"Because this world needs you. I need you."
"Every day, women across the country consider the risks. That is our day job and our night shift. We have a diploma in risk consideration. Consider that skirt. Consider that dark alley."
"Most women are used to being told how unlikeable we are, in a variety of coded ways - of how disagreeable, irrational, or even repellant we act, speak, or think."
"For women in America who come forward with stories of harassment, abuse and sexual assault, there are not two sides to every story, however noble that principle might seem. Women do not get to have a side. They get to have an interrogation. Too often, they are questioned mercilessly about whether their side is legitimate. Especially if that side happens to accuse a man of stature, then that woman has to consider the scrutiny and repercussions she'll be subjected to by sharing her side."
"Putting our minds to something has never been the problem. The problem has been: Who decides whose mind is worthy?"
"And what is misogyny? Outside its dictionary definition, what is it? How does it move in the world? Have you ever partaken in it, either knowingly or unknowingly? Are you sure? How can you be sure? If we as a society cannot even identify the many mercurial forms of misogyny and how it persists, then how can we possibly say what it isn't? How can we possibly tell women where and how it does not exist?"
"Male politicians so rarely experience attacks based on their gender, but female politicians always do."
September 1, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you are a woman, read this book.
My god the things I learned from this book! Amber Tamblyn is exceedingly talented and intimidatingly smart. I thought this would be a book about her life when I started it only to come to find that this book is more about the role Feminism plays in her life. This book moved me to tears more times than not, it gave me rage for how women are treated, how POC are treated, how members of the LGBTQIA+ community are treated and how so much of it is rooted in White Male Privilege. As a white woman, there were times where I felt called out and I think it’s a humbling experience that most white women need to experience as our struggles as women GREATLY differ from struggles of women of color.
The system has divided us and even caused women to be against each other so as to be more subservient to the men who run our lives. Amber’s book explains this all in such detail. It was hard to not exclaim “oh my god! Yes!” on every single topic she wrote about. As a mother and woman there were times where I felt she was writing about my life specifically and I think a lot of us can benefit from this feeling.
5 star read. I HIGHLY recommend. I will re read this book and know that I will be taking about it for years to come.
If you are a woman, read this book.
My god the things I learned from this book! Amber Tamblyn is exceedingly talented and intimidatingly smart. I thought this would be a book about her life when I started it only to come to find that this book is more about the role Feminism plays in her life. This book moved me to tears more times than not, it gave me rage for how women are treated, how POC are treated, how members of the LGBTQIA+ community are treated and how so much of it is rooted in White Male Privilege. As a white woman, there were times where I felt called out and I think it’s a humbling experience that most white women need to experience as our struggles as women GREATLY differ from struggles of women of color.
The system has divided us and even caused women to be against each other so as to be more subservient to the men who run our lives. Amber’s book explains this all in such detail. It was hard to not exclaim “oh my god! Yes!” on every single topic she wrote about. As a mother and woman there were times where I felt she was writing about my life specifically and I think a lot of us can benefit from this feeling.
5 star read. I HIGHLY recommend. I will re read this book and know that I will be taking about it for years to come.
January 8, 2020
I'm probably being a bit unfair, but here it goes.
I work in the field of politics, so much of her overview of policy or feminist issues were a little basic, which I don't hold against her! Most people don't spend all day on this stuff, so it's good to have a readable, accessible way to come to this, it just wasn't that fun for me to read.
That said, I also didn't find her particular journey that relatable. Also, her husband does not come off well. I love that she's being so honest, and I know she shouldn't have to answer for him. But I also don't think teaching your husband to listen, to not be dismissive and to not offend is something "most heterosexual couples" are dealing with. I hate the idea of young girls reading and thinking that's the normal price of admission to a relationship. You aren't responsible for making your husband or partner not be a sexist pig, and loving them enough won't change them fundamentally.
In conclusion - easy to read, a bit all over the place but not a terrible summary of feminism today, and I'm glad this book exists.
I work in the field of politics, so much of her overview of policy or feminist issues were a little basic, which I don't hold against her! Most people don't spend all day on this stuff, so it's good to have a readable, accessible way to come to this, it just wasn't that fun for me to read.
That said, I also didn't find her particular journey that relatable. Also, her husband does not come off well. I love that she's being so honest, and I know she shouldn't have to answer for him. But I also don't think teaching your husband to listen, to not be dismissive and to not offend is something "most heterosexual couples" are dealing with. I hate the idea of young girls reading and thinking that's the normal price of admission to a relationship. You aren't responsible for making your husband or partner not be a sexist pig, and loving them enough won't change them fundamentally.
In conclusion - easy to read, a bit all over the place but not a terrible summary of feminism today, and I'm glad this book exists.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2024
Thank you Kelly for giving me this book to read. I remember you saying something like it was going to make me angry, which I didn’t understand at the time but do now. Tamblyn talks about all the injustices that women have had to endure at the hands of men and we should all be angry. For men who don’t understand what that means, read this book!
The subtitle to the book is “Coming of Age in a Time of Rage and Revolution” and Tamblyn unabashedly expresses her rage throughout the book as the issues she discusses deserve.
Tamblyn even addresses the problems with white feminism. “…the issues of white women have never served to reflect those of black women, or truly any other women outside of white women.” For a myriad of reasons.
When talking about being a feminist Tamblyn says “I do not hate men at all. I am critical of them, which is something I wish they themselves would be: have some introspective inquisition.”
Tamblyn was one of the founders of the Time’s Up organization that was formed in response to the Weinstein effect and the #MeToo movement.
Tamblyn says, “Let those abusing their power keep going with their talks of witch hunts, their diminishing of our movements , their death-rattle dog whistles. Our response will never be unheard, ignored, or silenced again.”
The subtitle to the book is “Coming of Age in a Time of Rage and Revolution” and Tamblyn unabashedly expresses her rage throughout the book as the issues she discusses deserve.
Tamblyn even addresses the problems with white feminism. “…the issues of white women have never served to reflect those of black women, or truly any other women outside of white women.” For a myriad of reasons.
When talking about being a feminist Tamblyn says “I do not hate men at all. I am critical of them, which is something I wish they themselves would be: have some introspective inquisition.”
Tamblyn was one of the founders of the Time’s Up organization that was formed in response to the Weinstein effect and the #MeToo movement.
Tamblyn says, “Let those abusing their power keep going with their talks of witch hunts, their diminishing of our movements , their death-rattle dog whistles. Our response will never be unheard, ignored, or silenced again.”
December 30, 2024
I got this book at a small bookstore by my house and didn’t realize who the author was at first. It was a delightful surprise and more than that, I found it to be a great addition to the feminist literature I own and have read this year.
The personal stories from the author made the tone and feel of the book more casual. Because of this, I would recommend this book to those trying to get into feminist literature. It’s easy to understand and engage with.
I really enjoyed the additions of Airea D. Matthews and Meredith Talusan. Their different perspectives were great to hear and a great way to not only show a more intersectional feminist perspective, but also provide a space for people entering the space to hear from more than one person. Personally, I’m looking forward to diving into their works as well.
Overall, I really recommend this book.
The personal stories from the author made the tone and feel of the book more casual. Because of this, I would recommend this book to those trying to get into feminist literature. It’s easy to understand and engage with.
I really enjoyed the additions of Airea D. Matthews and Meredith Talusan. Their different perspectives were great to hear and a great way to not only show a more intersectional feminist perspective, but also provide a space for people entering the space to hear from more than one person. Personally, I’m looking forward to diving into their works as well.
Overall, I really recommend this book.
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