May Half-Term Reads

It's the May half-term YAAY! I am also happy to announce that last Thursday was our last day of school and then we're on study leave after the half term - so I may still be busy with a lot of revision but I'll try make my schedule as flexible as possible to fit blogging in the picture!

During half-terms, I usually like to relax and spend a lot of time by myself either catching up on my K-Drama, Once Upon a Time or anime, reading and making art. Since I've recently visited the library (for the first time in years), I decided to share with you some of my borrowed books that I'll read this half term! But I've limited myself to only three books because I'll also need to be focusing on revision as I have a lot more exams to do!

"Everyday Sexism..." by Laura Bates

I found this an interesting book. Everyday Sexism actually started out as a project created by Laura Bates as a way to share untold stories of women who have experienced a series of sexist incidents (such as 'catcalling' and being asked by a random man to be his wife or being raped and sexually harassed). Then, after receiving hundreds and thousands of entries from women across the world, she wrote it all in this book.

It's an interesting book because it talks about how sexism is not considered a form of prejudice because it's been so normalised and women have been accustomed to it that they haven't really noticed it. It also talks about how equality between men and women are not quite there yet due to many women and girls still facing sexual harassment in the streets, sexual and domestic abuse, and rape. 

I absolutely love this book because it shows you another angle to sexism and it confronts you about the realities of this society through the eyes of thousands of women who have shared their stories.

"The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedan

As a feminist, I'm interested in reading the works of influential, strong female figures. The Feminine Mystique is one of the early works of feminism. It gives you a lot of insight on what society expected from a woman during the 1950s and 1960s; women had strict social conventions in which they have to conform to what the media wants a woman to be - Friedan called this the 'feminine mystique'. 

The book explores the origins of this feminine mystique and how it impacted on American women during the 1950s-60s. It's a great book that will really change the way you view women. 

"A Private History of Happiness"by George Myerson

This is a great book: it contains extracts from diaries and letters to families and friends, from different parts of the world at different times from thousands of years ago to only forty, which describes a moment of happiness. 

It's a fascinating read because all the stories have different cultures and context because they're all from other countries that are written at different times. Reading a few stories will brighten your day - it's like that warm feeling you get in your stomach after eating a nice warm meal in a cold day. 

These are a few of my May half term reads! If you've read one of these before then tell me about it or if you have any other book recommendations feel free to share them!

Nicole ᵔᴥᵔ

+ p.s Sorry for the horrible quality of the photo; trust me, it's not really like that. I guess it's just blogger.