Well, not my life. Gloria Steinem’s.
[Here is the book review section of this website, which will occur sporadically when one of us is thinking about or reading a book and can’t find someone in our immediate vicinity with whom to discuss it.]
A conversation at lunch yesterday led me to contemplate, in the middle of the night, Steinem’s outstanding memoir, My Life on the Road. I read this a couple of years ago and was mesmerized, and I have recommended it frequently to friends and to customers at Brilliant Books.
Incidentally, the book was the first one chosen by actress Emma Watson for her online feminist book group, and being Emma Watson, she had the opportunity to interview the legend.
The book chronicles the eight decades of Steinem’s fascinating life, focusing on the many social movements in which she was deeply involved. I expect this first-person narrative is already on the reading lists of some college courses and it’s well worth reading for any student of history, even those without a feminist interest.
For me, equally compelling was the story of the events that shaped Steinem. Often in the memoir, she recalls a random encounter with someone that prompted her to change her views or pursue a different strategy. Sometimes these are conversations with strangers in a situation not typically conducive to attention, such as a cab ride.
mot français du jour— écouter
French word of the day, it means “to listen”
Reading My Life on the Road made me vow to become a better listener. I was reminded yesterday, while confessing my occasional lack of attention to exchanges with family members, that I need to renew this resolution.
In our hyper-busy world, in which we are emboldened to speak out — sometimes to excess on social media, right? — we may be well-served if we pause to listen, truly listen, to what other people have to say. I’m resolved to follow the glorious example of Gloria!
