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Learning to Drive: And Other Life Stories

by Katha Pollitt

Learning to Drive: And Other Life Stories Cover

 

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Celebrated for her award-winning political columns, criticism, and poetry, Katha Pollitt now shows us another side of her talent. Learning to Drive is a surprising, revealing, and entertaining collection of stories drawn from the author’s own life.

With deep feeling and sharp insight, Pollitt writes about the death of her father; the sad but noble final days of a leftist study group of which she was a member; and the betrayal and heartbreak inflicted by a man who seriously deceived her. (Her infinitely patient, gentle driving instructor points out her weakness–“Observation, Katha, observation!”) She also offers a candid view of her preoccupation with her ex-lover’s haunting presence on the Internet, and her search there for a secret link that might provide a revelation about him that will Explain Everything.

Other topics include the differences between women and men–“More than half the male members of the Donner party died of cold and starvation, but three quarters of the females survived, saved by that extra layer of fat we spend our lives trying to get rid of”–and the practical implications of political theory: “What if socialism–all that warmhearted folderol about community and solidarity and sharing was just an elaborate con job, a way for men to avoid supporting their kids?”

Learning to Drive demonstrates that while Katha Pollitt is undeniably one of our era’s most profound observers of culture, society, and politics, she is just as impressively a wise, graceful, and honest observer of her own and others’ human nature.

From the Hardcover edition.

Synopsis:

In a new collection of personal reflections and essays, the author of Virginity or Death! reexamines her life in the wake of a devastating personal betrayal, discussing such topics as her ex-lover's haunting Internet presence, conflict with her daughter over flying the flag after 9/11, her driving teacher, heartbreak and treachery, and more. Reprint.

About the Author

Katha Pollitt, the author of Virginity or Death!, is a poet, essayist, and columnist for The Nation. She has won many prizes and awards for her work, including the National Book Critics Circle Award for her first collection of poems, Antarctic Traveller, and two National Magazine Awards for essays and criticism. She lives in New York City.

From the Hardcover edition.

Table of Contents

Learning to drive — Webstalker — In the study group — Sisterhood — After the men are dead — Memoir of a shy pornographer — Beautiful screamer — Goodbye, Lenin — End of — Mrs. Razzmatazz — I let myself go.

Product Details

ISBN:
9781588368133
Subtitle:
And Other Life Stories
Publisher:
Random House Publishing Group
Author:
Pollitt, Katha
Author:
Katha Pollitt
Subject:
Biography & Autobiography : Women
Subject:
Biography & Autobiography : Editors, Journalists, Publishers
Subject:
Women
Subject:
Editors, Journalists, Publishers
Subject:
Feminism & Feminist Theory
Subject:
Feminists
Subject:
Pollitt, Katha
Subject:
Biography-Women
Subject:
Feminist Studies-General
Subject:
Gender Studies-Womens Studies
Subject:
main_subject
Subject:
all_subjects
Publication Date:
20080909
Binding:
ELECTRONIC
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
224
Learning to Drive: And Other Life Stories
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Product details 224 pages Random House Publishing Group - English 9781588368133 Reviews:
"Synopsis" by , In a new collection of personal reflections and essays, the author of Virginity or Death! reexamines her life in the wake of a devastating personal betrayal, discussing such topics as her ex-lover's haunting Internet presence, conflict with her daughter over flying the flag after 9/11, her driving teacher, heartbreak and treachery, and more. Reprint.
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