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Kelsey Ford: From the Stacks: J. M. Ledgard's Submergence (0 comment)
Our blog feature, "From the Stacks," features our booksellers’ favorite older books: those fortuitous used finds, underrated masterpieces, and lesser known treasures. Basically: the books that we’re the most passionate about handselling. This week, we’re featuring Kelsey F.’s pick, Submergence by J. M. Ledgard...
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Homeward Bound Why Women Are Embracing the New Domesticity

by Emily Matchar
Homeward Bound Why Women Are Embracing the New Domesticity

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  • Synopses & Reviews

ISBN13: 9781451665444
ISBN10: 145166544X
Condition: Standard
DustJacket: Standard

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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments

Amid today’s rising anxieties — the economy, the scary state of the environment, the growing sense that the American Dream hasn’t turned out to be so dreamy after all — a groundswell of women (and more than a few men) are choosing to embrace an unusual rebellion: domesticity. A generation of smart, highly educated young people are spending their time knitting, canning jam, baking cupcakes, gardening, and more (and blogging about it, of course), embracing the labor-intensive domestic tasks their mothers and grandmothers eagerly shrugged off. Some are even turning away from traditional careers and corporate culture for slower, more home-centric lifestyles that involve “urban homesteading,” homeschooling their kids, or starting Etsy businesses. They’re questioning whether regular jobs are truly fulfilling and whether it’s okay to turn away from the ambitions of their parents’ generation.

How did this happen? And what does it all mean? What happens to American culture as a whole when our best and brightest put home and hearth above other concerns? Does this sudden fascination with traditional homemaking bode ill for gender equality? What role have the media and blog culture played in making domesticity look so darn appealing?

In Homeward Bound, acclaimed journalist Emily Matchar takes a long, hard look at both the inspiring appeal and the potential dangers of this trend she calls the New Domesticity, exploring how it could be reshaping the role of women in society and what the consequences may be for all of us. In riveting interviews with all kinds of people from coast to coast, Matchar examines the motivations of those who have embraced this movement, from Southern food bloggers to chicken-keeping “radical homemakers” on the East Coast to Etsy entrepreneurs in Provo, Utah, to attachment parenting devotees in Chicago, and many more. This groundbreaking reporting on the New Domesticity is guaranteed to transform our notions of women in today’s society and add a new layer to the ongoing discussion of whether women can — or should — have it all.

Review

"Matchar maintains a chatty tone that makes for easy reading....She's funny and self-deprecating....[Her] work left me with a better understanding of other women's motivations." Washington Post

Review

"The brilliance of Emily Matchar's new book is that it exhaustively describes what disillusioned workers are opting into: a slower, more sustainable, and more self-sufficient lifestyle that's focused on the home. Matchar synthesizes dozens of trend stories...into a single, compelling narrative about the resurgence of domesticity....Refreshing" The New Republic

Review

"Matchar captures the appeal of the new domesticity — from its 'cozy vintage aesthetic' to its embrace of healthier foods and recycling. At the same time, she raises sharp and timely questions about whether the army of new-style happy homemakers aren't 'glossing over some of the harder realities of women, work, and equality.'" Boston Globe

Review

"Cogently argues that choosing a more hands-on, DIY lifestyle family farming, canning, crafting-can, without sacrificing feminism's hard-won gains, improve on an earlier time when 'people lived more lightly on the earth and relied less on corporations, and family and community came first.'" Elle

Review

"An entertaining and well-structured book." New York Journal of Books

Review

"A well-researched look at the resurgence of home life....Offers intriguing insight into the renaissance of old-fashioned home traditions." Kirkus Reviews

Review

"A lively and perceptive reporter...[Matchar] offers a valuable and astute assessment of the factors that led to the current embracing of domesticity and the consequences of this movement." Publishers Weekly

Review

"[Matchar] places women at the center of the budding movement to challenge industrial food....A nuanced, sympathetic critique...she defends feminism against the charge that it drove women out of the kitchen and led to the decline in cooking." MotherJones.com

Synopsis

What happens to our society as a whole when smart, high-achieving young women are honing their traditional homemaking skills? Emily Matchar offers a smart investigation into this return to domesticity.
Amid today's rising anxieties--the economy, the scary state of the environment, the growing sense that the American Dream hasn't turned out to be so dreamy after all--a groundswell of women (and more than a few men) are choosing to embrace an unusual rebellion: domesticity. A generation of smart, highly educated young people are spending their time knitting, canning jam, baking cupcakes, gardening, and more (and blogging about it, of course), embracing the labor-intensive domestic tasks their mothers and grandmothers eagerly shrugged off. Some are even turning away from traditional careers and corporate culture for slower, more home-centric lifestyles that involve "urban homesteading," homeschooling their kids, or starting Etsy businesses. They're questioning whether regular jobs are truly fulfilling and whether it's okay to turn away from the ambitions of their parents' generation.
How did this happen? And what does it all mean? What happens to American culture as a whole when our best and brightest put home and hearth above other concerns? Does this sudden fascination with traditional homemaking bode ill for gender equality? What role have the media and blog culture played in making domesticity look so darn appealing?
In Homeward Bound, acclaimed journalist Emily Matchar takes a long, hard look at both the inspiring appeal and the potential dangers of this trend she calls the New Domesticity, exploring how it could be reshaping the role of women in society and what the consequences may be for all of us. In riveting interviews with all kinds of people from coast to coast, Matchar examines the motivations of those who have embraced this movement, from Southern food bloggers to chicken-keeping "radical homemakers" on the East Coast to Etsy entrepreneurs in Provo, Utah, to attachment parenting devotees in Chicago, and many more. This groundbreaking reporting on the New Domesticity is guaranteed to transform our notions of women in today's society and add a new layer to the ongoing discussion of whether women can--or should--have it all.

Synopsis

What happens to our society as a whole when smart, high-achieving young women are honing their traditional homemaking skills? Emily Matchar offers a smart investigation into this return to domesticity.

There's no doubt about it: domesticity is enjoying a major comeback, with the explosion of “stitch n’ bitch” knitting circles; our sudden fascination with canning, cheese-making, and grinding our own flour; and a tidal wave of memoirs in the “I quit my corporate job and found fulfillment on a Vermont goat farm” vein. Why are women embracing the labor-intense domestic tasks that our mothers and grandmothers so eagerly shrugged off? Why has the image of the blissfully domestic, vintage-clad supermom become the media’s feminine ideal?

In Homeward Bound, Emily Matchar offers an investigation into how New Domesticity is fundamentally reshaping the role of women in society, and what the consequences might be. With research spanning from coast to coast, Matchar introduces us to a diverse cast of characters — Southern food bloggers, “radical homemakers” on the East Coast, Etsy entrepreneurs in Provo, members of urban knitting circles in Austin, and many more. She identifies the negative elements of these trends along with the positive, ultimately suggesting that this return to domesticity goes a step too far, to the detriment of both men and women alike.


About the Author

Emily Matchar studied English and Spanish at Harvard University. She has worked as a reporter for Raleigh’s The News & Observer and as a blogger for AOL. She has written for Salon, Men’s Journal, Gourmet, ForbesLife, Outside, BBC History, Babble, and many others. She lives with her husband in Chapel Hill.

3.1 9

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating 3.1 (9 comments)

`
jessicaadamoclark , October 14, 2013
Interesting and thought provoking at points. I especially appreciated the author connecting the DIY movement's focus on individualism and how this can negatively impact society's push to ensure that services and goods are available to all members, not just the privileged middle and upper classes. I would have liked for the book to discuss DIY culture in working class and underserved communities and how it may differ from the traditional image of the DIY community. I appreciate how this book made me take a look at my own ideas and beliefs that have been shaped by the DIY, blogging, homesteading, etc community. I definitely won't feel so guilty or lacking next time I'm looking at someone's blog about their fabulous homemade farm life.

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mybodymyself , June 20, 2013 (view all comments by mybodymyself)
Back with my final observations regarding this particular book and especially its author. At the same time I'm officially done reading it and etc. Found that it was indeed worth the read, but not necessary buy. Basically, that it all of it appears to be what I found earlier regarding it being more repetitive and generalization. Especially, compared to all of the books and their authors out there lately regarding these particular subjects and etc. Also, found that the author and including her partner are more self centered as opposed to being not. In which I would love to have found how her partner was bought up and etc. Because to me its just as important as hers was and etc.

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mybodymyself , June 19, 2013 (view all comments by mybodymyself)
Back with one more observation regarding this particular and especially its author. At the same time I'm still in the process of reading it. In which I'm almost done reading it. Found shes doesn't even bothering mentioning that Mothering Magazine ceased their publication after 35 years of it, 2011. At the same time their website and web commune are still there. While she was in the process of researching and writing this book. Think thats it and hopefully will not be back again with more.

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mybodymyself , June 19, 2013 (view all comments by mybodymyself)
Forgot to put themselves in my last review.

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mybodymyself , June 19, 2013 (view all comments by mybodymyself)
Back with even more observations regarding this particular book and especially its author. At the same time I'm still in the process of reading it. In which I'm almost done reading it. Found theres nothing really on nurses, doulas, midwives, doctors, others in healthcare profession or beyond. This involves expanding the subject area including others areas of the world, history, and beyond because they are all just important as the others are. Think thats it for now.

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mybodymyself , June 19, 2013 (view all comments by mybodymyself)
Back with even more observations regarding this particular book and especially its author. At the same time I'm still in the process of reading it. In which I'm almost done reading it. Found theres nothing really on acute, chronic health conditions, disabilities, mental health, illness regarding both the parents, and kids in the book. This involves expanding the subject area including others areas of the world, history, and beyond because they are all just important as the others are. Think thats it for now.

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mybodymyself , June 19, 2013 (view all comments by mybodymyself)
Back with even more observations regarding this particular book and especially its author. At the same time I'm still in the process of reading it. Found out via the internet that early praise from Elisabeth Badinter, bestselling author of The Conflict: How Modern Motherhood Undermines the Status of Women. Whom or her husband or some one else in their family owns or is part of the a public relations firm that handles all of the PR for Nestle. In which it turns out theres a Nestle Boycott and etc. I really don't have anything else Nestle and the boycott because I have so little info regarding all of it. Prefer not do anymore learning or researching on this particular area of all of this because have no clue where to look and etc. Think thats it for now.

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mybodymyself , June 18, 2013 (view all comments by mybodymyself)
Back with even more observations regarding this particular book and especially its author. Found that its more and more generalization to all of this as opposed being more then that. Especially, looking at the notes selection of it is mainly just a basic bibliography instead exactier, spl (spelling) notes. This involves expanding the subject area including others areas of the world, history, and beyond because they are all just important as the others are. Think thats it for now.

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mybodymyself , June 17, 2013 (view all comments by mybodymyself)
Just started reading this particular book, but felt I need share what I think of it so far. Thank you, Ms Matchar for writing a book on this particular subject. I for one is very passionate about particular subject for long as I can remember. At the same time I for one still waiting for my Mr. Right to come along, sweep me off of my feet, and beyond. I'm founding all of it being more repetitive then anything else. The author being more liberal then conservative in the book. Especially, with the vaccination area of it and doesn't even bring circumcision part of it. Also, would love if she bought up doulas, midwives, midwifery, and beyond into it because they are just as important everything else that she has bought so far. In which I wish that she would have done a better job of learning and researching along with everything else did. Because theres more all of this then what she bought up. I should know since I have been learning, researching, and beyond all of this quite some time now. Well, not in depth, but scratch the surface of it. I do plan on reading the rest of it after no matter what and reviewing it at the end of it. Think thats it for now.

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Product Details

ISBN:
9781451665444
Binding:
Hardcover
Publication date:
05/01/2013
Publisher:
FREE PRESS
Pages:
288
Height:
9 in.
Width:
6 in.
Copyright Year:
2013
Author:
Emily Matchar
Subject:
Feminist Studies-General

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