The Second Sex

I do not consider myself to be a typical reader of this genre by any stretch of the imagination. That said, I've never had so many of my intangible thoughts and experiences articulated so clearly. Simone de Beauvoir speaks on such specific generalizations that it feels impossible for her words to be accurate, but she simply did not miss a beat. This was a push to read all the way through, but I'm glad I did...

The Second Sex is a behemoth of an analysis on female otherness—childhood, adolescence, marriage, abortion, motherhood, etc. Every chapter hit me with painful truths that I probably never would have identified otherwise. Each time I had a reading session of this, I felt seen on a level I actually did not know was possible. I'd recommend everyone make this a reading project at some point—the relief & understanding it exposes is otherworldly despite that it's not particularly delightful to read.