The Will to Change

I finished reading The Will to Change, by bell hooks.

Truly, I've never felt so seen. It's kind of crazy what she managed to concoct here, both in terms of its conciseness and directness, but also just pure emotion, the love she packed into what is a very short book, all things considered, especially considering the rather ambitious goal of undressing patriarchy and putting forth a model for a new man. But specifically, the way she understands men, the pain and the isolation and the insecurity... It's baffling to me. She truly understood, and she said it plainly.

I'm genuinely distressed that I'll never meet her, as she's unfortunately passed away a few years ago. Not even 70 years old, by the way; kidney failure. I can't help but feel she was an intellectual giant, a Goliath and an Adamastor and a Cthulhu in proportion, and reading this book was as if catching a glancing blow of a mind I can't possibly grasp in its entirety.

I want more, desperately. So I will read more, certainly.

Anyway, I have work to do! I'm still not the kind of man I should be.

I wore shorts today!

Oh, also, I did write a full review here.