The Extra Woman
How Marjorie Hillis Led a Generation of Women to Live Alone and Like It
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The Extra Woman
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Narrated by:
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C. S. E. Cooney
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By:
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Joanna Scutts
About this listen
Despite multiple waves of feminist revolution, today's single woman is still mired in judgment or, worse, pity. But for one brief exclamatory period in the 1930s, she was all the rage. Marjorie Hillis was working at Vogue when she published the radical self-help book Live Alone and Like It: A Guide for the Extra Woman. With Dorothy Parker-esque wit, she urged spinsters, divorcees, and old maids to shed derogatory labels, and her philosophy became a phenomenon.
From the importance of a peignoir to the joy of breakfast in bed (alone), Hillis's tips made single life desirable and chic. Now, historian and critic Joanna Scutts reclaims Hillis as the queen of the "Live-Aloners" and explores the turbulent decades that followed, when the status of these "brazen ladies" peaked and then collapsed. The Extra Woman follows Hillis and others like her who forged their independent paths before the 1950s saw them trapped behind picket fences yet again.
©2018 Joanna Scutts (P)2017 TantorWhat listeners say about The Extra Woman
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jen
- 08-11-2023
Terrible narration - ok book
Let's get the narration out of the way first. The narrator sounds like someone from an amateur dramatic society trying to put "feeling" and "drama" into every word - I was actually embarrassed for her and embarrassed for whoever employed her. Just awful. Listen to the sample - IT DOES NOT GET BETTER. The overly dramatic style does not suit the content and seemed to make a mockery of it.
It's like listening to a hysterical Helen Lovejoy from the Simpsons reading out loud. One star because I couldn't give it zero, but as there was no sniffing, breathing into the microphone, spitting or lisping I just sucked it up and persevered.
As far the the book itself goes, its was fine. Not awesome, not terrible, just fine.
I've read two of Marjorie Hillis' books so I was interested in the topic. The parts about Hillis' life were interesting enough, and the pace and style were fine. I don't think someone who hadn't read Hillis' books would find this particularly interesting unless you're really interested in biography. I wont be listening to this one again and I won't be recommending it to my friends.
If you listen to the sample and have no problems with the narration, then give it a go. Otherwise: avoid.
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