Cupcakes and Kalashnikovs

by Kira Cochrane and Eleanor Mills

Since their emergence as a journalistic force after the world wars, women have continued to break new ground in newspapers and magazines, redefining the world as we see it as well as the craft as it... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1845291654
• ISBN13: 9781845291655
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Constable & Robinson
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Women Rocking the World

An amazing and touching read from start to finish. Women doing something that has always belonged to men but now women show that they can be just as good as they are. Some really interesting stories in this book some fun reading as well. These women became the top writers in there field for a reason and these stories show you that.

I'm reporting this is a must-read book

Having grown up in an era when women are anchoring the national news and where I served as politics section editor of my college newspaper, I take it for granted that women are now reporting (and subsequently making) news. This incredible book says that women's reporting the news has fundamentally been a political act. Not always welcome in a 'male' profession, the pioneers subsequently developed a gender consciousness and an understanding of social justice. The news could and should be used to advocate for social change. I loved the wide collection of articles in this book. The articles are organized around thematic topics capturing the muckraking spirit of investigative journalists. With Iraq dominating many a global headline, I found significance that the first section is war, Mary McCarthy reports on Vietnam (1967), and Susan Sontag writes about torture (2004). I also appreciated that "Politics, race, and society" are intentionally intersected with particular attention to economic class issues. America still wants to convince itself that it is a democracy with equality of opportunity for everybody and those not participating in the American Dream 'chose' their lot. Finally, the book shows the balancing act which these women journalists are expected to endure. In spite of progress, women continue being the ones having to balance their personal and professional lives even in a 'liberal' profession. Reading this part of the book solidified my already-held belief that our 'egalitarian' society needs to ask male journalists to assume similar balancing acts for a true democracy.

Lots of great writing and insightful observation

Forget that these are women journalists and writers - this is just good writing. In these days when magazines have become primarily picture books with captions it's edifying to look back over a hundred years of excellent writing. The focus leans, as one would expect from the title, toward a feminist viewpoint but whether writing about themselves, their homes, or the world these are all excellent essays. The contents are arranged chronologically by chapter and this gives another interesting insight into growing attitudes with time. Really a good book.