How to Be a Woman

By: Caitlin Moran

Narrated by: Caitlin Moran

Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Though they have the vote and the Pill and haven't been burned as witches since 1727, life isn't exactly a stroll down the catwalk for modern women. They are beset by uncertainties and questions: Why are they supposed to get Brazilians? Why do bras hurt? Why the incessant talk about babies? And do men secretly hate them?

Caitlin Moran interweaves provocative observations on women's lives with laugh-out-loud funny scenes from her own, from the riot of adolescence to her development as a writer, wife, and mother. With rapier wit, Moran slices right to the truth - whether it's about the workplace, strip clubs, love, fat, abortion, popular entertainment, or children - to jump-start a new conversation about feminism. With humor, insight, and verve, How To Be a Woman lays bare the reasons why female rights and empowerment are essential issues not only for women today but also for society itself.

©2011 Caitlin Moran (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers

Hilarious!

What made the experience of listening to How to Be a Woman the most enjoyable?

I enjoy having a laugh at the silliness that being a woman is.

What does Caitlin Moran bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her accent is wonderful. "E" strogen for example

Hilarious and insightful

Caitlin Moran will make you laugh at loud and think deeply about every part of being viewed as a woman, from heels to abortion, and how you ultimately identify as a human

Fantastic read!

Very thought provoking and just downright hilarious. I would recommend this to anyone who struggles with coming to grips with womanhood.

Modern Feminism 101

What made the experience of listening to How to Be a Woman the most enjoyable?

Caitlin's own voice adds authenticity to the incredibly personal storytelling. Anyone else narrating, and it would have sounded very weird.

What did you like best about this story?

The mixture of hilarious anecdotes, rampant (strident) feminism and heartbreakingly relatable experience-sharing.

Great read!!

Funny and entertaining, it turns out it is more or less an autobiographical account of the author's experience of being a woman. Overall a great read.

Every feminist should read this!

Not sure if you're a feminist - read this book. It's witty, it's straight to the point, there's no beating around the bush! Read by the author herself makes it even better. I recommended it to ALL my female friends. Loved it!

The kind of book I'll make sure my daughter reads

I don't agree with some extreme stances taken here, but particularly love the chapters on having or not having children and abortion.

Loved every second!

I rate this up there with Bossy Pants and Yes, Please! A great listen! Very compelling! Buy it, today! Wahoo!

Hysterical manual for the 21st century woman

Usually I can't get through a book of comical columns. This is the rare exception. Caitlin touches on EVERYTHING a woman has ever grappled with, but rarely will bring up, even to her best friend. With every topic, with relentless British humor, she brings you to a place of seeing the most common of things totally differently. From Brazilian waxes to high heels to childbirth to one of the funniest, most astute pieces on relationships I've ever read, she irreverently tears the conventional, cultural norms to shreds and offers up a lucid, common sense look at things we too often inanely follow like lemmings.

While walking along the Pacific, listening to How To Be A Woman, a friend rode up on her bike. She's the same age as me, 59, has a successful business and who ran so much, prepping for a marathon to impress her kids, that she got plantar fasciitis. That was two months ago and she can still not walk far, never mind run. She breathlessly, sweating profusely, related how she goes to spin class three times a week, swims every day she can, and bikes umpteen miles to LOSE WEIGHT. This woman was, before she stated all this marathon training, MUCH THINNER THAN ME (and I'm a person whom no one considers fat, ok, except me,) and married to a guy who adores her no matter what she weighs. Having been quite happy race walking in the sunshine by the sea, I would have instantly switched to feeling like a clumsy elephant if it weren't for this book, to which I was listening. Caitlin is my heroine. She brings the insanity women just take for granted front and center and kept making me say to myself, "Well, of course!"

This book also provoked numerous discussions with friends and family; the most amazing conversations about subjects we'd never touched before. This is such a mind opening book, so informative, while causing one to constantly laugh out loud (which is no simple feat for a book.)

The first chapter is deceptive and Caitlin, stand up comedian she is, can be a bit loud. But stick with it, please, and then laugh your head off and, if you're a woman, be prepared to feel far more secure in your own sneakers than you did at the start. If you're a man, be prepared to actually start to understand those female enigmas around you. And no matter who you are, you will, without a doubt, look at everything around you in a whole new light.

Funny. Insightful. Depressing. Funny trumps all!

Caitlin narrated this book perfectly. Her passion is evident. The message is received, Caitlin, loud and clear!