Joke stings because it is based on history
Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley. I should also note that I read this via Adobe Digital Editions, and for some reason each page took quite a bit of time of load. This no doubt explains some of my frustration.
On the one hand, this is a funny book about why women get written out of history. On the other hand, it is a joke that goes on for too long. I don’t usually say this, but if this book had been saying half its length, it would have been funnier.
Fleming's tongue in cheek look at how men and society viewed women and why women were considered less than human is rather funny. This is true at the beginning of the book, and when she references famous figures, such as Darwin. However, in some ways once the joke has happened, there is really no reason to use it again. But it gets used again. At times the book is brilliant – in particular when Fleming is referencing a woman such as Phillis Wheatley and the reaction of male (and white) society to her. More than once I found myself wishing this had been done more often. There is plenty of material to find the stories of such woman, the work of Vicki Leon being only one starting place.
Still, I am glad I read this. It is worth reading even if the humor wears a little thin. The dust bin illustrations are worth the time it takes to read.
