On Wed, 12 Nov 1997, Sandra MacLaren wrote:
> Re: gift-giving; I remember that it was difficult for me to talk to men for
> weeks after I finished reading the book, and the same was true for many other
> women I talked to. I usually recommend the book with some cautionary advise.
> As for the men I've talked to who have read the book, I've found that they
> just didn't get it.
With all due respect, I don't think you've been talking to the right men.
The handmaids tale seemed almost too obvious too me. You didn't have to
dig for meaning, no siree. It was very strong and very distrubing. It is
the type of book that would send one into an incoherent rage, looking for
the nearest christian fundamentalist to punish, er, or is that just me.
The people who don't get this must be so thick they were not touched by
_Where the Red Fern Grows_ or _The Yearling_ (I have met people, even
women who have admitted to as much), are extremely prejudiced in some way
(be it against sci-fi, women, whatever), or didn't really read the book.
I can think of no other way to "miss" this book. Oh yeah, just thought of
another one, it did touch them, but rather than accepting that they
automatically "put up their shields" and shut off those parts capable of
responding. A sort of emotional defense mechanism of some sort.
-- Joel VanLaven
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