The Must-Read Book Club
Emma Poole: I came across this book at the Strand bookshop downtown, one of my favorite places to browse on a day off. I had read about this memoir in the press, and was familiar with Steinem and her iconic presence in the women's movement over the years. When I walked into the store that day and saw it perched on the table, I felt pulled to pick it up. I devoured it over a couple of days, often re-reading specific passages that resonated with me. Steinem invites the reader on the road with her, from childhood through adolescence into present day. It is an intimate tale of an amazing woman's journey in paving the way for feminism as a human right.
YCNYC: Favorite quote?
EP: "The road is messy in the way that real life is messy. It leads us out of denial and into reality, out of theory and into practice, out of caution and into action, out of statistics and into stories-in short, out of our heads and into our hearts."
YCNYC: What one person would you recommend this book to?
EP: I gifted my mom this book for Christmas. Steinem's fiery spirit reminded me of her; as a single mom, she always made sure we had enough, and was fiercely independent. As I've gotten older, I see my mother as a woman and human in addition to just my mom- The book really moved me, and I wanted to share it with her as a keepsake that could be passed down to future generations.
YCNC: What moment or part resonates with you the most?
EP: In the beginning of the memoir, Steinem speaks in depth of her father. Her first roadside companion, she explains his own struggles, and their loving but challenging relationship over the years. A lot of what she wrote reminded me of my own dad. She focused quite a bit on the concept of humanity-her parents as individual beings, and coming to accept them for who they were in their lifetimes-- their strengths, shortcomings, etc, which I definitely relate to. As a whole, this book is about the human condition. It is bold and beautiful. I'd recommend it as reading for anyone-you won't regret it.
You can purchase My Life On The Road here.
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