Dolly Folly

I felt I needed a bit of a challenge when I last went to my shelves, so decided on something I hoped would be interesting and thought provoking.  That something was 'Living Dolls: The Return of Sexism' by Natasha Walter.

'Living Dolls: The Return of Sexism'
by Natasha Walter
(Virago, 2010/11)

First published five years ago, 'Living Dolls' explores two key issues in modern feminism; The hypersexualisation of western culture and the resurgence of biological determinism as the answer to everything.  Modern western women have more freedoms than ever before, so why is our culture increasingly dominated by a vision of femininity that forces females into an unrealistic, doll-shaped coffin?  Is the rise of raunch, lads mags and the acceptance of pole dancing, pornography and prostitution into mainstream culture really about choice and empowerment?  Should we really just lie back and let it happen because it's in our DNA?

I love a book that makes me think and this certainly did.  It was a lot less intimidating than some books on feminism because it was relatively short at 238 pages, but there were enough fireworks in every chapter to make it more than explosive.

I have to admit that I found the first half, The New Sexism, much easier to read than the second, The New Determinism.  It had a more journalistic style, featuring stories and quotes from various people that were very interesting and gave a range of perspectives.  The second part dealt with more scientific data and experiments, so took more concentration, but I'm grateful to Ms Walter for lifting the lid on a shocking and dangerous perversion of the spirit of enquiry that science represents.  I will never read about scientific research in the popular media in the same way again.

In particular, I found the observations on motherhood and the pattern of behaviour and prejudice created by current maternity/paternity rules fascinating.  I hope a few of our politicians read this book and see the far reaching consequences of legislation based on a traditional picture of family life that is artificially perpetuated rather than natural.  How many glass obstacles could be smashed with a simple change to these rules.

Although I felt that the length of this book was about right for me, I would've liked to explore two things further.  The experiences of men are touched on, but I would've liked to have known more about whether they feel as uncomfortable with the hypersexualisation of our culture.  After all, it ignores their intelligence and treats them like they're only interested in sex.  Isn't that insulting to them too?   It also seems to me that men are also beginning to come under pressure to have the perfect, Ken doll body - I mean, seriously, even Poldark has a six pack in 2015! I think I would've been interested to know more about this too.  (And by 'this' I mean the pressure on men to look a certain way, not Poldark's six pack.  Prince Charming reads this blog for crying out loud!)

Admittedly, women have a bigger job on their hands, trying to tackle thousands of years of ingrained oppression and stereotyping, but it's interesting to look at all the consequences of sexism, not just for women.  Once it's shown to be bad for everyone, it should become impossible to deny the need for change.

Going for Goldfinger

Gowldfingaaaaaa! Ba baaah baah!

OK, enough of that.  I recently finished another Bond audiobook, this time Ian Fleming's 'Goldfinger', read by Lord Grantham of Downton himself, Hugh Bonneville.

'Goldfinger'
by Ian Fleming, read by Hugh Bonneville
(AudioGo, 2012)

On the way back from a tough job in Mexico, Bond is saved from morbid musings by a chance encounter with Junius Du Pont, one of the card players who joined him at Le Chiffre's table in 'Casino Royale'. Du Pont has a problem and hopes that 007 can help.  The multi-millionaire is losing thousands of dollars daily to Auric Goldfinger, whose almost Midas-like ability to turn every canasta game his way has left Du Pont both frustrated and certain he is being cheated.  Ready for a distraction, Bond takes on the challenge of unmasking the greedy Goldfinger.  But when our favourite secret agent discovers that he is also of interest to MI6, the chance encounter leads to one of Bond's most perilous cases yet...

This book draws together elements of a number of other Bond stories, so it does sometimes feel like we're going over old ground.  Like Le Chiffre, Goldfinger is SMERSH's money man, like Drax in 'Moonraker', we first meet him cheating at cards and like Dr No, he's a proper, scary, mad-as-a-box-of-frogs Bond villain.  But, at the end of the day, Fleming did knock out the Bond books rather rapidly, so it's understandable that he mined his other works in an attempt to strike gold once more.

And, on the whole, he does.  Although I don't think this is pure, 24-carat Bond, it's a welcome return to a proven, successful structure, focussed on 007 himself and full of tension and danger for our hero and those around him.

'Goldfinger'
by Ian Fleming
(Penguin Modern
Classics, 2004)

As many of you will know, this is the novel which has a - whisper it now - lesbian in it.  I hope I've not shocked you too much by mentioning it, please take a few moments to get over your vapours.  As you can imagine, the subject really brings out the dinosaur in Bond.  Perhaps the bitter, spiteful, homophobic vitriol he spouts represents the view of the character, highlighting jealousy or insecurity or fear or maybe all three.  Or perhaps it's the view of the author, who seems to have written Bond as some kind of fantasy alternative identity.  I don't know, but I did find myself shouting at the CD player, which even for me is quite unusual.  Yelling at the TV or radio is pretty much a daily activity, but shouting at the CD player is something new.  Anyway, it did make me wonder why some sections weren't excised from the book, but at the end of the day, it is a novel of its time and it's good to be able to map how far we've come through popular culture.  The 1950s clearly weren't a golden age for all.  But if you find it hard to take a step back and see 'Goldfinger' as a historical document, this probably isn't a good read for you.

Overall, this is a decent James Bond novel, giving you everything you'd expect.  The audiobook, however, is brilliant.  And it's made so by Hugh Bonneville.  It felt like he was on the same journey as the listener from beginning to end, sharing the same excitement at each tense plot twist and amazement at every death-defying escape.  I'd gladly listen to more books read by him in the future.  Talk about solid gold.

Now, what next...

Related Posts

'Casino Royale'
'Live and Let Die'
'Moonraker'
'From Russia with Love'
'Dr No'
'For Your Eyes Only'
'Thunderball'
'Octopussy, the Living Daylights and Other Stories'