Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Title: Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions
Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Pages: 80
Genre: Feminist, Non-Fiction
Book Description:
A few years ago, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie received a letter from a dear friend from childhood, asking her how to raise her baby girl as a feminist. Dear Ijeawele is Adichie's letter of response.

Here are fifteen invaluable suggestions--compelling, direct, wryly funny, and perceptive--for how to empower a daughter to become a strong, independent woman. From encouraging her to choose a helicopter, and not only a doll, as a toy if she so desires; having open conversations with her about clothes, makeup, and sexuality; debunking the myth that women are somehow biologically arranged to be in the kitchen making dinner, and that men can "allow" women to have full careers, Dear Ijeawele goes right to the heart of sexual politics in the twenty-first century. It will start a new and urgently needed conversation about what it really means to be a woman today."

Get it here | Good reads

My Opinion:
As a feminist myself, I picked up this book when I saw in displayed in my local bookshop. And I'm very pleased I did. I found this book so educating and wonderfully written that I would recommend it to anyone, male, female, any other genders, feminist or not!

The structure of this book is simple, with each tip laid out nicely. It was such an easy read despite the topic being so hard-hitting at times. This is the main reason I would give this book to anyone of any age or gender because not only is it so, so important in this modern day, but also easy yet informative.

The anecdotes integrated in each tip really helped enhance the effect this book had on me. I felt like I could relate to some of them, despite behind a white, privileged female in comparison to some of her experiences. Not only did I realise how lucky I was, but I was also able to look back on how I was raised by my mother. I noticed how some of the suggestions Adichie mentions my mother adhered to, yet others she didn't unintentionally. I shared this book with her after reading it and she found it as equally beneficial as myself!

Adichie's book is so important and definitely worth reading. I can't recommend it enough. While there is stigma surrounding 'feminism' don't think that this book won't help you because it will. Raising children (boys and girls) equally is a necessity in today's modern age, and this book will help anyone achieve that.

After reading this, I'm definitely going to check out more of her non-fiction work, essays and fictional novels! This was a perfect place for me to start as I've fallen in love with the writing style, anecdotes and issues that Adichie is raising by sharing her story. As I said earlier, I couldn't recommend this enough.

Rating ★★★★★

5 out of 5 stars 

Next book I'm going to review:
11.22.63 by Stephen King