#thebalancednotebook

25/07/2019

[22.05.2017]

[05.05.2017]

[13.2.2017]

a couple of weeks back, my planner and bullet journal feat. me in the snow.

[13.01.2017]

Book: Moranifesto Author: Caitlin Moran Published: Harper Perennial, 2016

“So, welcome to my second collection of writing. Hello! I embrace you. I am sorry about the smell. I get very sweaty when I write. I don’t know why. One day, I will learn how to varnish my armpits, and it will be easier to be my friend again. Until then - I apologize.”

You might not recognise it from the start on, but Caitlin Moran’s fourth and most recent book calls out for change. With the so-typical-for her kind of humour, she onnects a lot of her published articles with short introductory passages;  topics ranging from Climate Change to Benetict Cumberbatch‘s face. A lot of Benedict Cumberbatch. A lot. A combination of endless life lists, sex and make-up advice, comments on pop and gay culture, and the Queen.

The books is split into four main sections: “The 21st century, where we live”, “Feminisms”, and “The Future”. 

Whilst in the first part, Moran highlights a lot of topic of the past 16 years like new technological innovations, cultural diversity and the Queen’s jubilee, she introduces this section with a pure kind of critique of this century: she stresses how she loves capitalism but at the same time, she really thinks it needs an update. Like computers or smartphones. 

That is what is so typical for Caitlin Moran: she doesn’t make things more complicated than they are; she calls it by its name. And let’s be honest, that’s what we all love about her.

The second section is “The Feminisms”-part where she gives a lot of life advice for young girls and aging ladies. And she calls for equality. Similar to things you can read in her debut novel “How to Be a Woman”, she raises attention to the unncessesary time and effort women “have” to put in clothes, make-up, fitness and body hair issues. And the section includes serious topics like Female Genital Mutilation to everyday sexist experiences probably every woman can relate to.

Notably, Moran includes a lot of lists. For me as a passionate list-writer, this is fantastic. But I assume a lot of people feel this way: a lot of sex and a lot of lists and a lot of inspiration in one book - who could ask for more?

Moran then takes a look into the future and talks about the things she would like to see in it: more of Benedict Cumberbatch, more understanding for the working class, less homework. This part is where Moran really shows what she said in the introduction: you don’t have to be a writer to say what you want. Everyone’s little part is what will make the difference.

And so, Moran concludes with her “Moranifesto”. It’s a hillarious and at the same time very thought-through list of things she’s like to see imporoved. Because they don’t work the way they are now. Again. Ranging from “1. Electoral Reform” to “ 3. Andy Burnham to sing Dr. Hook’s “Sexy Eyes” at the next Labour Party Conference” and “13. Complete protection of abortion rights [..]”.

“We must not dare waste a second of our only, exploding existence, thinking that “It will be better . . .later” is ever a thing to say. If we say these things cannot be cone, we are in denial of humanity. We are perversely proud to be small. And we are not. Trying. Hard. Enough.” 

Caitlin Moran’s “Moranifesto” again proofs how much this woman has to say - and how many of those things really should be heard. Not only the included Posthumous letter to her daughter is so touching, no, what is emotional, what is so inspiring about Moran’s writing is how much honesty she offers the reader. Even though a lot of her views aren’t particularily suprising to readers like me who have basically binge-read her other books, with “Moranifesto”, Caitlin Moran takes it a step further to talk not “only” about feminism but about other  serious topics: realistic and important.

[03.01.2017]