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Brave Dames and Wimpettes: What Women Are Really Doing on Screen and Page
 
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Brave Dames and Wimpettes: What Women Are Really Doing on Screen and Page [Audio Cassette]

Susan Isaacs (Author)

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Product Details

  • Audio Cassette
  • Publisher: Audio Literature; Unabridged edition (January 1999)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0787118303
  • ISBN-13: 978-0787118303
  • Product Dimensions: 17.8 x 10.8 x 1.7 cm
  • Shipping Weight: 100 g

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Product Description

From Amazon.com

Susan Isaacs's witty imagination has peopled the world with brave dames in films like Compromising Positions and full-bodied novels such as 1998's Red, White, and Blue. The slender and interestingly ornery essay Brave Dames and Wimpettes is part of the monthly Library of Contemporary Thought series, whose most fun title so far is Carl Hiaasen's Disney-bashing diatribe Team Rodent (now available on audiocassette).

So, what's a "brave dame"? "They're passionate about something besides passion," Isaacs writes. Take Jo March, Elizabeth Bennet, Katharine Hepburn, and Roz Russell, who prove "women are as competent and brave as the next guy." Her fave dame, Jane Eyre, "had high moral standards, stood up to injustice, and was willing to leave civilization and face the wild, even death, rather than do wrong."

Wimpettes, who outnumber dames in pop culture, believe in masochism, subterfuge, betrayal of women, and deriving identity from their man. "The world stops at the white picket of their fences.... larger causes--racial equality, justice--are left to the guys."

The book is a romp through books, movies, and TV, as Isaacs puts dozens of women in their place on the dame/wimpette spectrum. Anita Hill? Feh! "This über-wimpette testified before Congress how she endured vile sex talk from a superior rather than (1) report him for harassment ... or (2) tell him to shut the hell up." Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Frances McDormand in Fargo are dames; Ally McBeal and Anne Archer in Fatal Attraction are wimpettes. (Note, however, that Ethan Coen told Amazon.com McDormand is the bad guy in Fargo and Steve Buscemi the good guy.) Julia Roberts is a wimpette in My Best Friend's Wedding but a dame in Mystic Pizza and The Pelican Brief.

Ideally, Isaacs's book should start a lot of excellent arguments. Don't wimp out! --Tim Appelo --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

The Library of Contemporary Thought series (from which Dove will be releasing new audio titles throughout the spring) gives popular authors a chance to tackle intellectual subjects in a format aimed at a general audience. Isaacs, whose novels of female empowerment (Lily White, etc.) enjoy a healthy cult of faithful followers, examines the roles of women as depicted in books and movies, finding them too often "wounded" and "abused." She divides contemporary "female protagonists" into "brave dames" and "wimpettes." What's refreshing is Isaac's comfortably familiar take on popular culture, as reflected in her dissection of such movies as Serial Mom, Baby Boom and Terminator 2. She's also not afraid to venture candid opinions on fellow popular novelists such as Thomas Harris and James Patterson. Reader Swope replicates the author's easy breeziness, in nonpretentious and appealingly accessible tones. But, how does Isaacs stack up against formidable feminist precursors such as Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem and Camille Paglia? Though no complete "wimpette," Isaacs fails to deliver deep insights or hardened convictions. She remains a popular entertainer at heart. Based on the 1999 Ballantine paperback. (Feb.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Amazon.com: 2.2 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Topic - Repetitive Thesis, Feb 3 1999
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Brave Dames and Wimpettes: What Women Are Really Doing on Page and Screen (Paperback)
After hearing the author talk on public radio, I was looking forward to new information and insights on how women are portrayed in tv, motion pictures, and literature. What Issacs states would be hard to argue, women ARE put into categories - strong vs. weak - or as she puts it, strong dames or wimpettes. However, I would argue that men are put in these categories, as well. It is a very quick read & does provide recommendations at the end concerning books, movies, and television programs that show strong women, not 'wimpettes'. I would suggest any parent or concerned other who feels women and girls are portrayed offensively read Issacs essay for a primer but actually write to the 'powers that be' that are in charge of network decisions,the movie makers, and, finally, the writers that put the 'pictures' in our minds of what a strong women really means.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Instead of reading this book, read Molly Haskells, Feb 24 1999
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Brave Dames and Wimpettes: What Women Are Really Doing on Page and Screen (Paperback)
I work in publishing and so have the nasty habit of reading the acknowledgement section first. I was initially put off by the fact that Ms. Isaacs thanks another person for doing the research. Then I read that this book came out of an article that was written in 1990. That it does, shows. While there are some references to current shows like lamo Ally McBeel, there are also a lot of tired references to shows like Hope & Gloria (anyone remember that one or it's impact?)And please, aren't we all a little tired of Thelma & Louise references?

Anyway, being a woman, and a woman who loves film, any kind of film and literature, I was very disappointed with this book. I thought it was on about the same level as a college essay, not something that belongs in the Library of Contemporary Thought. It's too "listy" and doesn't give enough arguement or meat--breaking everyone down into wimpettes and near wimpettes or whatever. While I do agree that there aren't many good roles for women these days, I also disagree with many of Isaacs assertions and feel that she missed a lot of good movies. For instance, Joy Luck Club, a facinating movie about women, mothers and daughters, overcoming societies rules and roles, and self-worth is dismissed in one sentence because showing women cooking is supposed to be bad in movies beause it shows us in traditional roles. Huh?


2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting subject, but a disappointing read., May 18 1999
By Sherry Kumar Simon (shermeela@compuserve.com) - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Brave Dames and Wimpettes: What Women Are Really Doing on Page and Screen (Paperback)
I have to admitt that it was the title of the book that caught my attention. I was excited to finally find a critique of modern women and the wimpy, unaccountable, excuse-making attitudes many television personalities inflict upon the viewers. My first disappointment was that the book focuses mainly on fictional TV characters, not real people. What is the point of criticising a fictional personality if it is the actress' job to portray her that way? The author missed out on the major wimpette of our time - Oprah Winfrey. While I don't mean to pick on Oprah, I want to point out that there are plently of true cases the author could have used in her book.
› Go to Amazon.com to see all 5 reviews  2.2 out of 5 stars 

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