Commuter Reads : We Should All Be Feminists

My next instalment of commuter reads comes from my all time favourite author. When I started the Commuter Reads  series I did mention that I loved literature from African writers. Well before I continue,  please allow me to introduce to you Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Ms  Adichie is a Nigerian novelist whose first novel, Purple Hibiscus, had me hooked from the first paragraph. But it was really her novel Americanah which won her the accolade as my favourite author. She executes the art of storytelling with such finesse and mastery. 

And for those of us in the African Diaspora, with a longing to know our roots, we crave stories that will bring us closer to motherland. I consider it a personal privilege to be able to read Chimamanda's work which brings characters and places and things to life so that you can literally taste, smell and feel the words you are reading. Her vivid descriptions colour the narrative and pulls you right into the heart of her scenes. 

"his advice to me...feminists are women who are unhappy because they cannot find husbands"
( yeah right! )

We Should All Be Feminists, which is an extension of a Tedx talk she held in 2013 is her latest piece that I read, and I must say like all her other creations I just couldn't get enough of it once I cracked the book open. I gulped every single word of it in one sitting.  Although I should have trusted that this would be just as good I was sceptical about reading it for two reasons:

1. I've always treated the term feminism with  contempt,  which I now know is because of my lack of understanding of it. After all how could I align myself with a movement that evoked so much anger and fighting against the status quo? How can I count myself a feminist when I don't hate men. I have always wanted to be someone's doting wife, and I loved lipstick so much?

2. It's a nonfiction piece of work. I just wasn't in the mood to read an essay. Although Chimamada has always used her novels as a platform from which to address social issues experienced by Africans, the message was always cushioned by the narrative. I guess I was scared that a non-fictional piece, may perhaps be too blunt. 

"Gender as it functions today is a grave injustice".

Well Chimamanda directly addresses my first concern within the first two pages, by speaking to my ignorance with her in depth analysis of what it really means to be feminist . Also within the first ten minutes of reading she addresses my second concern. I quickly realised that storytelling is woven into the fabric of this essay, which gives it some warmth and a tone of endearment.  She has so many anecdotal examples from her personal experiences as a woman living in Nigeria,  which complements her points nicely.

"All of us, women and men, must do better"

What  I particularly love is that she doesn't just address how gender equality affects women but how also how gender construction has also done a disservice to men.

I think I should stop here because I  probably will give too much away. But I'd like to finish by saying We Should All Be Feminists is only 99p on Amazon Kindle so there is NO excuse for not purchasing. Even, the paperback is little over £3 on Amazon. Also it's a very short and fairly easy read, so won't take up too much of your time. In fact it can probably be read in one train journey depending on how fast you read.

Can I now call myself a feminist? Chimamanda makes such a convincing case, but hmmm... I'd say maybe I am in some ways but still not entirely. (Ms Adichie, I hope we can still be friends!)

PRODUCT REVIEW: HOUSE OF SOLO

I am soooooo excited to be writing this post because alas!..it is our first ever product review. Ladies, I present to you 

House of Solo

House of Solo Magazine is the latest glossy magazine featuring fashion, art and culture to hit the shelves, and is brought to you by photographer Abeiku and fellow blogger Missy May, along with their team. 

When I first opened its package, I noticed immediately the quality of the pages - very much like many of the high end glossies you find in the shops, or even the Next Directory that gets posted through my door every season. This is a far cry from the flimsy paper new and small publications often come with. 

A flick through House of Solo allows one to feast their eyes on high quality content. Hi-res photos, with deep and bright colours, juxtaposed with easy to read articles, and interviews from creatives in the industry. 

This makes the perfect coffee table "flick through", or handbag filler, that you can whip out and read whilst waiting for your hair or dentist appointment (or any appointment for that matter!) It's also your perfect go-to for style inspiration, be it your personal style, home decor style or lifestyle.

When I asked Missy May, what the main purpose of House of Solo, she simply replied "it's to entertain, to inspire and to inform". She also mentioned that it's to "give a voice to the voiceless". Strange strap line for a glossy mag, you might say, but House of Solo is all about shining a spotlight on artists, and creatives who would otherwise go unnoticed, be it painters, writers, models or photographers. 

"House of Solo [will] 

entertain, inspire, 

and inform...it's 

about giving a voice 

to the voiceless"

                                     - Missy May

The first issue is The Fashion Issue and has all the features one might expect: high end fashion shots, fashion based articles and dreamy art that will capture your imagination. However, please do expect a lot more than that, because the magazine, which will be released quarterly will touch on everything from culture and social issues, to sports and motivation, so please stay tuned for more from the House of Solo. 

"House of Solo will 

touch on everything 

from culture and 

social issues, to 

sports and motivation"

In short, if you are a culture vulture, or are interested in refined as well as edgy art and fashion, then House of Solo is for you. 

Intrigued? I urge you to check it out at www.houseofsolo.co.uk or purchase the print edition from MagCloud.