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Abortion

a personal story, a political choice
4.33 goodreads logo

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( 464 ratings, 69 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Abortion by Pauline Harmange and Caitlin O'Neil delves into the scientific, social, and historical facets of abortion. It explores the complex debates and personal stories surrounding this topic, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject. This book offers an insightful look into the medical, ethical, and societal dimensions of abortion, encouraging readers to contemplate its multifaceted impact.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're interested in exploring the nuanced and multifaceted topics of reproductive rights and ethics within the realm of Science & Nature. It offers insightful perspectives and thought-provoking discussions that engage with the broader implications of decision-making in reproductive health.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

From the author of I Hate Men, a personal and political reflection on abortion rights.

Discussion about abortion and associated rights are often limited to either ‘anti-abortion’ or ‘pro-choice’, the latter of which focuses on the importance of having the right to choose, rather than on what that right means for real people.

In this timely essay, Pauline Harmange provides an intimate, detailed account of her abortion. Reminiscent of Annie Ernaux's Happening, Abortion is nuanced, complex, honest, and precise. Harmange gives voice to the emotions, reflections, and contradictions that someone could experience when they choose to terminate a pregnancy.

At a time in which women's reproductive rights are being called into question around the world, Abortion is a clarion call, a powerful personal testimony, and a resolutely political vision—to restore power to our experiences, all our experiences, by sharing them, and to transform society for the better.

In this personal essay, Harmange explores the need for a space in which women are free to talk about the feelings of ambivalence, negativity, sadness and insecurity that can follow an abortion. When she decided to undergo this procedure because of her economic circumstances, she thought it would be "quick and easy, over and done". But it wasn't that simple. While she didn't regret it, she still had to live with the legacy of society's attitudes toward the termination of pregnancy and her own body's visceral response. Her candid ruminations add valuable nuance to this fraught debate. - Fiona Capp, The Sydney Morning Herald

In this nuanced account, Harmange (I Hate Men) reflects on her decision to have an abortion ... She uses her story as a launching pad to explore the politics of abortion and laments that taboo inhibits frank discussion of the "feelings of ambiguity, negativity, sadness, and insecurity" that can accompany the procedure ... Harmange excels at illuminating intersections between the personal and the political, and her willingness to probe her own pain makes for powerful reading. Timely and affecting, this packs a punch. - Publishers Weekly

Abortion—a personal story, a political choice ... defuses arguments on both sides of the abortion rights issue by presenting an intelligent, heartfelt understanding of what matters most ... a solid, thought-provoking read that proves to be a noteworthy effort to open a much-needed discussion about a societal taboo. - Shelf Awareness

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781761380020

Publisher: Scribe Publications

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 04 April 2023

Country: Australia

Imprint: Scribe Publications

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 12.0mm

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 204.0mm

Weight: 170g

Pages: 96

About the Author

Pauline Harmange (Author) Pauline Harmange (born 1995) is a French feminist writer and self-declared misandrist who became the subject of international news coverage after her 96-page essay I Hate Men sold out its press run after a French governmental official attempted to censor the book. She lives in Lille. Caitlin O'Neil (Author) Caitlin O'Neil is a literary publicist and translator from the French. Her translations have appeared in Literary Hub, Southwest Review, and Asymptote Journal. Her translation of Corinne Hoex's Gentlemen Callers (Dalkey Archive Press, 2022) was praised by the New York Times for its 'vivid, witty aplomb'.

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