Pre-Publication Review of Red Valkyries in Library Journal

Ghodsee packs a punch in her short volume focusing on five different Red Valkyries. Resistant to the label “feminist” because of its close association with the western liberal feminist agenda, Ghodsee explores her socialist women activists one by one, tracing their lives and work as they respond to some of the most significant Russian and world events of the 20th century. As an expert in her field, she deftly covers vast amounts of history, political theory, and complicated personal relationships in an accessible way for all levels of informed readers. She invokes a large body of research, which can be seen in the extensive notes section and the “suggestions for further reading” pages. But her prose is never too academic, and the little-known stories of the women are captivating. The Red Valkyries’ accomplishments, in everything from record-breaking sniper kills to the formation of several political institutions for women’s emancipation, help challenge narrow views of what it meant to empower women in the twentieth century. Ghodsee ends the book with nine overarching lessons to take from the women’s lives, which helps reframe their efforts for today’s activists. 

VERDICT A timely and fascinating volume for those interested in Russian and socialist history. 

Reviewed by Halie Kerns , Jun 01, 2022

FedCon 30 in Bonn!

Definitely the nerdiest thing I have done in a very long time, but it was so fun to be at a huge convention with so many fellow Sci-Fi fans in Germany. FedCon is Europe’s largest Star Trek convention and apparently way more manageable than the big Con in Las Vegas. I only had two day passes, but I enjoyed the panels and plunked down the absurd amount of cash to have my photos taken with Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes. And it was all in the name of research for my new work on feminist utopias.

Kollontai on abortion

“As long as women or men live under the pressure of unemployment, as long as the level of wages is not sufficient for a family, as long as housing conditions are unfavourable, and as long as the state does not make motherhood easier for every woman in various ways and does not provide social services for mother and child, it is clear that the women must stand up for free abortions.”
— Alexandra Kollontai 1936

Cover design of the forthcoming Japanese translation

The Japanese translation of Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism: And Other Arguments for Economic Independence is coming out in May, and they have changed the title to “Maybe it's capitalism that's keeping you from enjoying sex.” This image is the lonely woman under capitalism surrounded by her purchases and is an interesting twist of the themes of the book.