Book rec: The Heroine's Journey, by Maureen Murdock.
I recommend this book mostly for the introduction. It helped me understand a lot about my relationship with my mother, and the relationships many women born after 1970 have with their Boomer and Senior moms. The intro delves into the reasons some, even those who fought for their own rights and those of their children, also resent their daughters for the semi-equality younger women enjoy. That was enlightening to me.
It provides other insights into women's experiences and the female perspective in modern society. It isn't strictly feminist per se, but I can't recall anything anti-feminist in it. It's clearly written to be feminist friendly. I think of this author as sort of the feminist version of Joseph Campbell, in that her writing reimagines Western cultural archetypes from a woman's point of view. My only caution is that it's a tad New-Agey. (I seem to recall some discussion of Tarot symbols in here.
From the Amazon.com description:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Heroines-Journey-Maureen-Murdock/dp/0877734852/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336470972&sr=8-1
"This book describes contemporary woman's search for wholeness in a society in which she has been defined according to masculine values. Drawing upon cultural myths and fairy tales, ancient symbols and goddesses, and the dreams of contemporary women, Murdock illustrates the need for—and the reality of—feminine values in Western culture today."
Also from Amazon.com (Library Journal's review):
"Murdock traces her journey from rejection of the feminine in order to "succeed" in a masculine world; through discovery of the inadequacy of "success"; through a dark night of the soul and a killing of masculine divine images; to a discovery of the Goddess and of the feminine (including her own feminine embodiment); to a healing of the separated feminine and of the wounded masculine within herself. She ends with the hope for true conjunction, true union beyond duality. This personal book by a family therapist is especially recommended for public and seminary libraries."
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