Girldrive by Emma Bernstein & Nona Aronowitz

by Pierre Joris · September 26, 2009

Girldrive

Nona Willis Aronowitz

now out!

Girldrive reading at KGB Bar in NYC on Oct 29 at 7 p.m.
Girldrive launch at A.I.R. Gallery in NYC on Oct 30 at 7:30 p.m.

from Seal Press

Nona and Emma have done what I suspect many women, young and old, have
always dreamed of doing: Hit the open road with nothing more than a
partner in crime, a full tank of gas, a playlist of good music, a pad
of paper, a camera, and an unyielding curiosity. The duo – self-
described progressives from New York with impeccable credentials in
East Coast establishment feminism—aren’t content to let their
backgrounds define the history of gender equality in the U.S…. or
its future. Instead, they take—nay, create—the opportunity to
explore the nooks and crannies of their country, their female
compatriots, their friendship, and their own psyches through a Thelma
& Louise-like trip around the United States in which they interview
and photograph a diverse sampling of American women. Unlike the title
characters of that beloved 1991 film however, Nona and Emma’s journey
is notable in that they are traveling to, not away, from something,
namely, an understanding of contemporary feminism, both its successes
and limitations. Girldrive is part travel diary, part social document,
part art exhibit and, sadly, part eulogy; not only do I recommend it
highly, I have to admit that I’m insanely jealous I didn’t think of it
first.
—Anna Holmes, Founder/Editor, Jezebel.com

Girldrive is the first book on feminism I’ve seen based on the Web 2.0 model: short conversational stories, striking pictures, multi-racial. I wanted to click “share” every time I started reading another young woman’s reflection on gender and politics and how the two intertwine with race, class and geographical experiences. It reminds me that feminism (like this country) has its strength in its diversity, in its many voices. Girldrive is truly a roadmap to feminism today and a must-read for anyone who wants to know where its future is headed.
—Daisy Hernández, Editor, ColorLines magazine

Girldrive is a fascinating, fiery, dramatic whirlwind tour through
modern-day women’s lives. Aronowitz and Bernstein treat feminism both
as sacred and something that can, and is, being refashioned, and in
some cases, dismissed in favor of other ways of advancing change.
Thankfully, they don’t only talk to self-described “feminists,” but to
all sorts of women of different ages, races, sexualities, and belief
systems. Girldrive is very likely to make you excited, impassioned,
and, at times, infuriated–and that’s a good thing. Rather than
handing you preformatted answers, Girldrive lets its diversity of
opinion speak to you, rather than for you.
—Rachel Kramer Bussel, Editor, Dirty Girls: Erotica for Women, Host,
in The Flesh Reading Series