Description
Book Synopsis: Sharp and thought-provoking, this memoir-meets-cultural criticism upends the romanticism of the Great Plains and the patriarchy at the core of its ideals. For many Americans, Kansas represents a vision of Midwestern life that is good and wholesome and evokes the American ideals of god, home, and country. But for those like Jessa Crispin who have grown up in Kansas, the realities are much harsher. She argues that the Midwestern values we cling to cover up a long history of oppression and control over Native Americans, women, and the economically disadvantaged. Blending personal narrative with social commentary, Crispin meditates on why the American Midwest still enjoys an esteemed position in our country's mythic self-image. Ranging from The Wizard of Oz to race, from chastity to rape, from radical militias and recent terrorist plots to Utopian communities, My Three Dads opens on a comic scene in a Kansas rent house the author shares with a (masculine) ghost. This prompts Crispin to think about her intellectual fathers, her spiritual fathers, and her literal fathers. She is curious to understand what she has learned from them and what she needs to unlearn about how a person should be in a family, as a citizen, and as a child of god—ideals, Crispin argues, that have been established and reproduced in service to hierarchy, oppression, and wealth. Written in Crispin's well-honed voice—smart, assured, comfortable with darkness—My Three Dads offers a kind of bleak redemption, the insight that no matter where you go, no matter how far from home you roam, the place you came from is always with you, "like it or not."
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Looking for a captivating and eye-opening book that challenges traditional notions of the Great Plains and the patriarchy? Look no further than "My Three Dads: Patriarchy on the Great Plains." This memoir-meets-cultural criticism is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the hidden truths behind the idyllic image of the American Midwest.
Author Jessa Crispin fearlessly exposes the harsh realities that lie beneath the surface of Kansas, debunking the myth of the "good and wholesome" Midwestern life. Through a powerful blend of personal narrative and social commentary, Crispin sheds light on the oppressive history of Native Americans, women, and the economically disadvantaged.
With a sharp and thought-provoking writing style, Crispin takes readers on a journey from The Wizard of Oz to reflections on race, from chastity to rape, and from radical militias to Utopian communities. She challenges readers to examine their own beliefs and perceptions, ultimately questioning the ideals of family, citizenship, and religion that have perpetuated hierarchy, oppression, and wealth.
Crispin's well-honed voice, filled with intelligence and comfort with darkness, offers a unique perspective on the American Midwest and its place in our nation's mythic self-image. "My Three Dads" is a book that will both challenge and inspire, leaving readers with a new understanding of their own roots and the impact of societal norms.
No matter where you go, the place you came from is always with you, whether you like it or not. Don't miss out on this enlightening and captivating read. Purchase "My Three Dads: Patriarchy on the Great Plains" now and delve into a world of intellectual exploration and honest self-reflection.
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