Men explain things to me begins with the author narrating an everyday, mundane experience. This anecdote might feel like shocking from a man’s perspective but yeah as women, we are very much used to such “mansplaining”.

Although, the author categorically mentions that her brilliantly written essay has given birth to this term, but she would like to distance herself as far away as possible from it. The connection is coincidental at the most as her essay goes far beyond in explaining the aforementioned trait and tries to actually break down how women are treated in everyday, normal, regular scenarios. The way this author breaks down the causes and effects of this behaviour, is certainly quite extraordinary to read.

Rest of the essays from this series are equally focused on the fate of women folk at the hands of society. The society which decides how and what is acceptable as womanly traits, how women should think and feel but better not to ask for anything or expect returns, for that matter even self-respect.

She gives numerous, real world examples of how women have suffered and are still facing innumerable consequences because of this deep rooted misogynistic view. In her brilliant prose and with empathetic writing, she quotes the infamous cases from New Delhi to Paris with quite handful from other parts of the world such as her home country of USA.

One of the essay titled Woolf’s Darkness: Embracing the Inexplicable, gives us a glimpse of how the legendary writer has influenced and shaped the thinking of Rebecca Solnit. From Woolf’s nuanced observations about womanhood, her understanding of gender roles and lifelong issues with loneliness, the author takes her readers to understand what the future holds for various gender roles and all is not lost for keeping hopes about the future.

Pandora’s Box and the Volunteer Police Force is the most recent essay in this collection and connects the classical myth to the present world. It relates both of these opposites in such a fashion which eventually leads to the tale of Pandora’s box on its head and how. This essay will surely connect with so many of new age women in so many ways.

Yes, so I would surely recommend this little powerhouse collection of essays to all those who are trying to understand the patriarchal society and also to those who are looking forward to a more equal future.