‘We have reached a tricky crossroads in modern women’s lives and our collective daughters are bearing the brunt of some intolerable pressures…a manifesto for modern womanhood – and a guide through the perils and pitfalls of parenting girls.’ Melissa Benn What should we tell our daughters? The Pleasures and Pressures of Growing Up Female.
Melissa Benn is a writer, journalist and campaigner. Over the years she has written for a number of publications including The Guardian, The Independent, The Times, Marxism Today, the London Review of Books, Cosmopolitan, Public Finance and the New Statesman.
Benn is a successful author and has written six books. Her novel One of Us was not only shortlisted for Waterstone’s New Writer of the Year award at the British Book Awards in 2008, but selected by Richard and Judy as one of their best reads of the year.
In September 2013 she published What should we tell our daughters? The Pleasures and Pressures of Growing Up Female. Her book looks at the lives of young women today and debates the pressure and pleasures females endure growing up. Benn tackles the issue of why a growing number of daughters have such low-self-esteem and are increasingly suffering from depression – even turning to extremes such as self-harm. What should a mother tell her daughter when she cries that she isn’t pretty?
Benn encourages self-assurance and positivity – she is calling out for a vital change in attitudes towards and by women.
In conjunction with Newham Bookshop, Melissa Benn will be visiting Wanstead Library, Spratt Hall Road, Wanstead, London, E11 2RQ, to talk about her book. The event will take place on Tuesday 22 October, from 7 pm – 9pm and costs just £5.
Enquiries: Call 020 8708 7400 or Newham Bookshop 020 8552 9993 wanstead.library@visionrcl.org.uk
Post Author: Emily Polling
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