Suggested Books and Music

This page offers a small selection of books, authors, poets, and musicians that I deem "good" in addressing issues of rape and gendered violence.  This list is far from exhaustive but I feel it provides a starting point for those of you who wish to supplement your knowledge with more reading/listening.  Enjoy!!

The Books         The Authors          The Poets        The Musicians

The Books:
My personal Top 20 books on issues of gendered violence. 

Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape--Susan Brownmiller

A Woman Scorned: Acquaintance Rape on Trial--Peggy Reeves Sanday

The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women--Naomi Wolf

Battered Women and Feminist Lawmaking--Elizabeth M. Schneider

Cunt: A Declaration of Independence--Inga Muscio

Fraternity Gang Rape: Sex, Privilege, and Brotherhood on Campus--Peggy Reeves Sanday

I Never Called It Rape--Robin Warshaw 

Men on Rape: What they Have to Say about Sexual Violence--Timothy Beneke

The Politics of Rape: The Victim's Perspective--Dianna Russell

Pornography and Silence--Susan Griffen

Real Knockouts: The Physical Feminism of Women's Self-Defense--Martha McCaughey

Real Rape: How the Legal SystemVictimizes Women Who No--Susan Estrich

The Sacred Hoop--Paula Gunn Allen 

The Secret Trauma: Incest in the Lives of Girls and Women--Dianna Russell

Stopping Rape: A Challenge for Men--Rus Ervin Funk

Surviving the Silence: Black Women's Stories of Rape--Charlotte Pierce-Baker

This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color--Gloria Anzaldua and Cherrie Moraga

Transforming a Rape Culture--edited by Emilie Buchwald, Pamela Fletcher, Martha Roth

Woman Hating--Andrea Dworkin

Women and Male Violence:The Visions and Struggles of the Battered Women's Movement--Susan Schecter
 

Also...check out the Sexual Assault Information Page for more literature on sexual assault, relationship violence, incest, and rape.

The Authors:
Just about anything by any of these authors is outstanding!

  • Gloria Anzaldua
  • Angela Davis
  • Andrea Dworkin
  • bell hooks
  • Susan Griffen
  • Catherine MacKinnon
  • Toni Morrison
  • Peggy Reeves Sanday
  • Gloria Steinem
  • Naomi Wolf


The Poets:
These writers have used their poetry as a mode of resistance and to shed light on the issue of gendered violence.
  • Paula Gunn Allen
  • Maya Angelou
  • Susan Griffen
  • June Jordan
  • Audre Lorde
  • Marge Piercy
ALOUD: Voices from the Nuyorican Poet's Cafe--edited by Miguel Algarin and Bob Holman--A collection of in-your-face poetry about oppression, gender, sexuality, class issues, racism, and more. (especially check out Part IV "The Open Room")
 

The Musicians:
Some of the best of the best (in terms of what they sing about and their activism in "real life"):
  • Tori Amos
  • Tracy Chapman
  • Ani Difranco
  • Melissa Etheridge
  • the Indigo Girls
  • Sarah McLaughlin
  • Suzanne Vega


Compilation CD's--proceeds go to helping stop gendered violence:


Indiegrrl Compilation 2--proceeds go to Men Can Stop Rape

 
 
Octaves Beyond Silence Compilation CD--The Octaves project will benefit women in Bosnia, Rwanda, Afghanistan, and the U.S. and will include narratives from women from those countries. 

Some of the artists featured on the CD are the Indigo Girls, Ani DiFranco, Eve Ensler, and Me'Shell Ndegeocello. 

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