September 16, 2004
Questions Answered by the Book Babes
I'm a Sunday morning churchgoer trying to expand my cultural horizons. I need a book to read written by one of them uppity Negroes. Do you have any ideas?
Ellen responds: Yes! It's very good to expand your cultural horizons, particularly if you can't find an African-American living in your neighborhood (although I did hire one to wash my car last week!). Well, I'm happy to report that one of those uppity Negroes managed to win the Pultizer last year. I haven't read the book, but I understand that Edward Smith's The Unknown World is a hilarious book about slavery! So you may want to try there. I'm sure it's a howler!
There's also that Colson Whitehead fellow, who sure looks mighty pretty when Southern gentlemen like Richard Ford spit upon him. He won a good deal of money in that MacArthur Genius Lottery. But never mind Colson. I just know that Margo has the winning ticket!
Ever since The Red Tent, I've been looking for some ideas about women in the Bible. Can you give me some ideas?
Margo responds: Absolutely! First off, women were wonderfully oppressed in those days, often treated like chattel with very little rights after being paired up with a husband. Those were the good ol' days. And since I can definitely tell that you're a regular Good Housekeeping reader, I'm sure we can both agree that the times -- well, they're a-changing back. Vote Bush! Read whatever Laura tells you too. And remember that the only marriage that counts is one man and one woman!