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  • Hags

  • The Demonisation of Middle-Aged Women
  • By: Victoria Smith
  • Narrated by: Victoria Smith
  • Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (41 ratings)
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Hags cover art

Hags

By: Victoria Smith
Narrated by: Victoria Smith
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Summary

'Rich, complex and witty' ROSE GEORGE, SPECTATOR

'Devastating and clever' BEL MOONEY, DAILY MAIL

'Could not be more necessary' RACHEL COOKE, OBSERVER

What is about women in their forties and beyond that seems to enrage - almost everyone?

In the last few years, as identity politics have taken hold, middle-aged women have found themselves talked and written about as morally inferior beings: the face of bigotry, entitlement and selfishness, to be ignored, pitied or abused.

In Hags, Victoria Smith asks why these women are treated with such active disdain. Each chapter takes a different theme - care work, beauty, violence, political organization, sex - and explores it in relation to middle-aged women's beliefs, bodies, histories and choices. Smith traces the attitudes she describes through history, and explores the very specific reasons why this type of misogyny is so very now. The result is a book that is absorbing, insightful, witty and bang on time.
©2023 Victoria Smith (P)2023 Hachette Audio UK

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So sorry, from one happy to be Hag.

I was so lucky to be brought up as a ‘poor’ council house kid in the 1940’s by my amazing parents who taught me that I was a human being. Not a girl, but a whole human being. A person who had a life to live in whatever way I chose. My responsibilities for those choices were to be careful of others in whatever I did. My rights for those choices was also associated with a care for others, not just as a girl but as a member of the whole human race. I make those choices still.
Feminism for my generation, go Germaine Greer, was about having the opportunity to make those choices unhindered by the increasing demands of outsiders. Eg Male dominated governments and societies; religions of most types; creating a lower classes that are gender specific.
We are all different with different positive influences to bring to this world.
I must admit that the more I listened to you Victoria the more frustrated I got by the attitude to those who are ‘old’. It seemed to me that I was irrelevant. Much of the angst you have I admit has been caused by us oldies as we tried to give you a life somewhat different and probably misdirected to that which was plotted out for us by our previous generation. Yet you seem to have slipped back into feeling that you are not valued enough and need yet more.
Welcome the idiotic fantasy world created by Walt Disney and his trivial world that still has incredible power in these celebrity controlled times. I must look like, I must be like, I must have loads of money like, etc etc. Oh dear! There are millions of people around this world who struggle to live on the less than basic level. Forget your rights to make up, hair does, clothing made by those same underpaid people living on the edge of death, fancy food trends, again etc etc.
In the ‘western civilisation’ world we have become a selfish, entitled society with our eyes turned away from the real needs of humanity. Climate change appears to be more important that humans. Humans whatever gender need changes now, not in thousands or millions of years in the future.
I am still trying to listen and perhaps understand what this book is really about and may well have a different review to write if and when I finish it.

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20 people found this helpful

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Saying Out Loud....

Listened to this once so far but will be listening to it a few more times to take in everything but just wanted to say it was wonderful to read 'out loud' what am sure most of us 'Hags' have thought as we hit 'haghood'. Young women should read/listen to this and at least take note of what is said even if they feel like the author when she was younger that what is being said is not applicable to them. An honest and open book - don't want to say too much and spoil it for others. I think all men should be made to read this as well - some will of course still look at older women with disgust and waste of space but hopefully some will realise their mums and other older females in their lives still have plenty to offer them and everyone.

Listening to another book to cleanse the palate and then will give it a second listen and will update this review if I feel I can add to it.

This old 'Hag' definitely recommends it.

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Tiresome

Wingeing repetitive rubbish and I’m still not sure, after six chapters who she is fighting for

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4 people found this helpful

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Wonderful piece of work

Such a powerful argument. I’m a man who has always tried to be a good feminist, but I’ve definitely fallen into some of the traps Smith discusses here and I’m glad she has been able to put me right. I think anyone who is prepared to dive into this book will come out a better feminist than they were before.

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3 people found this helpful

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A sober reflection on how patriarchy divides generations of women

The depth of the analysis and the insights in this sometimes made me catch my breath. It is revelatory. I’m going to have to get the book as well because I know I will need to refer to the analysis in it in future because it has pricked my consciousness so many times. Overall it’s a fantastic contribution to feminist thought.

I can’t fault the narration either, the author speaks with an engaging tone and at a pace I was content with.

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An Important and Valuable Work

This is essential reading/listening for anyone interested in feminism. Smith’s writing is razor sharp and cuts straight to the bone, while remaining balanced and well researched.

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The moment I recognised myself

This is such an important book. Do I only think it's important because I am now an invisible middle-aged hag? Maybe, but I like to think that if it had been recommended to me in one of my younger incarnations of feminism, I would have read it and not dismissed it.

I plan to pass it on to some of the younger women I know...

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2 people found this helpful

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A timely study of the real life of women

Hugely important. Victoria Smith succinctly and painfully reminds women of a certain age of how they too once thought they could escape the fate of their elders, as well as being hugely empathetic and supportive to the next generation of young women when history inevitably repeats itself.

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Important book

Brilliant and important book I will be recommending and gifting to the other hags in my life.

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The demonisation of midle aged women

This book explores how society marginalises and demonises older women. Links to current events.

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