Rebecca Solnit, a long-time activist and author, burst into public consciousness in 2008 by coining the term “mansplaining” in an essay about men’s tendencies to interrupt women with a patronizing “well, actually. . .” The essay was originally published in Men Explain Things to Me. With its conversational tone and ability to make feminist theory accessible and hip, the book quickly became required reading for women everywhere. After the 2016 election, another Solnit title resurfaced in relevance: Hope in the Dark offered those frustrated and anxious about the election results a guide to persevering in the face of oppression. The book, an updated version of the one originally printed during the Bush Administration, saw a massive spike in sales, and by February 9, 2017 had hit a record six regional bestseller lists.
With her monthly Harper‘s column winning the 2017 Ellie Award in the “Columns and Commentary” category on February 7, and an ELLE Magazine profile dubbing her “the philosopher queen” (on stands now!), Solnit has continued to prove that the feminist movement is far from losing steam. If that wasn’t enough, Men Explain Things to Me (now available in Spanish as Los hombres me explican cosas) also hit the ABA Bestseller list on February 9, coming in at #34 in the Trade Paperback Nonfiction category for the ninth week.
The Women’s Marches internationally drew crowds totaling almost 5 billion, and the rights, tenacity, and history of women are at the forefront of national and international minds. Solnit has impeccable timing as her third book, The Mother of All Questions, hits stands March 7.
Stay tuned to hear Rebecca Solnit on Democracy Now! March 24 or March 28!