Marina Benjamin's work, evolving from journalism and arts editing to memoir, delves into the psychological underpinnings of mass movements, the elegy of technological change, and the layered histories of cultural minorities. She revitalizes the essay form with a modern sensibility, personally interrogating themes of aging and identity. Her writing is a compelling blend of confession, poetic exploration, and philosophical reflection, offering readers profound insights into the human condition.
Exploring the emotional and historical burdens women bear, this book delves into themes of generational identity and the everyday struggles that shape their experiences. It highlights the often-overlooked role of women in carrying not just their own stories but also those of others, emphasizing the continuity of history and the weight of emotional labor. Through insightful reflections, it offers a nuanced perspective on the complexities of women's lives and the significance of their contributions to society.
Featured in Stylist's 'Can't Miss' Books of 2023 Sometimes I think that carrying -- other people, the continuity of history, generational identity, the emotional load of the everyday -- is the main thing that women do. In Marina Benjamin's new set of interlinked essays, she turns her astute eye to the tasks once termed 'women's work'. From cooking and cleaning to caring for an ageing relative, A Little Givedepicts domestic life anew: as a site of paradox and conflict, but also of solace and profound meaning. Here, productivity sits alongside self-erasure, resentment with tenderness, and the animal self is never far away, perpetually threatening to break through. Drawing on the work of figures such as Natalia Ginzburg, Paula Rego, and Virginia Woolf, Benjamin writes with fierce candour of the struggle to overwrite the gender conditioning that pulls her back into 'the mud-world of pre-feminism' even as she attempts to haul herself out. From her upbringing as the child of immigrants with fixed traditional values, to looking after her mother and seeing her teenager move out of home, she examines her relationships with with family, community, her body, even language itself. Ultimately, she shows that a woman's true work may lie at the heart of her humanity, in the pursuit both of transformation and of deep acceptance.
An intense, lyrical, witty, and humane exploration of a state we too often consider only superficially. At once philosophical and poetical, Insomniaranges widely over history and culture, literature and art, exploring a threshold experience that is intimately involved with trespass and contamination: the illicit importing of day into night.
Exploring the profound changes brought on by menopause, the author reflects on both the losses and unexpected benefits of this significant life transition. By addressing a topic often shrouded in silence, the work highlights the importance of open dialogue about menopause, positioning it as a crucial experience comparable to puberty. The author's insights reveal the universal nature of this journey, making the discussion both timely and essential.
In a society obsessed with living longer and looking younger, what does middle age mean today? Spurred by her own brutal propulsion into menopause, Marina Benjamin's clear-eyed account of our middle years takes inspiration from literature and philosophy to weigh the challenges and opportunities of mid-life. It offers an inspired and expanded vision of how to be middle-aged happily and harmoniously, without sentiment or delusion.
Through a personal narrative, Marina Benjamin delves into the rich history and profound exile of Jews in Iraq, intertwining her family's experiences with broader historical themes. The book includes 16 pages of photographs, a family tree, and a map, enhancing the exploration of identity and belonging within the context of displacement and cultural heritage.
