Let’s Read Cassandra Speaks
Looking for a good book to read, and a place to talk about it?
In January/February, you can have both!
Welcome to the 39and counting book club for:
Cassandra Speaks - When women are the storytellers, the human story changes by Elizabeth Lesser.
What story would Eve have told about picking the apple? Why is Pandora blamed for opening the box? And what about the fate of Cassandra who was blessed with knowing the future but cursed so that no one believed her? What if women had been the storytellers?
Elizabeth Lesser believes that if women’s voices had been equally heard and respected throughout history, humankind would have followed different hero myths and guiding stories—stories that value caretaking, champion compassion, and elevate communication over vengeance and violence.
Cassandra Speaks is about the stories we tell and how those stories become the culture. It’s about the stories we still blindly cling to, and the ones that cling to us: the origin tales, the guiding myths, the religious parables, the literature and films and fairy tales passed down through the centuries about women and men, power and war, sex and love, and the values we live by. Stories written mostly by men with lessons and laws for all of humanity. We have outgrown so many of them, and still they endure. This book is about what happens when women are the storytellers too—when we speak from our authentic voices, when we flex our values, when we become protagonists in the tales we tell about what it means to be human. - Summary taken from Amazon.com
This was one of the best books I read this year. As soon as I finished reading it, I not only wanted to read it again, I also wanted to talk about it. As a writer and storylistener, I have always been fascinated by stories. The stories we tell, and the ones that we read, that tell us about the world.
Elizabeth Lesser considers how so many of the stories we are familiar with have shaped the world’s view of women, and our view of the world. And she asks (and ponders the answer to) the question - what if women had been the storytellers?
As a woman who is passionate about other women telling their stories, and sharing them with the world, this book was a breath of fresh air, and I would love you to join me in reading and discussing it in January/February.
Monday 18th January (time to be confirmed) - Part 1 - Origin Stories Discussion
Monday 1st February (time to be confirmed) - Part 2 - Power Stories Discussion
Monday 15th February (time to be confirmed) - Part 3 - Brave New Ending Discussion
Grab a copy of the book and drop me an email here so that I can send you the link for the calls.
There is no cost for these calls! I just can’t wait to talk about this amazing book with you!
And I send you big love from a small island.
PS if you want to hear her talking about the book, check out Elizabeth Lesser on the Good Life Project podcast.