Book Review By Stephania Ebony
March 1, 2011
Feminine Reformation: A Goddess Meta Narrative
by Jayne Marie DeMente
Womens Heritage Project Publishers, 2010View Blog
www.womensheritageproject.ning.com
401 pages, $45.00
My personal library teems with books about the Goddess. Some of the volumes verge on New Age spirituality, whereas others can be best described as feminist manifestos. Quite a few are scholarly tomes, while many fall into the realm of pop culture. However, "Feminine Reformation, A Goddess Meta Narrative", described by Jayne DeMente, its, writer, editor, and contributor, as “a Thea/ology textbook” on Goddess studies, is a distinctive educational and inspirational resource unlike any I’ve ever encountered before. DeMente recommends its use to BA programs, libraries and book clubs, circle facilitators, spiritual leaders, physicians and healers, and global spiritual and political earth activists. I agree that its potential applicability is far-reaching.
DeMente draws upon the knowledge and the contributions of multiple experts in twelve chapters that describe our ancestors and foremothers in a number of geographical, anthropological, political, and historical settings. Each chapter features an associated map and timeline, a worksheet that presents thought-provoking questions, and an extensive reading list (including internet resources) that pertains to the contents of that chapter. The worksheets, which contain prompts and suggestions, provide convenient study guides for college students, but can be valuable as well for readers who are not attending college and want to learn on their own. The book is well-written, engrossing, and entertaining, and includes capsule biographies of Goddesses and famous women, definitions of possibly unfamiliar terminology, and poetry.
Feminine Reformation also contains some topics I’ve encountered less frequently in works about the Goddess. Unique among them is a discussion of the Gift Economy, in which money is donated to a cause to share, enlighten, and empower its recipients rather than merely to demonstrate the giver’s power. Another noteworthy entry is the chapter that focuses on men’s perception of the Goddess. A third significant account treats the issue of Gender and Partnership.
In addition to its own merits, Feminine Reformation piques the curiosity and offers a multitude of topics for further study, plus a reading list tailor made for the intellectually adventurous. I recommend it highly to readers who are attracted to the subject of feminine empowerment and its origins.
For further information about Feminine Reformation, including Jayne DeMente’s upcoming speaking schedule and where to purchase the book, please check the website, www.womensheritageproject.ning.com , or contact her at her email address, jaynemariepeace@aol.com . She also co-hosts the online radio program, Creatrix Media Live every third Sunday of the month at 11 a.m. PST at www.BlogTalkRadio.com . DeMente’s projected Southern California speaking engagements include the Akashic Bookshop in Thousand Oaks at the end of March and Village Books in Pacific Palisades in the spring (dates to be determined shortly). She will also be vending at the Solstice Faire in July in Long Beach, California and at the Gaia Festival 2011 in Australia.
