Angry Women

Angry Women is a collection of interviews with female artists and activists conducted by V. Vale and Andrea Juno in the early 1990s. The book features conversations with 16 prominent figures including Diamanda Galás, Lydia Lunch, Karen Finley, and bell hooks. The interviews explore themes of feminism, performance art, sexuality, censorship, and radical politics through direct discussions with the featured women. Each subject speaks about their creative work, personal experiences, and perspectives on gender and power in society. The conversations document an important period in feminist art and thought, capturing the voices of performers and thinkers who challenged social norms through their work. Many of the interviews address controversial topics and artistic expressions that faced opposition or censorship during that era. Through these raw, unfiltered dialogues, the book presents a snapshot of feminist counterculture and experimental art at the intersection of politics and personal expression. The collected interviews reveal patterns of resistance and rebellion that influenced subsequent generations of artists and activists.

Readers highlight this book's raw and direct interviews with feminist artists and performers from the early 1990s. Many note its documentation of pre-internet underground culture and radical feminist art. Positive reviews focus on the diverse perspectives presented, particularly enjoying interviews with Lydia Lunch, Diamanda Galás, and Karen Finley. Readers value the book as a snapshot of third-wave feminism and performance art. Multiple reviews mention its usefulness as a reference for feminist history. Critical reviews point to uneven interview quality, with some readers finding certain conversations meandering or self-indulgent. Several note the book's dated references and context-dependent content. Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.05/5 (270 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (12 ratings) Common reader quote: "Like eavesdropping on conversations between brilliant, unapologetic women." Criticism quote: "Some interviews feel unfocused and could use stronger editing."

Females by Andrea Long Chu A series of essays examining gender, desire, and feminism through personal narrative and critical theory.

Women, Culture & Politics by Angela Davis The book connects feminist thought with race, class, and global liberation movements.

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde Essays and speeches explore the intersections of race, sexuality, gender, class, and age through radical feminist perspective.

Feminism Is for Everybody by bell hooks The text presents core feminist concepts and their relationship to systems of power and oppression.

Gender Trouble by Judith Butler A theoretical work that challenges traditional notions of gender and identity through philosophical analysis.

🔹 The book contains raw, unfiltered interviews with 16 radical female performance artists and cultural critics from the early 1990s, including Kathy Acker, Diamanda Galás, and Karen Finley. 🔹 Published by RE/Search Publications in 1991, it became an influential text in third-wave feminism and helped document the emerging "riot grrrl" movement. 🔹 Several artists featured in the book had been involved in censorship battles with the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts), particularly Karen Finley, who later became known as one of the "NEA Four." 🔹 V. Vale founded RE/Search Publications after running the influential punk rock magazine "Search & Destroy" in the 1970s, and has been documenting underground culture in San Francisco for over four decades. 🔹 The book's confrontational black-and-white photography and intimate interview format influenced numerous subsequent publications about feminist art and activism.