Geek Girls Don't Cry: Real-Life Lessons from Fictional Female Characters - Hardcover

Towers; Andrea

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1454933399 ISBN 13: 9781454933397

Publisher: Sterling Publishing Co Inc, 2019

Synopsis

What does it mean for a woman to be strong - especially in a world where our conception of a hero is still so heavily influenced by male characters like Batman, Spiderman and Superman? This book explores this subject, offering advice tailor-made for the fan-girl. Andrea Towers, who works in public relations at Marvel Entertainment and has written about superheroines for outlets such as Entertainment Weekly, outlines some of the primary traits heroic women can call upon, like resilience, self-acceptance and bravery, pulling in stories from real-life women, as well as figures from the pop-culture pantheon. She also interviews the creators of popular fictional heroines, who discuss how they drew from their own experiences to develop these protagonists and how, conversely, their own creations continue to inspire them.

About this title

Review

"In a market flush with biographical anthologies of awesome, powerful, and sometimes unknown women, Towers' book stands out, and not just because the women she discusses do not technically exist. She puts the creative in creative nonfiction as she takes the biographical details of fictional female characters and associates them with various real-life issues to empower and comfort readers. She looks at pop culture favorites from books, TV shows, movies, and comic books (aka Geek Girls), from Hermione Granger to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Xena, Warrior Princess to Black Widow, and how these women deal with topics like trauma, grief, depression, overcoming adversity, and isolation. Relating to a beloved icon can help readers deal with their struggle. Even if a reader is unfamiliar with one of the characters, they can still personalize and engage with Towers' interpretation of their story. The power of using Geek Girls' stories in this context does not discount the fun of discussing their stories, making this an enjoyable read for anyone interested in pop culture, with particular relevance to those working to overcome struggles." --Booklist (Starred review)

About the Author

A lifelong fan of pop culture and the individuals who make it, Andrea Towers has worked in the entertainment industry for more than 10 years--including in her current role at Marvel Entertainment. Her work has been published in outlets such as Entertainment Weekly, Paste Magazine, Mashable, Bustle, CVLUX, California Vibe, and Variety. She lives in New York City.

About this edition

• Publisher: Sterling Publishing Co Inc
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1454933399
• ISBN 13: 9781454933397
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 256