The Soul of a Woman: Rebel Girls, Impatient Love, and Long Life

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Isabel highlights that it would be easy for someone of the feminism generation to comment saying that the older women should have fought harder but, across the world during this era, women were often happy with their chosen paths in life. Therefore, to challenge this was often never a consideration. It is only, years later, that we realise how their inaction has slowed down our progress. How does Isabel Allende view feminism?

Allende’s entire life journey has informed her work as both writer and activist, with a focus on women’s lives. As her opening sentence declares, “When I say that I was a feminist in kindergarten, even before the concept was known in my family, I am not exaggerating.” That identity was forged by observing the constraints on her mother’s and grandmother’s lives, hearing the lessons and instructions of her unenlightened but beloved grandfather, and watching women not as privileged as she was. Chilean machismo and the country’s historic events also influenced her thinking and worldview. In most of the world, a woman’s value is tied to her youth and beauty and the objectification of women is still very much an issue. On top of that, take a moment to reflect on how men and women are viewed differently on the subject of sex. Men are almost praised for having multiple sexual partners whereas women are vilified.

Of her writing life, Allende says, “I am no longer tormented by an excess of discipline. . . . Now I write for the pleasure of telling a story . . . I write about what I care for, in my own rhythm. . . . The race uphill is over; now I stroll calmly in the land of intuition . . .” It is that kind of sharing that makes this lovely book seem like we are having “an informal chat” with this wise woman whose spirit is infectious. I really loved Isabel Allende’s latest book, Long Petal of the Sea, so I was very interested in learning about the author herself. She certainly has much to say. She has lived through many difficult times and happy days and describes these so well. The seven decades she has lived have given her this perspective. If I was to sum her life up in one word it would be passion. That comes from having a purpose in life, letting go of things that are not really important, and loving those she cherishes.

The Soul of a Woman is billed as “The collected wisdom of literary legend Isabel Allende – a meditation on power, feminism and what it means to be a woman”. Allende is, according to her biographical note, “one of the most widely read authors in the world,” a woman who has “authored twenty-six bestselling books that have been translated into more than forty-two languages and sold more than seventy-four million copies”. She has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. Fictional female characters that boast bravado in storylines from the Middle Ages is one thing. Real flesh and blood, fire-breathing females in real life is another. And that compels us to look over our shoulders in gratitude for those who came before us and the realization to take on a willingness to forge ahead for today's little girls who will become tomorrow's stoic women. What part will we play? Women also have to learn to step up, get a good education, learn about life and stay clear of men who are the enemy. There are many but at the same time in the U.S., can't speak about the rest of the world since I'm a U.S citizen, men have come a long ways in recognizing behaviors that are wrong, hurtful and disrespectful of women. That's not to say there aren't plenty that still do and take advantage if they can. And the solution? Well, that would be feminism, which Isabel considers to be both a philosophy and a movement committed to ending male dominance. Importantly, feminism isn’t just about helping women play the game of patriarchy. It’s about replacing it with a better system altogether –⁠ one in which femininity is considered just as valuable as masculinity.Isabel highlights that a feeling of invisibility and inequality is infuriating for all, not just women, but it does seem that females are less likely to be seen than men. She also stresses that some countries are further forward then others with their treatment towards all genders, highlighting that in Chile, especially when she was growing up, was light years from the advances in Feminism in Europe and the United States, and is therefore still behind many nations today. The patriarchy is stony, Feminism, like the ocean, is fluid, powerful, deep, and encompasses the infinite complexity of life; it moves in waves, currents, tides and sometimes in storms. Like the ocean, feminism never stays quiet. Nowadays, agism is politically incorrect, as sexism and racism have been for decades, but nobody pays any attention. There’s a monumental anti-aging Industry, as if aging were a character flaw”. The couple were living in Peru with three children when Panchita’s husband abandoned her. Divorce was illegal at the time, so they decided to annul the marriage. The husband only agreed to do so on the condition that he would never have to take care of his children again. One of those children was Isabel. Allende discusses her past matter-of-factly and directly, without losing her piquante humor. Her mother was an unconventional and vivacious woman who grew bitter under the heavy hand of patriarchy and misogyny. Allende decided to adopt a different way of life for herself, despite the misgivings of her mother and stepfather, the Chilean ambassador to Argentina. She details her career from its roots in feminist journalism through the literary pursuits that made her a success in spite of adversity and personal tragedy.

Being in the later years of her life, she also reflects on that era, on the post retirement years and her attitude towards them, how she sees that she has changed, what she is and isn't prepared to compromise on. Whether Isabel was examining the inner world of her personal experiences, recounting her own inspiring journey...or offering wisdom and insights - teachings to pass on to the younger generation of women .... From the New York Times bestselling author of A Long Petal of the Sea comes “a bold exploration of womanhood, feminism, parenting, aging, love and more” (Associated Press).For new Allende readers, Soul of a Woman figures to be an enlightening experience. For me, it was like a visit with an old friend. Having experienced her words many times, this short volume felt like sitting down with a special aunt for a cup of tea. We may not spend much time together but the time we do have is to be cherished. This manual feels like a talk that Allende was unable to give over the past year or perhaps a graduation speech at a progressive school of thought. Despite having few stories that I did not already know, Allende’s words are well received by me. As she approaches eighty years, she vows to continue writing as her life nears the century mark. With her family’s genetic propensity toward longevity I hope this is the case. Isabel Allende is a special person and she never seems to run out of stories to tell. As long as she writes, I will read it, no matter how busy my life may be. Growing up in a patriarchal country, where women are considered second-rate items rather than human beings, Isabel Allende's book resonates with me to the fullest. Allende] executes this epistolary memoir with the same authenticity and poetry that grace her fiction. . . . Allende is a survivor worth reading and emulating.” — The Dallas Morning News In short, it is one of the most insightful books I have read on the topic and rather than reading my thoughts on it, I strongly suggest you read it for yourselves. Never have I felt such a strong desire to fight for what should rightly be mind after reading a book. I don’t believe that Isabel Allende’s intention was to cause an uprising, but to provide more information on the subject and whilst I don’t intend to start marching in the streets, it has made me realise that perhaps I do let others walk over me more than I should and that I do need to take my future into my own hands. a b Johnson, Connie (August 29, 1998). " 'Soul' a Stirring Debut Album for Price". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved February 14, 2023.