When I was asked by Simon & Schuster to review the book Homeward Bound by Emily Matchar, I was very interested since I knew it was a book I could completely relate to. This book explores the entire movement toward a more “DIY” lifestyle and the fact that women are embracing this “new domesticity.” In this book, Matchar explores all of the reasons women are gravitating toward a more domestic, self-sufficient lifestyle reminiscent of generations past. She says, “A generation of smart, highly educated young people are spending their time knitting, canning jam, baking cupcakes, gardening, and more (and blogging about it, of course), embracing the labor-intensive domestic tasks their mothers and grandmothers eagerly shrugged off. Some are even turning away from traditional careers and corporate culture for slower, more home-centric lifestyles that involve “urban homesteading,” homeschooling their kids, or starting Etsy businesses. They’re questioning whether it’s okay to turn away from the ambitions of their parents’ generation.” She explores the reasons behind this shift as well as what all of this means for gender, the economy and more. (Here’s a video of Emily Matchar discussing the book.)
Obviously this book hits close to home for me (and will for many of you too), as I have embraced many aspects of the “new domesticity” whole-heartedly. (And I blog about it!) There are many reasons women are choosing to make things they could go out and buy instead. They want to be self-sufficient, they want to save money, they want more control over where their food and belongings come from, etc. Some people argue that it has caused a setback for what feminists have been fighting for all this time (we should be fighting for a place in the board room instead!) – others believe it is a feminist act in and of itself. I believe there is nothing weak or “old-fashioned” about choosing to stay home with your children and taking on “domestic duties.” There is something empowering about it actually. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I am able to say, “I cooked this meal and served it at the table I physically built with my two hands.” Doing things for yourself and being self-sufficient is empowering. It doesn’t mean you have to do or make everything yourself, but learning life skills is a positive, powerful thing. Also, many women are turning their love of DIY into legitimate businesses, enabling them to contribute financially to their family while simultaneously staying home to care for their children.
I found this book to be extremely interesting and relatable. There are so many reasons women have chosen to be “homemakers” and to learn skills that our grandmothers and great grandmothers used to do out of necessity. (Canning jam, knitting, and making clothing, for instance.) Our generation does this because we choose to – they did it because they had to. That is one of the most interesting things about it. This really has become a DIY “movement.” It’s certainly more than just a trend. I highly recommend that you check out Emily Matchar’s book. It explores the entire topic in depth and brings up very interesting points about the different types of motivation behind people’s decisions to do or make what they could otherwise purchase instead, as well as many people’s choice to embrace a lifestyle that they could afford to reject if they chose to. Even if you aren’t necessarily a DIY enthusiast, it’s still an interesting read as it explores the fascination with this new form of domesticity that so many of your peers may be embracing in their lives.
If you would like to purchase this book, it is available at Simon & Schuster as well as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM, Indiebound, Bookish, and Apple.
I’m very excited that Simon & Schuster is going to be giving away a copy of Homeward Bound to TWO of my readers! To enter, simply wait for the Rafflecopter box to load below, then follow the instructions. This giveaway ends Tuesday, June 25 at Midnight EST.