What is "Fascinating Womenhood"?

Question

I stumbled upon this book called Fascinating Womanhood by Helen Andelin. It seems to have very mixed reviews. Either people love it or hate it. I was wondering if anyone hear has read it or heard of it and could give me their opinion.

Answer 1

You stumbled upon this book because you were checkin out Men of Steel and Velvet?

Answer 2

I've not read the book yet, but did read the excerpts of it at the link below. The woman that reviewed the book stated "This book is icky, and you may have to take a shower after reading it."

Ewwww. So far, sounds dreadful.

Anyway, some of the excerpts of the book shown weren't really bad ideas. I do think that marriages would be happier if women would at least try to be appealing and not dress and act like men. It looks like its one of those things that as long as one takes the advice in moderation you'll not be sullied.

But, as you and I know, marriage is not a competition, it involves mutual submission and affection. And both sexes must have respect for each other for any relationship to to work. ♥ ∞

EDIT: I read a lot of the book on-line. The more I see what this author believes, the more fringe he appears to be in his beliefs. I don't agree with him at all except for ladies taking more time on our appearance (but the guys should also follow suit and not be grundgy). But that's just common courtesy again. ♥ ∞

Answer 3

I read it when it came out years ago, and thought it was ridiculous.  Andelin is a Christian and her book is still read and taken seriously by many in that community.  Submission is not for me.  

Marabel Morgan's "The Total Woman" was more palatable, but you didn't ask about that.

ETA:  Louise remembered Doris and Agnes.  I remember the ruffled blouses Andelin told us to wear.

Answer 4

Yes, I read it, and I thought it was extremely funny.  The author had a fixed idea of what women should be like if they wanted to be appealing to men.  I hadn't read the book for long before I realised that I was constitutionally incapable of being anything like the sort of woman that Mrs Andelin considered men found 'fascinating'.

One of the most hilarious passages in the book is where she says that the ideal woman would be a combination of Agnes and Dora in 'David Copperfield.'  This all but had me rolling on the floor with laughter.  To be told that the ideal woman is a blend of the two women who I despise the most in all of English literature is a bit discouraging.

However,  the book has clearly been enormously popular, it's never been out of print in over forty years, and many women enthuse over it and say it has transformed their marriages, made their husbands adore them etc.  It obviously works very well for a lot of women.

The late Mr Andelin wrote a companion volume called 'Men of Steel and Velvet' to tell men how they should behave, but this book is out of print.  I don't think men are as fond of being told what to do as women are.  The book has it's moments but it's not as hilarious as 'Fascinating Womanhood'.

Answer 5

Oh, that's the one where he tells women to pout, stomp their feet  and sulk as adorably as possible when angry, in order to please the man. He advises the reader to look at small children to see how it's done.

In short: everything a woman does should be done to please her husband, and she must never display any undesirable traits such as independence or competence because that would make her unattractive.

I'm not exaggerating in the slightest.

*Edit* I just discovered that the author's a man...