I Carried a Watermelon

This book is a witty and nostalgic combination of a personal memoir and a cultural critique dedicated entirely to the iconic 1987 movie Dirty Dancing. Comedian and writer Katy Brand dives deeply into her lifelong infatuation with the film, tracing how its characters and storylines subtly shaped her own perspectives on love, intimacy, and feminism as she grew up. Beyond her personal anecdotes, Brand evaluates the groundbreaking social elements of the movie—such as its raw portrayal of a young woman’s coming-of-age story and its surprisingly progressive handling of complex women’s rights issues—arguing that Dirty Dancing is a much more significant piece of feminist cinema than many people realize.