Scan barcode
kenshi's review against another edition
fast-paced
4.0
This book was recommended to me as an introduction to feminism however I wouldn't call it an introduction to feminism at all. It's an introduction into the classical impact on society today and I think it serves it's purpose in that whilst focusing on feminism.
It brought to light connections from the classical world and the modern Western world that I hadn't considered before.
It was a powerful book and a reminder of how much is left to accomplish.
The book is limited by the heavy focus on white political figures (Margaret Thatcher, Hillary Clinton, Angela Merkel and Theresa May) and although the abolitionist and BLM movements are mentioned, Beard does not go into any depth about the people involved. This creates a very 2 dimensional image of the society we live in.
Overall, this is a pleasant and short read and I would give it 4 ⭐
It brought to light connections from the classical world and the modern Western world that I hadn't considered before.
It was a powerful book and a reminder of how much is left to accomplish.
The book is limited by the heavy focus on white political figures (Margaret Thatcher, Hillary Clinton, Angela Merkel and Theresa May) and although the abolitionist and BLM movements are mentioned, Beard does not go into any depth about the people involved. This creates a very 2 dimensional image of the society we live in.
Overall, this is a pleasant and short read and I would give it 4 ⭐
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Rape
emi_dilli's review against another edition
3.0
A fun lighthearted read with some references to modern politics, media, and classical literature. Mary Beard writes in an engaging, chatty way. The style feels like halfway between blog and academic essay.
The book feels very much Eurocentric and British-centric. There are some fleeting references to Rwanda and Black Lives Matter, then Diane Abbott MP in the Afterword, but only really in passing. Much more attention is given to Lysistrata, Clytemnestra, and Medusa. Even then, her arguments are more literary inference than a critique of how social structures operate.
As an avid reader of medieval and ancient literature, I was a little disappointed at how surface-level much of the writing was. I knew all of her classical references already - little was new to me. Mary Beard discusses extremely well-known political figures and events. She generalises about “our” culture and “our” experience, when in fact gender is experienced entirely differently across cultures and gender identity. Her writing lacks a genuine engagement with the intersections of women’s experiences.
The book feels very much Eurocentric and British-centric. There are some fleeting references to Rwanda and Black Lives Matter, then Diane Abbott MP in the Afterword, but only really in passing. Much more attention is given to Lysistrata, Clytemnestra, and Medusa. Even then, her arguments are more literary inference than a critique of how social structures operate.
As an avid reader of medieval and ancient literature, I was a little disappointed at how surface-level much of the writing was. I knew all of her classical references already - little was new to me. Mary Beard discusses extremely well-known political figures and events. She generalises about “our” culture and “our” experience, when in fact gender is experienced entirely differently across cultures and gender identity. Her writing lacks a genuine engagement with the intersections of women’s experiences.
thebookwormsfeast's review against another edition
5.0
“When it comes to silencing women, Western culture has had thousands of years of practice.”
This book features two parts: The Public Voice of Women, and Women and Power. The content is derived from Mary's lectures and features some very important points on the relationship between women and power, and the weight (or lack of) that is often given to women's words.
Mary explores how throughout Roman and Greek ancient history, you can clearly see that women were dismissed, or on the odd occasion they did have some power or were heard, were given manly attributes. A woman simply did not have the capacity in her to know what she was talking about, to have a voice - after all, speech is the business of men according to, as she points out at the beginning, Telemachus in Homer's Odyssey.
These themes are presented throughout the examples Mary provides, she shows us how much these are still in effect today, and how examples are taken from ancient history to further the agenda of men - such as the use of a statue of Perseus holding up Medusa's severed head being photoshopped to show Trump displaying Hillary's in the US Election campaign.
I'm not going to lie, I thought we really were almost there on equality for men and women (I probably have had my head in the sand), but this book opens your eyes to how it may seem it just on the surface at a quick glance - but so much is still there underneath. We have made some really important strides, but we're definitely not as far along as I thought we were.
I didn't know that the UK's first female prime minister, Thatcher, took voice training lessons to deepen her voice. I'd never really thought about the fact that I never really see female politicians wear anything but suits. I'd never really considered the wording of headlines before now either, and how they often give the impression that women are doing something that 'women don’t do' rather than have been shut out from, are conspiring for, are seizing (giving the idea they are taking from someone). There's all this underlying stuff going on that my eyes and ears just seemed to glaze over, as it is the norm!
Mary also mentions her own experiences from when she's been more in the public eye. The outbursts of hate, the threats, and the trolling she receives on social media. She even mentions that people have lectured her on Roman History on twitter! If you haven't heard of Mary Beard before, she is a distinguished Classicist, Professor of Classics at Newnham College, Cambridge, and the Classics editor of the Times Literary Supplement.
This book is short - interlaced with opinions, experiences, and shows us how ingrained misogyny is and reflects on the roots of it. It's definitely a bit of an eye-opener and raises some extremely important points. I read this book for International Women's Day, and it's definitely leaving a lasting impression.
This book features two parts: The Public Voice of Women, and Women and Power. The content is derived from Mary's lectures and features some very important points on the relationship between women and power, and the weight (or lack of) that is often given to women's words.
Mary explores how throughout Roman and Greek ancient history, you can clearly see that women were dismissed, or on the odd occasion they did have some power or were heard, were given manly attributes. A woman simply did not have the capacity in her to know what she was talking about, to have a voice - after all, speech is the business of men according to, as she points out at the beginning, Telemachus in Homer's Odyssey.
These themes are presented throughout the examples Mary provides, she shows us how much these are still in effect today, and how examples are taken from ancient history to further the agenda of men - such as the use of a statue of Perseus holding up Medusa's severed head being photoshopped to show Trump displaying Hillary's in the US Election campaign.
I'm not going to lie, I thought we really were almost there on equality for men and women (I probably have had my head in the sand), but this book opens your eyes to how it may seem it just on the surface at a quick glance - but so much is still there underneath. We have made some really important strides, but we're definitely not as far along as I thought we were.
I didn't know that the UK's first female prime minister, Thatcher, took voice training lessons to deepen her voice. I'd never really thought about the fact that I never really see female politicians wear anything but suits. I'd never really considered the wording of headlines before now either, and how they often give the impression that women are doing something that 'women don’t do' rather than have been shut out from, are conspiring for, are seizing (giving the idea they are taking from someone). There's all this underlying stuff going on that my eyes and ears just seemed to glaze over, as it is the norm!
Mary also mentions her own experiences from when she's been more in the public eye. The outbursts of hate, the threats, and the trolling she receives on social media. She even mentions that people have lectured her on Roman History on twitter! If you haven't heard of Mary Beard before, she is a distinguished Classicist, Professor of Classics at Newnham College, Cambridge, and the Classics editor of the Times Literary Supplement.
This book is short - interlaced with opinions, experiences, and shows us how ingrained misogyny is and reflects on the roots of it. It's definitely a bit of an eye-opener and raises some extremely important points. I read this book for International Women's Day, and it's definitely leaving a lasting impression.
hjswinford's review against another edition
4.0
A short, concise look at the relationship between women and power, specially political power, and why they have to work twice as hard to be taken half as seriously as men. Nothing groundbreaking here, but if you've never read much about this topic, it would be a great introduction.
gultimo's review against another edition
5.0
Indispensable.
Une approche humoristique et bien documentée à partir de divers exemples antiques et contemporains, de l’oppression de femmes au niveau de l’accès à la parole et au pouvoir.
Donne une bonne motivation pour crier contre toute l’absurdité du monde
Une approche humoristique et bien documentée à partir de divers exemples antiques et contemporains, de l’oppression de femmes au niveau de l’accès à la parole et au pouvoir.
Donne une bonne motivation pour crier contre toute l’absurdité du monde
nataliemac95's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.75