A review by dorothy_gale
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft
5.0
How did this get published in 1792?!?!
This is likely the oldest book on feminism I will read, and it shows up on pretty much every must-read feminist book list. I gave it 5 stars because I'm surprised it exists, and the author Mary Wollstonecraft was clearly an outspoken, articulate rebel. My only regret is not researching her to learn more about her context before starting the book. Was she married? Was she a mother? Was she religious? What was happening at the time? She takes stands on women with regard to education, parenting, wifely duties and more. Education is the strongest though. She spoke of virtues and manners, which you don't hear a lot about today. Her vocabulary was also fairly different; there were a few words I didn't know. She had several great quotes but I was driving so I couldn't write them down. One was: "I do not wish them [women] to have power over men; but over themselves." She also boldly referred to women as slaves. This is the kind of book that wants me to take a class on feminism.
Afterthoughts: She only lived to 38, and died 11 days after her second daughter was born -- and that daughter was Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein! I also forgot to mention that she wrote about how we educate our daughters -- specifically being selective in what they are allowed to read.
This is likely the oldest book on feminism I will read, and it shows up on pretty much every must-read feminist book list. I gave it 5 stars because I'm surprised it exists, and the author Mary Wollstonecraft was clearly an outspoken, articulate rebel. My only regret is not researching her to learn more about her context before starting the book. Was she married? Was she a mother? Was she religious? What was happening at the time? She takes stands on women with regard to education, parenting, wifely duties and more. Education is the strongest though. She spoke of virtues and manners, which you don't hear a lot about today. Her vocabulary was also fairly different; there were a few words I didn't know. She had several great quotes but I was driving so I couldn't write them down. One was: "I do not wish them [women] to have power over men; but over themselves." She also boldly referred to women as slaves. This is the kind of book that wants me to take a class on feminism.
Afterthoughts: She only lived to 38, and died 11 days after her second daughter was born -- and that daughter was Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein! I also forgot to mention that she wrote about how we educate our daughters -- specifically being selective in what they are allowed to read.