Women & Power

A fascinating fast read from much respected scholar Mary Beard on the history of man's attempt to silence and incapacitate women. She reaches back to Homer, and follows the trail through Aristophanes, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, history, and right up Twitter road to present day.

Beard speaks from years of study and also personal experience. - I was following her on Twitter while she was being 'lectured' by men on Roman history.

This book shines a spotlight on what has been happening since Ayla inadvertently invented the patriarchy eons ago.

This is a brilliantly written study of how men have been telling women to shut up and know their place throughout history. From Ancient Rome to the modern day, the ever brilliant Mary Beard takes us on a journey through the ages, highlighting the many and varied ways that women have been silenced, marginalised and bullied by misogynists the world over.
It also reframes and deconstructs the gender norms, highlighting the way strong powerful women are portrayed and how they've been made to sit down (Elisabeth Warren) and shut up (Philomela, who had her tongue cut out).
This could not be a more timely and essential read. As we risk taking major steps backwards, women need to make their voices heard and it's gratifying to see that we are. This book should get us fired up even more! Excellent.