• The Beauty Myth

  • How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women
  • By: Naomi Wolf
  • Narrated by: Suzy Jackson
  • Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (526 ratings)

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The Beauty Myth  By  cover art

The Beauty Myth

By: Naomi Wolf
Narrated by: Suzy Jackson
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Publisher's summary

The bestselling classic that redefined our view of the relationship between beauty and female identity.

In today's world, women have more power, legal recognition, and professional success than ever before. Alongside the evident progress of the women's movement, however, writer and journalist Naomi Wolf is troubled by a different kind of social control, which, she argues, may prove just as restrictive as the traditional image of homemaker and wife. It's the beauty myth, an obsession with physical perfection that traps the modern woman in an endless spiral of hope, self-consciousness, and self-hatred as she tries to fulfill society's impossible definition of "the flawless beauty."

©2002, 1991 Naomi Wolf (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

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What listeners say about The Beauty Myth

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    5 out of 5 stars

The Truth will set you free but not without pissing you off first.

This book is now a bit dated but still a great read. I am going to find an updated version now that is inclusive of all women including LGBTQIA+ Community.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

So conflicted...

The book makes salient points, but they're often overwhelmed by the over dramatic prose, lack of proper backing research, and overuse of hyperbole and anecdotes. Written with less melodrama, this book could have been great.

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6 people found this helpful

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Required Reading.

This book should be required reading for everyone. It has helped me to rethink so much negative conditioning.

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so helpful

wasn't sure about listening to this book because I don't even have social media or watch the news or anything so I thought I had the body image thing covered but as soon as I listen to it I realized that I was glad I did and it was just what I needed to hear. very reinforcing and strengthening. helped with eating disorder.

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Everyone should read this book

Insightful and inspiring to everyone that wants to understand the society we live. Why so many people is depressed without an apparent reason? Are smartphones the reason why people don't talk to each other in person? No. It is society and its ridiculous human made rules about how men and women should, since they are born, belong to different worlds, separated and prejudiced.

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Should be required for all women!

Absolutely eye-opening, provocative, and fiery. All women need to hear this message! Paradigm changer.

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7 people found this helpful

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Very Powerful Book

Very Powerful book. I am glad I listened to it. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone I know

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  • LE
  • 09-02-23

Amazing and eye opening

Great book informing women how we are constructed and constricted by beauty norms and how it impacts us.

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Any Update??

I really enjoyed the perspective the author discussed, it led to a further thought process both into my own life and other women, but I would vastly enjoy an updated edition!

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8 people found this helpful

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Must Read

Love this book. Yes it’s slightly dated but so much is the same. It gave me more compassion for myself and my sisters… and my brothers.

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