Women & Power

A Manifesto

By: Mary Beard

Narrated by: Mary Beard

Length: 1 hr and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

A New York Times Best Seller

One of the Guardian's "100 Best Books of the 21st Century": "A modern feminist classic."

From the internationally acclaimed classicist and New York Times best-selling author comes this timely manifesto on women and power.  

At long last, Mary Beard addresses in one brave book the misogynists and trolls who mercilessly attack and demean women the world over, including, very often, Mary herself. In Women & Power, she traces the origins of this misogyny to its ancient roots, examining the pitfalls of gender and the ways that history has mistreated strong women since time immemorial. 

As far back as Homer’s Odyssey, Beard shows, women have been prohibited from leadership roles in civic life, public speech being defined as inherently male. From Medusa to Philomela (whose tongue was cut out), from Hillary Clinton to Elizabeth Warren (who was told to sit down), Beard draws illuminating parallels between our cultural assumptions about women’s relationship to power - and how powerful women provide a necessary example for all women who must resist being vacuumed into a male template. 

With personal reflections on her own online experiences with sexism, Beard asks: If women aren’t perceived to be within the structure of power, isn’t it power itself we need to redefine? And how many more centuries should we be expected to wait?

©2017 Mary Beard (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"[A] sparkling and forceful manifesto... The book is a straight shot of adrenaline." (Parul Sehgal, New York Times)

"Beard's thrilling manifesto turns to ancient times to find the seeds of misogyny, beginning with Homer's Odyssey (the first instance of a woman told to shut up) and continuing through Elizabeth Warren's 2017 silencing in the Senate. An irresistible call for women to speak up, act and redefine their power." (People)

"Based on Beard’s lectures on women’s voices and how they have been silenced, Women & Power was an enormous publishing success in the '#MeToo' year 2017. An exploration of misogyny, the origins of 'gendered speech' in the classical era and the problems the male world has with strong women, this slim manifesto became an instant feminist classic." (The Guardian)

Typical Mary. Insightful, cheeky, and well written

Few people being history to life like Mary Beard, and none hold it against the lens of the present like she does. I adore how Beard can bring the lessons of Rome and Greece into modern times. Her books are as enjoyable as her TV programs, and this short one is no different. I really enjoyed how the stories of women in ancient times were more accurately highlighted than I've heard before. All in all a nice afternoon listen.

Great Book on par with all Mary Beard books!

Loved this book , short and to the point and very well written. Kudos to Mary Beard.

Must read

If we are ever going to be considered equal, everyone is going to have to understand the points brought up in this book.

Having a Voice

Liked her discussion about women having a voice in all things and not just women’s’ and children’s’ matters. Now I understand why my Mother, who was a lawyer, always lowered her voice when making a business call.

Amazing. Very powerful analysis

This is an incredibly illuminating and insightful explanation of the roots, structures and subliminally reinforced institution of gender bias that permeates Western classicism. Mary Beard argues that rather than fool ourselves into searching and accepting crumbs of male power from outside an ancient and abusive structure, the structure of and concept of power itself changes. Without the power system shifting to support and protect women, there are just crumbs that don’t serve women anyway. They’re crumbs, or as an art teacher at Cooper Union offered, “get your foot in the old boy’s club if you hang with me.” Crumbs from someone else’s table in someone else’s structure is so incredibly unappealing.

Historical perspective

I haven't read many Mary Beards books. I enjoyed this short historical perspective on the perception of power & how gender plays into that. It is an age old story per Mary Beard. Quite interesting and thoughtful.

Short and fabulous

This book is based on Mary Beard's lecture, and leaves you wanting more! Thoroughly enjoyed it.

A very interesting refocusing of the mind with regard to why and how women are so silenced or denigrated when they speak out.

The reviewing of ancient stories with an eye toward the attitude toward women displayed in them

I learned some things

Not what I expected. Didn't like the narrator. Glsd it was short. READ IT AS PART OF A READING CHALLENGE

short book

Don't buy. Book isn't even 2 hours long. Not much that's new. A few good points, but lacks depth.