The Beauty Myth

How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women

By: Naomi Wolf

Narrated by: Suzy Jackson

Length: 13 hrs and 23 mins

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.

Sadly, this is all still relevant

An important commentary you owe it to yourself, your wife, your daughters, your coworkers to read.

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!

still revelant

even though it's almost 20 years since this updated version of the early 1990s book was published, it's still relevant today. eye-opening, stunning.

Should be required for all women!

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

Every western woman should read this book!

This book is both enlightening and frightening. It illuminates a lot of the issues that modern women face. I can't think of a book that better explains how patriarchial culture effects women and shapes the way we think and perceive reality and particularly our bodies. It's still completely relevant 25 years after it was written. I highly recommend it to any woman who has body issues or for anyone who is interested in the impact of social/cultural conditioning on western women.

a total game changer.

20 years has not made this any less poignant. amazing. a must read for women world wide.

Everyone needs this book

This book is the best thing that has ever happened to my life. The performance is seamless. Do yourself and everyone you love the favor to listen. I'm literally getting multiple physical copies and giving this book as a present to anyone I think might actually read this. Read this if you're a woman, or if you love one. #classic #feminist #patriarchy #tagsgiving #sweepstakes

Perfect

This should be read by every singl girl and boy at schools, and every grown up Women and men

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.

Needs updating, research and lacks clarity

What disappointed you about The Beauty Myth?

The subject is still very relevant to women today but the writing has not aged well. The book has an unfortunate tendency towards hyperbole and the authors description of patriarchy in western history and her hypothesis on how it creates the pressure to be beautiful needs to be overhauled in a new edition or taken with a large dose of salt.

What was most disappointing about Naomi Wolf’s story?

This is a topic that is deeply relevant to every woman, feminist or not, and the book doesn't do it justice.

Which character – as performed by Suzy Jackson – was your favorite?

The narration is excellent, Suzy conveys the tone of the writing without making it laughable and is very easy to listen to.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The narration is excellent and made slogging through the writing to get to the underlying truth less painful.

Any additional comments?

An important topic, but I'd you're already past feminism 101 I'd skim through this in print.

Frightening, insightful and uplifting.

Women and men, everyone should read this and be liberated. Excellent performance of excellent writing.

Hard work, but worth it

I loved Suzie's voice, I felt really engaged by her.

The information itself was incredibly enlightening, but hard going and dry at points. I'm glad I kept going as the middle chapters about sex and porn were especially interested.

I would recommend, but be aware it's dryer than most modern non-fiction books

Enlightening and empowering

Confirmed what I somewhat knew all along and reaffirmed my positive self-beliefs. I have since stopped conforming and subscribing to modern day beauty ideals. I have stopped comparing myself to other women, changed my consumer habits and have never felt more liberated and happier. Loved every minute of this book.

Essential reading

Though now 24 years old, this book is still terrifyingly current.

The book I wish I had read at 14.

Should be read by all women

This is very important book for each woman. Cosmetic surgeries are increasing in my region of the world. Yet personally Made me grateful that we in this same region are being paid equally to men!

An essential read.

Absolute classic and yet two decades after publication Wolf’s message still hasn’t got through to enough people. We are making progress but the more people read this the better.

I’m so thankful that the audiobook version is available. This will certainly help more people access Wolf’s message, even those who are not so open to the truth that she reveals, audiobooks are far easier to consume than print books.

Brilliant, harrowing, enlightening

Everyone should read this book. With the advent of social media, app filters and reality tv it is, if anything, more relevant today than when it was first written.

Interesting, informative and shocking

This book definitely gave me food for thought and made me see things from a different perspective. Great book

A MUST READ FOR ANY WOMAN ANY AGE!!!

The revolution of consciousness in fairer relations between the sexes begins here with this book. Buy it for every woman that you love and every man that loves women.

All men are out to get us?

I really wanted to like this book but I feel like the author is reading too much into things. I really don’t think that all men are out to get us or that they want women to not work. Perhaps some do?