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Women & Power: A Manifesto
Women & Power: A Manifesto | Mary Beard
From the internationally acclaimed classicist and New York Times best-selling author comes this timely manifesto on women and power.
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ManyWordsLater
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“…we are not being straight with ourselves about what we want women in politics for.”

“…I do not want to complain about childcare and the rest getting a fair airing [in legislation]. But I am not sure such things should be perceived as ‘women‘s issues‘”

Sace I fully acknowledge that I might misunderstand the author but I agree. It‘s much easier to dismiss an issue when it‘s labeled as a “women‘s” issue. 6mo
ManyWordsLater @Sace I think what Beard is saying is true gender equality will be when women are included in discussions not because they are women, but because they are people. (edited) 6mo
36 likes2 comments
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ManyWordsLater
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Manifesting before bed.

48 likes2 stack adds
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OutsmartYourShelf
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Pickpick

A quick look back through history at how women have been silenced in the arena of public speaking for centuries. From the first written example of Telemachus telling his mother Penelope to shut up in 'The Odyssey', to women being hounded off social media today for daring to have an opinion.

It contains an analysis of the ways in which those in power have usually been educated in classical education & how the male-centric views of (continued)

OutsmartYourShelf Ancient Greece & Rome have survived down to modern-day politics. We know that the bullying of women online can reach horrific proportions & Mary Beard herself has been on the receiving end of misogynistic comments about her looks & age.

The author notes at the end that some of the book is now dated (Teresa May anyone) but it seems that the attempt of silencing of women & removal of power in the public sphere is ageless. 4🌟
(edited) 10mo
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 10mo
Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 10mo
33 likes4 comments
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Dilara
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The number of books in English on the shelves of my local library tripled recently and look what I found: Women & Power in a shiny shiny cover. I don't know whether the publisher was trying to appeal to the YA fantasy market (in which case good for them!) or what... Anyway, it is both informative and engaging, as you would expect from Mary Beard.

37 likes1 stack add
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bekakins
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Pickpick

Really interesting - I would like to read a longer book exploring these ideas of women & power including throwback to Greco-Roman times.

Plus #bookspinbingo board for August!

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TrishB
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So I‘ve just watched Mary Beard interviewing Gary Numan.
It was very surreal.

Bookwomble Someone was smoking something when that idea was floated 🤣💭 3y
squirrelbrain @Bookwomble 🤣🤣🤣 3y
rabbitprincess This sounds amazing! 3y
See All 7 Comments
Cathythoughts It‘s himself ❤️ in an airplane! 😁 3y
TrishB @Bookwomble @squirrelbrain 😁😁 definitely. 3y
TrishB @rabbitprincess it was ♥️ 3y
TrishB @Cathythoughts 😁❤️ talking about them of course! 3y
74 likes7 comments
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stretchkev
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Pickpick

Short, important, and a unique historical perspective.

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Scochrane26
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Pickpick

Hillary Clinton referenced this in The Book of Gutsy Women, & I knew I had to read it. A very short book, it‘s about the history of women being silenced and pushed out of power, dating from Greek/Roman times.
“For a start it doesn‘t much matter what line you take as a woman, if you venture into traditional male territory, the abuse comes anyway. It is not what you say that prompts it, it‘s simply the fact that you‘re saying it.”

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PuddleJumper
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Day 6: Women & Power: A Manifesto by Mary Beard

There is something very affirming about reading this book after studying Classical Civilisation – it really articulates this general unease I felt when reconciling the classical world and classical literature with how it is used in modern times to uphold ideals, exert superiority, and exclude people.

#7days7books

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Owlizabeth
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Pickpick

As a shallow American dumdum, my knowledge of the ancient world is really limited to Harry Hamlin‘s nipples in Clash of the Titans. In Women & Power, Mary Beard explains how entrenched misogyny is in the Western world and has been since the ancient Greeks. (Which, duh, Zeus is a rape monster) This collection of two speeches was informative and made me want to know more, so I‘ve put SPQR on my holds list. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

readordierachel Love this review 👍 5y
58 likes1 comment
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AnneCecilie
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Pickpick

In this short book that contains two essays, Beard looks at how women has been silenced since the dawn of time and how women who speak up or doesn‘t follow the norm are treated.

#NFNov

Siri_reads Høres interessant ut!😁 Har du sett dokumentaren Dei modigaste kvinnene på NRK tv? Anbefales 🌟 5y
AnneCecilie @Siri_reads nei. Den har jeg ikke hørt om. Hvilke kvinner handler den om og ligger den der enda? 5y
Clwojick 6pts 5y
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Siri_reads @AnneCecilie ja, ligger der ennå. Handler om Suffragettene i Storbritannia. Laget av bbc i fjor for å markere 100 års jubileumet for kvinners stemmerett der . 5y
AnneCecilie @Siri_reads Den MÅ jeg se. For noen damer. Har lest litt om dem. 5y
Siri_reads Ja, bra dokumentar også! Viste begge episodene tiø 9.kl min. De ble sjokkert over hva kvinner måtte gjøre for å bli hørt 💪🏻 5y
AnneCecilie @Siri_reads Ja, de damene gikk dramatisk til verks. 5y
60 likes7 comments
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NeedsMoreBooks
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Mansplaining and a sad reality #NFNov

AnneCecilie I‘m also reading this now. There were lots of things to think about after the first essay, at least to me. 5y
NeedsMoreBooks @AnneCecilie it is very thought-provoking. 5y
Clwojick 1pt 5y
33 likes1 stack add4 comments
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NeedsMoreBooks
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Pickpick

This book details how women are perceived when they enter traditionally masculine fields like politics. Beard chronicles how women have been silenced since the ancient Greco-Roman period till how women are targeted on social media and other online platforms. Beard focuses on women in politics but her historical examples are revealing. #NFNov

Come-read-with-me @NeedsMoreBooks This sounds really good! Thanks for sharing. 5y
NeedsMoreBooks @Come-read-with-me thanks. It was short and powerful. 5y
Clwojick 6pt 5y
31 likes1 stack add4 comments
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AnneCecilie
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#TIL #NFNov
Already in the Odyssey, a women is told to shut up. The Odyssey is more than Odysseus story of getting home after the Trojan Wars, and his wife Penelope waiting on him. It is also about their son Telemachus, and his growing up.

So the first time a women is told to shut up is when Telemachus tells his mother that speech is the business of men.

I had no idea that this was the beginning of Western literature

Bookwomble Women generally didn't have a good time of it in Ancient Greece. 5y
Clwojick 4pts 5y
50 likes2 comments
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AnneCecilie
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I‘ve started this for #NFNov today

@Clwojick @rsteve388

Clwojick 1 pt 5y
43 likes1 stack add1 comment
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erzascarletbookgasm
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Pickpick

This slim but powerful book is the result of two lectures Beard has given (2014 and 2017). Looking back at stories from ancient Greeks and the Romans, Beard tells us how women‘s voices are continued to be silenced from ancient times till today. An informative read in an engaging narrative.
#NFNov

Thank you @Kalalalatja for gifting me this book, I‘ve finally read it after so long! 😁🙈💕

Kalalalatja I‘m glad you like it! And it doesn‘t matter how long it takes, every book at its time 😄💕 5y
ralexist I listened to this on audiobook. It was so good! I keep hoping she'll take this and expand upon it. 5y
Clwojick 6pt. 5y
76 likes4 stack adds3 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
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Beard uses a famous cartoon from Punch magazine that illustrates what she calls “the Miss Triggs question”, in depicting how women‘s voices are ‘not publicly heard in our own contemporary culture.‘ The cartoonist is Riana Duncan, who captured the sexist atmosphere of the boardroom 30 years ago.
#NFNov

Texreader Wow. This is brilliant and so true 5y
Kalalalatja Love Beard‘s book 🙌 5y
Clwojick 1 pt. 5y
75 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
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This makes me laugh!
#NFNov

charl08 Ok, I'll ask - does she say how they did t in the olden days? Marble? Pottery?! 5y
Clwojick 1 pt 5y
51 likes2 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
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MayJasper Abso...blooming....lutely! 5y
Clwojick 1 pt 5y
47 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Lucy_Anywhere
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While I love watching documentaries, I don't read much non-fiction. Women and Power by Mary Beard has been my only #nonfiction read of the year so far! An interesting read full of personality - I wish it had been a little longer.
#GratefulReads Day 5 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I don‘t read much nonfiction either!! 5y
OriginalCyn620 I don‘t read a lot of NF either! 5y
17 likes2 comments
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NotCool
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“We find repeated stress throughout ancient literature on the authority of the deep male voice in contrast to to the female...the tone and timbre of women‘s speech always threatened to subvert not just the voice of the male orator but also the social and political stability, the health, of the whole state.”

review
Lucy_Anywhere
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Pickpick

WOMEN AND POWER is an essay based on a couple of lectures that Mary Beard gave about how some aspects of misogyny today can be traced back to the Greco-Roman times. A really interesting and thought-provoking read. I only wish it had been longer!

#essay #feminist

twohectobooks I just noticed this cross stitch! What are you making? 5y
Lucy_Anywhere @twohectobooks it's a Jane Austen cross-stitch that I'm determined to get finished before the end of summer! 5y
Centique @Lucy_Anywhere the cross stitch looks fab! Do show us when it‘s finished 😍😍 5y
10 likes3 comments
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Lucy_Anywhere
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This week has been a bit of a washout for #BFCr2 and apologies to #teamlitnfit for being a bit MIA! It's been a busy week what with packing up my flat in Palma and moving (temporarily) back to the UK, meeting my new little niece, sorting out my paperwork for Thailand, and generally trying to Marie Kondo everything I own 🙈

@mcipher @wanderinglynn @BeckyB @Books.Bottles.and.Babies @DebbieGrillo @okthislooksbad @twohectobooks @krayoncolorz

okthislooksbad Hope the move went smoothly! When are you leaving for Thailand? 😄 5y
Lucy_Anywhere @okthislooksbad Thanks! It did go fairly smoothly despite a little wrangle with DHL. I leave in August, so I have a bit of time to enjoy the cooler weather 😀 5y
twohectobooks Doing anything productive at all while moving counts as a win in my books. Good for you! 5y
See All 6 Comments
wanderinglynn Wow! You had a big week! I hope you have some downtime to recuperate from the move! 5y
mcipher Sounds like you did great despite a challenging week! Hope moving is going smoothly ❤️ 5y
Charityann What a busy week! Good luck with everything! 😊👍🏼 5y
11 likes6 comments
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Lucy_Anywhere
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Here we go... my #nomakeup #nofilter selfie for #BFCr2 I've had to wait for today as I was being a bit vain and was waiting for the scratch on my cheek to heal 🙈

#teamlitnfit

@mcipher @wanderinglynn

krayoncolorz You‘re gorgeous! I still need to do mine! I‘ve had such a busy week! Today is the day! 5y
wanderinglynn Beautiful! ❤️ And your eye color is stunning. Thank you for sharing. 5y
mcipher So pretty - I‘m loving everyone‘s pictures and amazed by all the beautiful hair! Who knew Littens all had great hair?!? 😆 5y
18 likes3 comments
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MEGR
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So excited to start this today!

13 likes2 stack adds
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Itchyfeetreader
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Pickpick

Take 2 at reviewing this fab little collection of lectures. Mary Beard is succinct yet knowledgable. Loved the first chapter which touched on some sociolinguistics as well as drawing on feminist thinking, classical history and modern politics. Thanks for sending this one @jenniferw88

jenniferw88 Glad you enjoyed it more than me! 5y
Itchyfeetreader There was a moment in time where I nearly studied socio linguistics. My A level project was transcribing and reviewing the way a group of 10 year old boys and girls spoke when working on a school art project together. It was fascinating to see how hey were starting to develop gendered language structure, styles etc. This talked a bit to that for me!! The path not taken! 5y
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ralexist
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Pickpick

The final title in my female voices in power audiobook trifecta is this short one by Mary Beard. She's a highly respected classics scholar and in this she's expanding on 2 lectures she's given. Delving into history & literature she tracks how the silencing of women is not a new phenomenon but one that is so old that it's informed much of the ways that we perceive & accept power as a concept, and what that has meant for women throughout history.

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youneverarrived
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Thank you @TrishB for the book and bookmarks. I can‘t wait to read this one 🖤

Thanks @kaysworld1 for the lovely card ❤️
Appreciate it ladies 😘😘 #jbuk

Cathythoughts So nice ♥️👍🏻 5y
TrishB Glad it arrived😁 enjoy 💕 5y
Ddzmini Happy birthday 🎈🎉🎂🎁🎊 5y
Pricel101 Happy birthday! 😘🥳 5y
57 likes4 comments
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ImperfectCJ
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Pickpick

There's not much feminist thought that's really new to me, but I like how Beard puts together the ideas here. Women being like men isn't a long-term solution to gaining society's acceptance of women in power. What we need is a shift in how we define leadership. Or so I summarize. Helps explain why I bristle when people tell my teen Girl Scout that she can earn her Eagle Scout now instead of that Gold Award no one's heard of.

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elizabethlk
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Pickpick

This is so good. Mary Beard connects history, politics, literature, and personal experience to explore the ways women have power and voice, and more especially the ways women lack power and voice. It is well worth the read. I definitely need to get on reading more of her stuff.

40 likes1 stack add
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saresmoore
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Here is a closer look at the goodies from @TrishB —the Mary Beard book is gorgeous. Thank you again, my friend!

Cathythoughts Gorgeous gifts ♥️ 6y
TrishB You‘re welcome 😘 always a relief when things get there in one piece! 6y
batsy How lovely 😍 6y
See All 7 Comments
Kalalalatja I love that Mary Beard book 🙌 6y
AmyG ❤️ 6y
saresmoore @TrishB I was very impressed—the package was wholly intact! It was such a nice surprise. ♥️ 6y
LeahBergen Oooohh! How lovely! 😍 6y
85 likes1 stack add7 comments
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saresmoore
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My girls were just as excited as I was about the lovely Litsy package that arrived today! Thank you, Trish for all the amazing feminist goodies. ♥️♥️♥️ I‘m so honored by your thoughtfulness & generosity!

The girls love the silly pens, as you can see, and I love everything else! 😘

Tamra Adorable! 6y
TrishB Aww look at those smiles 😁❤️ 6y
batsy Cuties ❤️ 6y
See All 9 Comments
AmyG Beautiful girls 💕 6y
Crazeedi You girls are precious!😍 6y
MaureenMc 😍 6y
LeahBergen ❤️❤️❤️ 6y
andrew61 Lovely photo ☺ 6y
Leftcoastzen Adorable and growing so fast! 6y
79 likes9 comments
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Connster
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“...if you were ever doubtful about the extent to which the exclusion of women from power is culturally embedded or unsure of the continued strength of classical ways of formulating and justifying it - well, I give you Trump and Clinton, Perseus and Medusa, and rest my case.” Mary Beard - Women and Power

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Connster
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I love this story.

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Connster
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This is SPOT ON! This happened to me too many times in my old workplace. That, coupled with male members of staff claiming credit for my work/ideas and being largely ignored when I suggested new ways of thinking, made for a pretty toxic workplace. The mansplaining was also real, particularly from a person who was new to the job when I‘d already had six years‘ experience. I didn‘t realise until I left and started at a new location. Not again!

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Connster
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Continuing my half term reading with this one. I‘ve only read a few pages but I‘m liking it so far 👊🏼

7 likes1 stack add
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Curvybookgirl
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Pickpick

Rented this from the online library app. A very short but insightful read. Definitely gets you thinking.

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Andrea313
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Just a few off my #FebruaryTBR. Like half the world, I can't wait for On the Come up. I'm slower than some to read The Library Book and Women & Power but here I go, finally! And lastly, I've read Meaty but now it's in glorious audiobook format and read by the author, the hilarious, inimitable Samantha Irby. #LiteraryLove

Andrea313 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I've pre-ordered it, and it's slated to arrive on release day! I'm pretty sure I'll tear through it. :) 6y
vkois88 I NEED to find some Samantha Irby books. I always hear @joscho and @hermyknee praising them, so I need to see what all the fuss is about! 6y
See All 6 Comments
hermyknee @vkois88 yes! Her audiobooks are so much fun. You‘ve got to listen to 6y
Andrea313 @hermyknee @vkois88 I second that! The audiobook of "We Are Never Meeting..." turned me on to Samantha Irby in the first place. Her books are great to read but hearing them in her own voice makes the experience complete. ? 6y
JoScho Yes do them on audio and start with We Are Never Meeting In Real Life 💛 6y
13 likes6 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
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This session was .... a little annoying. Mary Beard and Germaine Greer in a panel conversation but the Festival had dragged in a very smart Indian woman who was aggressively rebuked by an English panelist with clearly no actual idea about the Indian experience of MeToo and she didn‘t speak again. Beard‘s book sounds like a classically grounded and rational feminist treatise well worth the read and she‘s an amazing speaker (as is Greer!!)

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LikelyLibrarian
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Pickpick

“Unpopular, controversial or just plain different views when voiced by a woman are taken as indications of her stupidity. It is not that you disagree, it is that she is stupid: ‘Sorry, love, you just don‘t understand.‘”

I read this short book in one sitting. It is a fascinating, eye opening discussion of power and the social, cultural and political efforts to keep it out of the hands of women. It should be required reading for all young people.

22 likes1 stack add
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RealLifeReading
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A slice of pumpkin pie and a #nonficnov read. I didn‘t realize that this was the texts of two speeches Beard gave in 2014 and 2017. As such it‘s only 115 pages long. I‘m almost done with it and I just wish it were longer

tracey38 Mmm, love some pumpkin pie! 6y
126 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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BekaReid
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Pickpick

Adapted from lectures classicist Mary Beard gave at the British Museum in 2014, this slim volume is timely and powerful. The primary subject is female silence. I tabbed so many pages to go back and reflect on, and I might as well have tabbed them all.

Riveted_Reader_Melissa I agree, I loved this one too! Very timely! 6y
14 likes1 comment
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BekaReid
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Struggling with jet lag and catching up before returning to work tomorrow after a couple of weeks in southern England so I don't think I'll get much reading in today, but this my modest book haul from the trip. We found several great indie book shops that were fun to explore during our time there.

MotionChickness I just finished A Head Full of Ghosts, and it was mind blowing! 6y
BekaReid @Stephuhhnieee yes! Wasn't it?! 6y
MotionChickness @BekaReid I have so many unanswered questions. I‘m excited for his new book out next July 😬 6y
BekaReid @Stephuhhnieee What new book is that? I know he had a new one released this summer, which I really want to read. I actually had the privilege of hearing him speak on it and read an excerpt while still in the writing process just over a year ago!! 😁 6y
MotionChickness @BekaReid I am jealous, that sounds like it was fabulous! The book is The Growing Things and Other Stories... A collection of nineteen short stories 😍 6y
14 likes5 comments
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catsuit_mango
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After some interesting conversations with my cousins on women and men positioning society and perception... More to think about. Thanks again @TrishB :)

TrishB Glad you‘re enjoying it and a book that provokes conversation is definitely good 👍🏻 6y
catsuit_mango @TrishB I'm always very vocal about those issues and trying to give the other perspective to younger people to improve the future ;) 6y
9 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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GivenLemons
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Pickpick

Again, an uncooperative cat, but too cute not to take a photo! An interesting couple of essays about how our attitudes to women in power mirror those of the ancient Greeks and Romans. #essays #feminism #nonfiction

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Kalalalatja
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Two #shelves I don‘t show off all that often 😄 my non fiction shelf at the top, and my pretty, old books shelf at the bottom 👌

#31bookpics

ju.ca.no Pretty as always😍 6y
BarbaraBB Gorgeous, really 😍😍 6y
ephemeralwaltz Lovely! 6y
95 likes4 comments
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catsuit_mango
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Thank you @TrishB it's a lovely surprise and the book theme is just in my interest on non fiction :) plus I loved that the first bookmark I saw was the paris one :)

Cathythoughts Lovely gifts! Great picture 6y
TrishB Glad it arrived safely 😁 and a great pic 👍🏻 6y
Libby1 Wonderful gifts and fantastic book! 6y
10 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Soubhiville
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Pickpick

I took a long time to read this. I set it down a few times because the writing especially in the first essay felt really dry. But there is some good information in here, and I would recommend it.

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Lea
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Pickpick

This is a really good, short read exploring the idea that women have been silenced forever and the stories we look to historically enforce that and shape our thinking. Powerful read. #readwoman

13 likes1 stack add