The Feminine MystiqueThe Feminine Mystique
Score Classic
What it's about
In the late 1950s, Betty Friedan surveyed her old college classmates and found many educated women miserable as housewives in the suburbs, suffering from what she called 'the problem that has no name'. She argued that magazines, advertisers, educators and psychologists had sold women a myth that true fulfillment lay only in being wives and mothers.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of the best nonfiction of all time and is credited with starting the second wave of American feminism.
You'll love it if you liked
The Golden Notebook
All About Love: New Visions
Revolutionary RoadGood to know
It focuses on white, middle-class women and has been criticized for ignoring others. It contains homophobic passages typical of its time.
By the numbers
- Readers23 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics80 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller17 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #163 of the 198 history books we rank
- #432 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1486 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Thought-provoking
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Quick answers
Is The Feminine Mystique worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of the best nonfiction of all time and is credited with starting the second wave of American feminism. It ranks #1,486 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 68.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Feminine Mystique about?
In the late 1950s, Betty Friedan surveyed her old college classmates and found many educated women miserable as housewives in the suburbs, suffering from what she called 'the problem that has no name'. She argued that magazines, advertisers, educators and psychologists had sold women a myth that true fulfillment lay only in being wives and mothers.
How long does it take to read The Feminine Mystique?
About 11 hours (430 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Feminine Mystique?
If you liked it, try The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing, All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks or Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates.