Women & Power: A ManifestoWomen & Power: A Manifesto
Score Modern
What it's about
Classicist Mary Beard traces the roots of misogyny back to ancient Greece and Rome, showing how women have been silenced in public life from Homer's Odyssey onward, and asking what it would take to change our ideas of power.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of the best books of the 21st century and is called a modern feminist classic. It's short, sharp and witty.
You'll love it if you liked
SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
A Room of One's Own
The Second SexGood to know
It's based on two lectures and can be read in an hour or two.
By the numbers
- Readers55 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics51 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller24 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
- #147 of the 198 history books we rank
- #621 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1176 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, True story
More by Mary Beard
If you like this, read next
Between the World and Me
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer
Educated: A Memoir
All the Light We Cannot See
The Book Thief
AmericanahExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Women & Power: A Manifesto worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of the best books of the 21st century and is called a modern feminist classic. It ranks #1,176 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 71.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Women & Power: A Manifesto about?
Classicist Mary Beard traces the roots of misogyny back to ancient Greece and Rome, showing how women have been silenced in public life from Homer's Odyssey onward, and asking what it would take to change our ideas of power.
How long does it take to read Women & Power: A Manifesto?
About 3 hours (115 pages), or about 6 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Women & Power: A Manifesto?
If you liked it, try SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard, A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf or The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir.