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Big Ideas Simply Explained
Il libro del femminismo
Donna si nasce o lo si diventa? Può un uomo essere autenticamente femminista? A quali esigenze fa capo il femminismo nel Ventunesimo secolo? Il libro risponde a queste e ad altre domande, esplorando la lotta per la parità tra i sessi attraverso i secoli. Scritto in modo semplice e diretto, "Il libro del femminismo" include teorie, citazioni memorabili, aneddoti, immagini che gettano nuova luce sulla nostra percezione e sulle idee legate al femminismo. Inoltre, le pagine spiegano come il concetto stesso di femminismo abbia modificato il corso della storia per donne e uomini, dalle sue radici, passando per l'Illuminismo, fino ai giorni nostri e al fenomeno #meToo. Se sei femminista, o se semplicemente vuoi apprendere meglio il concetto, espandendo le tue conoscenze sullo sviluppo del femminismo nei secoli e nei vari luoghi, troverai moltissimi spunti di riflessione!
352 pages, Hardcover
First published February 5, 2019
375 people are currently reading
4834 people want to read
About the author
D.K. Publishing
9,125 books2,066 followersDorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
May 4, 2020
Il libro del femminismo può rappresentare un’ottima base per chi, come me, di femminismo ne sa poco e nulla.
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Si parte dagli esordi, dalla nascita del femminismo nel XVIII secolo approfondendo con i primordi del femminismo britannico e scandinavo; il femminismo illuminista e quello operaio; nonché l’istruzione per le donne islamiche.
⠀
Si parla di lotta per la parità dei diritti dal 1840 al 1944 toccando argomenti come la sindacalizzazione, il femminismo marxista, la nascita del movimento suffragista, il femminismo in Giappone, l’equità politica in Gran Bretagna, il femminismo arabo e l’anarco-femminismo.
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Si affronta il femminismo dal 1945 al 1979 per arrivare alla politica della differenza degli anni ‘80.
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E infine si parla della nuova ondata, che ricopre gli anni dal 1990 al 2010, per arrivare poi al giorno d’oggi. E queste sono sicuramente state le parti che più ho apprezzato, sentendole più mie.
⠀
Capite bene che di roba ce n’è tanta. Sta a voi scoprirla.
Quello che vi voglio ricordare è che nel femminismo non esiste uno schieramento contro gli uomini. Quello non è femminismo, è odio e ignoranza.
Il femminismo non è per sole donne, non è per le donne brutte, non è per le donne single, non è per le donne che non vogliono avere figli, o sposarsi o essere casalinghe. Il femminismo è per tutte e tutti.
Trovo sia un peccato che molte femministe bisticcino tra loro perché: “questo non è femminismo, questo lo è” perché in realtà non esiste un’idea completamente giusta e una completamente sbagliata.
⠀
Così come trovo molto triste che diverse donne, che si proclamano femministe, siano le prime a dire cattiverie contro persone del loro stesso sesso.
⠀
Concludo dicendo che, banalmente (che poi banale mica lo è), dovremmo essere tutti femministi.
⠀
Si parte dagli esordi, dalla nascita del femminismo nel XVIII secolo approfondendo con i primordi del femminismo britannico e scandinavo; il femminismo illuminista e quello operaio; nonché l’istruzione per le donne islamiche.
⠀
Si parla di lotta per la parità dei diritti dal 1840 al 1944 toccando argomenti come la sindacalizzazione, il femminismo marxista, la nascita del movimento suffragista, il femminismo in Giappone, l’equità politica in Gran Bretagna, il femminismo arabo e l’anarco-femminismo.
⠀
Si affronta il femminismo dal 1945 al 1979 per arrivare alla politica della differenza degli anni ‘80.
⠀
E infine si parla della nuova ondata, che ricopre gli anni dal 1990 al 2010, per arrivare poi al giorno d’oggi. E queste sono sicuramente state le parti che più ho apprezzato, sentendole più mie.
⠀
Capite bene che di roba ce n’è tanta. Sta a voi scoprirla.
Quello che vi voglio ricordare è che nel femminismo non esiste uno schieramento contro gli uomini. Quello non è femminismo, è odio e ignoranza.
Il femminismo non è per sole donne, non è per le donne brutte, non è per le donne single, non è per le donne che non vogliono avere figli, o sposarsi o essere casalinghe. Il femminismo è per tutte e tutti.
Trovo sia un peccato che molte femministe bisticcino tra loro perché: “questo non è femminismo, questo lo è” perché in realtà non esiste un’idea completamente giusta e una completamente sbagliata.
⠀
Così come trovo molto triste che diverse donne, che si proclamano femministe, siano le prime a dire cattiverie contro persone del loro stesso sesso.
⠀
Concludo dicendo che, banalmente (che poi banale mica lo è), dovremmo essere tutti femministi.
April 13, 2021
Enciclopedico, ricco di citazioni e riferimenti bibliografici. Un testo completo da assaporare a poco a poco e da consultare via via proprio per la grande quantità di fatti e opinioni riportate. La storia del movimento e la rilettura del "consorzio umano" in chiave femminile inclusi il femminismo di colore o comunque non-bianco, che si caratterizza anche per la sua connotazione razziale, etnica e i gruppi LGBTQ+ tra i più oppressi e marginalizzati. "Fighting sexism in the modern day is not about men against women, but people against prejudice."
June 22, 2019
This book is a lot to take in. It is a high quality book with great images and it makes a strong, obvious, and pretty successful attempt at being global and intersectional. What I like is you can read about as much or as little as you'd like with the layout, but that's also what I hated. There is just SO much information crammed onto a small space that you can't really get into all of it. It's a great reference and great for browsing, but you deserve an award if you can read it cover to cover.
December 30, 2019
Un volume davvero prezioso e informativo che vale la pena avere in libreria, sfogliare ogni tanto per ricordare quanta strada abbiamo fatta ma soprattutto quanta ancora ne resta da fare. Da regalare ai più giovani, femmine e maschi. Da leggere nelle scuole, per le strade, alle fermate del bus.
Un volume che pur essendo molto completo risulta intuitivo e godibile grazie alla struttura, alle immagini e ai grafici che lo compongono.
Inutile dire che tutta la serie per me é un piccolo gioiello!
Un volume che pur essendo molto completo risulta intuitivo e godibile grazie alla struttura, alle immagini e ai grafici che lo compongono.
Inutile dire che tutta la serie per me é un piccolo gioiello!
September 17, 2020
Its amazing but require lots of patience as it contains so much information. It took me a lot of time actually to finish it.
It speaks about feminism in historical aspect along with different feminist ideas.
My only issue with it is that they didn't mention the struggle women in other cultures still face. It was mostly about western feminism. Of course it has brief mentions of feminist movements in other cultures but that was not enough. The struggles of women are global and its not a win for one culture among all others.
It speaks about feminism in historical aspect along with different feminist ideas.
My only issue with it is that they didn't mention the struggle women in other cultures still face. It was mostly about western feminism. Of course it has brief mentions of feminist movements in other cultures but that was not enough. The struggles of women are global and its not a win for one culture among all others.
April 11, 2021
English Review Below.
يمكنني بسهولة ترشيح هذا الكتاب كمقدمة جيدة وشاملة نوعا ما للنسوية. فكرة الجدول الزمني التي يتبعها الكتاب تتيح للقارئ سهولة رؤية تطور حركة النسوية على مر العصور. ينقسم الكتاب إلى عدة أجزاء وكل جزء يتبع فترة زمنية معينة أو "موجة" للنسوية، وكل منها ينقسم إلى فصول وكل فصل لا يزيد عن 4 صفحات ويشمل صور ملونة ورسوم إنفوجرافيك وأسلوب كتابة غير معقد، وكل هذا يجعله مدخلا مناسبا للنسوية.
طبعا لاحظت قلة الفصول التي تتعلق بالتعامل مع القضايا النسوية في الدول العربية، ولكن هذا مفهوم طبعا، بما أن النسوية لا زالت تُحارب في دولنا هنا وما زلنا بعيدين عن حقوق كثيرة حققتها دول أخرى. يبدأ الكتاب تركيزه على النسوية بشكل أساسي ومع اقترابه من الفصول التي تتحدث عن الحاضر يبدأ بتضمين فصول تتعلق بالقضايا الجندرية أيضا.
الكتاب ليس عميقا جدا، فهو في أقل من 400 صفحة يتحدث عن تاريخ النسوية عام 1700 تقريبا حتى الآن، لذا بالتأكيد ستودون البحث على الإنترنت لمعرفة المزيد عن جماعة بعينها أو نتيجة قرار معين، لكنه مدخل جيد يتيح لكم نقطة ليبدأ منها البحث ويتضمن كذلك الكثير من التعريفات للمصطلحات والمفاهيم المستخدمة في النسوية.
الكتاب غير مترجم للعربية، لكن سأقول إن إنجليزيته تناسب القارئ المتوسط، وكذلك هذه السلسلة من الكتب، التي يتعمق كل كتاب منها في موضوع بعينه، أرشحها جد، يعني صرت متحمسة للبدء في كتب الميثولوجيا والتاريخ والأدب منها بعد الانتهاء من هذا.
I can safely say and recommend this book as a good overlook introduction to feminism. It includes many facets and sub-aspects of feminism, and the timeline aspect of the book makes you able to see the chronological progress of feminism, mostly all over the world.
It's divided into parts, each part tackles a certain period or "wave" of feminism, and each chapter is 4 pages maximum, with nice photographs and info-graphics and approachable writing style, that really works well as a gateway to feminism. It tries its best to include all opinions, but I noticed the scarcity of Muslim and Middle East feminism, but the few chapters they included showed why feminism movements flourished everywhere, and crawled in the Middle East. It starts with focus on feminism and as the years progress it starts talking about queer rights and their part of the feminism movements.
You'd certainly need to dig deeper after this book to understand a certain event or to know the consequences of a certain group, but to me, I feel I'll able to recommend it as one of the introductory books about feminism. Also, this series from DK (Big Ideas Simply Explained) are really recommended, after this one I'm excited to dig into the other ones I've got.
يمكنني بسهولة ترشيح هذا الكتاب كمقدمة جيدة وشاملة نوعا ما للنسوية. فكرة الجدول الزمني التي يتبعها الكتاب تتيح للقارئ سهولة رؤية تطور حركة النسوية على مر العصور. ينقسم الكتاب إلى عدة أجزاء وكل جزء يتبع فترة زمنية معينة أو "موجة" للنسوية، وكل منها ينقسم إلى فصول وكل فصل لا يزيد عن 4 صفحات ويشمل صور ملونة ورسوم إنفوجرافيك وأسلوب كتابة غير معقد، وكل هذا يجعله مدخلا مناسبا للنسوية.
طبعا لاحظت قلة الفصول التي تتعلق بالتعامل مع القضايا النسوية في الدول العربية، ولكن هذا مفهوم طبعا، بما أن النسوية لا زالت تُحارب في دولنا هنا وما زلنا بعيدين عن حقوق كثيرة حققتها دول أخرى. يبدأ الكتاب تركيزه على النسوية بشكل أساسي ومع اقترابه من الفصول التي تتحدث عن الحاضر يبدأ بتضمين فصول تتعلق بالقضايا الجندرية أيضا.
الكتاب ليس عميقا جدا، فهو في أقل من 400 صفحة يتحدث عن تاريخ النسوية عام 1700 تقريبا حتى الآن، لذا بالتأكيد ستودون البحث على الإنترنت لمعرفة المزيد عن جماعة بعينها أو نتيجة قرار معين، لكنه مدخل جيد يتيح لكم نقطة ليبدأ منها البحث ويتضمن كذلك الكثير من التعريفات للمصطلحات والمفاهيم المستخدمة في النسوية.
الكتاب غير مترجم للعربية، لكن سأقول إن إنجليزيته تناسب القارئ المتوسط، وكذلك هذه السلسلة من الكتب، التي يتعمق كل كتاب منها في موضوع بعينه، أرشحها جد، يعني صرت متحمسة للبدء في كتب الميثولوجيا والتاريخ والأدب منها بعد الانتهاء من هذا.
I can safely say and recommend this book as a good overlook introduction to feminism. It includes many facets and sub-aspects of feminism, and the timeline aspect of the book makes you able to see the chronological progress of feminism, mostly all over the world.
It's divided into parts, each part tackles a certain period or "wave" of feminism, and each chapter is 4 pages maximum, with nice photographs and info-graphics and approachable writing style, that really works well as a gateway to feminism. It tries its best to include all opinions, but I noticed the scarcity of Muslim and Middle East feminism, but the few chapters they included showed why feminism movements flourished everywhere, and crawled in the Middle East. It starts with focus on feminism and as the years progress it starts talking about queer rights and their part of the feminism movements.
You'd certainly need to dig deeper after this book to understand a certain event or to know the consequences of a certain group, but to me, I feel I'll able to recommend it as one of the introductory books about feminism. Also, this series from DK (Big Ideas Simply Explained) are really recommended, after this one I'm excited to dig into the other ones I've got.
May 21, 2019
If you were looking for a basic introduction to the key views, events and people of the movement(s), then this is the book for you. It covers the history of feminism from around the end of the 18th century and brings it up to the present day. There are chapters on different movements and reminders that feminism is not just for white middle class women. You don't have to agree with every viewpoint but it is worth reading to understand things better.
February 2, 2021
این ریویو در مورد این کتاب خاص نیست. بلکه درباره موضوع اونه.
ما الان در حال تجربه ی موج چهارم فمینیسم هستیم. موجی که قدرت اصلیش از اینترنت میاد و همه هم بهش دسترسی دارن. با توجه به اتفاقات چند سال اخیر، فضای سیاسی اکثر دنیا طوری شده که فمینیسم و فمینیست ها بخش بزرگی از اخبار و پست های آنلاین و... رو تشکیل میدن. در همین راستا، مخالفت باهاش هم خیلی زیاد شده. طبیعیه. باید اینطور باشه اصلا. اما برای منی که روزی نشده پستی مرتبط با این موضوع نبینم، مهم ترین مساله ی این جنبش های مخالف، حرف بدون دانش زدنه.
همینطور که گفتم، مخالفت با فمینیسم باید وجود داشته باشه. من خودم مدتی هست به دنبال مطالب مخالف هستم که ببینم چی میگن یا اشکالات عقاید خودم رو پیدا کنم تا رشد بدم به دانشم. اما وقتی میگردم توی فضای مجازی، میبینم که چقدر مخالف ها حرف هایی میزنن که نشون از ندونستن میده. برای مثال، خیلی میبینم که فمینیسم رو معادل قرار میدن با «نزدن موهای بدن زنان»، یا «تنفر از مرد ها»، یا «حقوق برتر از مرد ها داشتن». این نظرات از کجا میاد؟ نظر شخصی من اون افرادی هستن که تریبونی توی این فضا دارن و عقیده خودشون رو میگن و مردم این عقاید رو برابر با کل فمینیسم در نظر میگیرن.
راه حل چی میتونه باشه؟ فقط مطالعه. همون اشخاصی که سعی در تبلیغ فمینیسم دارن، کسایی که میخوان مخالفت بکنن، مردها، زنها، همه... باید مطالعه بکنن در مورد این موضوع اگر میخوان در موردش نظری بدن.
اینکه هر کسی هر چیزی گفت رو تعمیم بدیم به کل یک جنبش، اینکه یک جنبش رو تقلیل بدیم به یک ایده، و اینکه با خوندن پست های چند کلمه ای اینترنتی و تیتر های جهت دار یک دید کلی و جامع از یک واقعیت شکل بدیم، همه اینا اشتباهاتی هستن که خیلی فراوان شدن. نه فقط در مورد فمینیسم. درباره ی همه مسائل.
بالاتر گفتم که دنبال مطالب مخالفت با عقاید خودم میگردم و تا حالا چیز قابل توجهی پیدا نکردم. امیدوارم پیدا کنم و بتونم خودم رو به چالش بکشم. اینکه آدم فقط چیزی که آن خودش هم عقیده ست رو بخونه، هیچ فایده ای نداره. مثل این میمونه که دنبال تایید حرف خودت باشی فقط.
ما الان در حال تجربه ی موج چهارم فمینیسم هستیم. موجی که قدرت اصلیش از اینترنت میاد و همه هم بهش دسترسی دارن. با توجه به اتفاقات چند سال اخیر، فضای سیاسی اکثر دنیا طوری شده که فمینیسم و فمینیست ها بخش بزرگی از اخبار و پست های آنلاین و... رو تشکیل میدن. در همین راستا، مخالفت باهاش هم خیلی زیاد شده. طبیعیه. باید اینطور باشه اصلا. اما برای منی که روزی نشده پستی مرتبط با این موضوع نبینم، مهم ترین مساله ی این جنبش های مخالف، حرف بدون دانش زدنه.
همینطور که گفتم، مخالفت با فمینیسم باید وجود داشته باشه. من خودم مدتی هست به دنبال مطالب مخالف هستم که ببینم چی میگن یا اشکالات عقاید خودم رو پیدا کنم تا رشد بدم به دانشم. اما وقتی میگردم توی فضای مجازی، میبینم که چقدر مخالف ها حرف هایی میزنن که نشون از ندونستن میده. برای مثال، خیلی میبینم که فمینیسم رو معادل قرار میدن با «نزدن موهای بدن زنان»، یا «تنفر از مرد ها»، یا «حقوق برتر از مرد ها داشتن». این نظرات از کجا میاد؟ نظر شخصی من اون افرادی هستن که تریبونی توی این فضا دارن و عقیده خودشون رو میگن و مردم این عقاید رو برابر با کل فمینیسم در نظر میگیرن.
راه حل چی میتونه باشه؟ فقط مطالعه. همون اشخاصی که سعی در تبلیغ فمینیسم دارن، کسایی که میخوان مخالفت بکنن، مردها، زنها، همه... باید مطالعه بکنن در مورد این موضوع اگر میخوان در موردش نظری بدن.
اینکه هر کسی هر چیزی گفت رو تعمیم بدیم به کل یک جنبش، اینکه یک جنبش رو تقلیل بدیم به یک ایده، و اینکه با خوندن پست های چند کلمه ای اینترنتی و تیتر های جهت دار یک دید کلی و جامع از یک واقعیت شکل بدیم، همه اینا اشتباهاتی هستن که خیلی فراوان شدن. نه فقط در مورد فمینیسم. درباره ی همه مسائل.
بالاتر گفتم که دنبال مطالب مخالفت با عقاید خودم میگردم و تا حالا چیز قابل توجهی پیدا نکردم. امیدوارم پیدا کنم و بتونم خودم رو به چالش بکشم. اینکه آدم فقط چیزی که آن خودش هم عقیده ست رو بخونه، هیچ فایده ای نداره. مثل این میمونه که دنبال تایید حرف خودت باشی فقط.
April 16, 2019
DK managed to pack A LOT of content into roughly 327 pages. Whether you’re new or old to feminism, or just want a factual account of the movements, this is a great read.
I would recommend this for ages 12/13+ if reading independently. Broad concepts could be easily explained to a younger reader if they’re interested.
I would recommend this for ages 12/13+ if reading independently. Broad concepts could be easily explained to a younger reader if they’re interested.
November 11, 2018
Poor propaganda
June 5, 2021
Demorei alguns anos lendo esse livro, porque é difícil e enervante ganhar esse tipo de conhecimento. Mas ao final da leitura fiquei feliz em conseguir compreender e encadear meu conhecimento sobre algo que descobri quase que naturalmente, pela irritação com o mundo, e entender que a irritação 1) não era só minha e 2) é histórica.
O livro é como uma enciclopédia (por isso tamanha demora na leitura) mas também é suficientemente leve (com imagens, gráficos e aspas), didático (assume que não sabemos nada e explica cada momento) e bem organizado.
O livro é como uma enciclopédia (por isso tamanha demora na leitura) mas também é suficientemente leve (com imagens, gráficos e aspas), didático (assume que não sabemos nada e explica cada momento) e bem organizado.
November 29, 2020
Non il libro della vita alla pari di "Il secondo sesso" ma sicuramente un volume interessante che dà una visione del femminismo dai suoi albori, con focus sugli estremi del movimento come le Terf (che personalmente non capirò mai).
Ho riscontrato diversi refusi che in alcuni casi hanno reso difficile la lettura.
Tutto sommato lo consiglio
Ho riscontrato diversi refusi che in alcuni casi hanno reso difficile la lettura.
Tutto sommato lo consiglio
March 22, 2025
A great summary/introduction to some of the most prominent aspects of the feminist movement! I absolutely enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in learning about feminism, regardless of how much or how little they know about it.
We have come so far as a species in terms of equality, yet we're still so far away from complete gender equality. Not to mention that gender is a societal construct that often lets the most gender biased prejudices persist.
We have come so far as a species in terms of equality, yet we're still so far away from complete gender equality. Not to mention that gender is a societal construct that often lets the most gender biased prejudices persist.
January 1, 2020
Un bel librone sulla storia del femminismo, dal protofemminismo che risale all'Illuminismo fino al movimento #MeToo, con una bella carrellata di persone, libri, nomi, luoghi, termini, correnti e organizzazioni che hanno formato e formano tutt'oggi il variegato mondo femminista. Non dovete pensarlo come un libro di 'propaganda', perché non ha paura di mettere in luce alcune contraddizioni e conflitti, come il dibattito sulla prostituzione, e alcune parti del femminismo non proprio bellissime a mio parere, come le TERF e il lesbismo politico. Mancano sicuramente diverse cose, e per forza: in un libro di 500 pagine non si può pensare di riassumere trecento anni di storia, e ognuno di noi ci troverà quella chicca che potevano mettere e che hanno scelto di non fare; nel mio caso, sono due pagine dedicate alla mascolinità tossica, ma sicuramente ci sono altri difetti che voi potrete vedere. Tuttavia, è sicuramente una bella panoramica per avere un'idea un po' più completa e meno a 'storiella' di che cosa sia il femminismo, perché è nato e che cosa vuole. Quattro stelle meritate, e sicuramente lo rileggerò meglio.
May 7, 2022
Questo libro - mantenendo un approccio accademico e oggettivo dell'argomento - si è rivelato estremamente utile come linea guida storica all'approfondimento delle figure chiave del femminismo, dal "protofemminismo" (Christine de Pizan) ai giorni nostri (#MeToo), non tirandosi indietro nel citare anche i lati meno apprezzabili del movimento (vedi TERF).
Adesso auspico una quinta ondata femminista che crei alleanze con i movimenti ecologici e antispecisti e che, come già fatto in passato con i movimenti antirazzisti e LGBTQ+, rintracci i legami radicali tra queste due discriminazioni.
Adesso auspico una quinta ondata femminista che crei alleanze con i movimenti ecologici e antispecisti e che, come già fatto in passato con i movimenti antirazzisti e LGBTQ+, rintracci i legami radicali tra queste due discriminazioni.
March 18, 2020
Great reference book for anyone interested in learning about the different “waves”, perspectives, and approaches to feminism. I especially enjoyed the fact that the book actively sought to capture international contributions and contributions from people of color. Because of the length and density of information in this book, I recommend that you read it over the course of a few weeks rather than a few days in order to truly capture the information.
May 13, 2024
A book that explains the most important facts of feminism. It changed my whole view on how we should treat women. Everyone should read this book and become aware. It is also a gateway book into feminism.
March 3, 2019
I really like these series. They’re not US-only focused and they summarize big ideas and theories well.
Want to read
May 4, 2019It should be IDR 365.000 but i only paid IDR 192.000! So happy! Thankyou Books and Beyond!
November 30, 2020
"Femminismo non è una parolaccia".
January 5, 2021
Great series. All the glossy photos and engaging text you'd expect from a DK children's book combined with the content depth of a 'for dummies' guide.
April 13, 2021
A no-frills, dude-friendly guide to the movement's founders, pioneers, leaders, and unsung champions.
January 2, 2024
I think this is one of those things you have to re-read a few times. I enjoyed it because it's very factual.
June 26, 2021
Feminism is one of the most contemporary and misunderstood topics that I have come across. Each day I learn new ideas and experiences from women I know that impulse me to inform myself about these ideologies. After reading Chanel Miller’s incredible memoir “Know My Name”, I became interested in learning and understanding feminism. The way history has shaped it into what it is today, and the huge amount of work that is still left to be done.
This is my first book in DK’s amazing “Big Ideas Simply Explained Series”, and I have to say, it is incredible how brilliantly these concepts are presented. Each chapter covers a single theme, in chronological order and with information neatly divided and supported by pictures, data bits and mental maps. In this case, the complex topic of feminism is thoroughly explored from the first ideas and writings in the 18th century, to contemporary feminism, which has a lot of ideas worth exploring and that are still being worked on.
The first chapters explore how first wave feminism, helped with previous ideas by authors in England, Sweden, and the United States, led to important causes such as securing voting rights, and developing ideas against the patriarchal system present throughout most of history. There were sections that introduced concepts that I have noticed, but could never explain with words.
After that, I read about new feminist movements from the 1950s to today, each decade introducing and building upon previous ideas and challenges. To me, were the most interesting topics in the entire book. Reading these stories and ideas inspired me, and I realized how many of the women I know have come across them in their day-to-day life.
The book is brilliantly written, I really enjoy the format of these books, and I can’t wait to check out more books from the “Big Ideas Simply Explained” series, as it really lives up to its name. Even though the book is packed with information, it does a great job making the concepts stick.
On the topic of feminism, I found my mind changed on a lot of things. I also realized how important it is to be socially and politically aware of the history and effects behind many realities in society. I highly enjoyed reading this book, and I would recommend it to anyone who has an open mind and wants to challenge their own ideas and preconceived notions.
Final Score: 85/100
For more reviews and cool content follow me on:
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▶️ YouTube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCpWCw5dV...
👨💻 Twitch - https://twitch.tv/grantkeeganofficial
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This is my first book in DK’s amazing “Big Ideas Simply Explained Series”, and I have to say, it is incredible how brilliantly these concepts are presented. Each chapter covers a single theme, in chronological order and with information neatly divided and supported by pictures, data bits and mental maps. In this case, the complex topic of feminism is thoroughly explored from the first ideas and writings in the 18th century, to contemporary feminism, which has a lot of ideas worth exploring and that are still being worked on.
The first chapters explore how first wave feminism, helped with previous ideas by authors in England, Sweden, and the United States, led to important causes such as securing voting rights, and developing ideas against the patriarchal system present throughout most of history. There were sections that introduced concepts that I have noticed, but could never explain with words.
After that, I read about new feminist movements from the 1950s to today, each decade introducing and building upon previous ideas and challenges. To me, were the most interesting topics in the entire book. Reading these stories and ideas inspired me, and I realized how many of the women I know have come across them in their day-to-day life.
The book is brilliantly written, I really enjoy the format of these books, and I can’t wait to check out more books from the “Big Ideas Simply Explained” series, as it really lives up to its name. Even though the book is packed with information, it does a great job making the concepts stick.
On the topic of feminism, I found my mind changed on a lot of things. I also realized how important it is to be socially and politically aware of the history and effects behind many realities in society. I highly enjoyed reading this book, and I would recommend it to anyone who has an open mind and wants to challenge their own ideas and preconceived notions.
Final Score: 85/100
For more reviews and cool content follow me on:
📚 My Official Blog - https://grantkeegan.com
▶️ YouTube - https://youtube.com/channel/UCpWCw5dV...
👨💻 Twitch - https://twitch.tv/grantkeeganofficial
📷 Instagram - https://instagram.com/grantkeeganoffi...
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/gkeeganofficial
February 8, 2025
What can I say? A comprehensive encyclopedia of feminist history, presented with a crystal clear layout and razor-sharp writing.
Sure, this book probably won’t persuade any anti-feminists out there, and my only gripe with it is that it feels like it’s written for people (like me) that think feminism is extremely important and want to know more about its history. It would have been nice with articles written for skeptics who are open to exploring more about the importance of feminism, but maybe that is too much to ask.
This is SUCH an achievement. EXTREMELY important book that should be mandatory to read in schools. I learned so much from this – it’s literally an indispensable source of knowledge.
Sure, this book probably won’t persuade any anti-feminists out there, and my only gripe with it is that it feels like it’s written for people (like me) that think feminism is extremely important and want to know more about its history. It would have been nice with articles written for skeptics who are open to exploring more about the importance of feminism, but maybe that is too much to ask.
This is SUCH an achievement. EXTREMELY important book that should be mandatory to read in schools. I learned so much from this – it’s literally an indispensable source of knowledge.
September 16, 2020
Really great introduction to the subject like the other books in this series I have read. DK have got together some of the leading experts for each book. Huge scope, so it was by necessity quite superficial, but gives you a good introduction to the key issues and events. The only quibble I had was that it defined feminism as starting in about 1780 or so, whereas it would have been good to see the wider history. But I now know where to look for that context thanks to this book.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
October 2, 2022
An excellent reference book, packed full of ideas. It was inspiring.
October 12, 2025
„The Feminism Book aus der Reihe Big Ideas Simply Explained“ ist mehr als eine Chronik – es ist eine Kartografie der intellektuellen Landschaft einer der folgenreichsten sozialen Bewegungen der Moderne. Anhand von über hundert prägnant dargestellten Ideen, von den Anfängen im 18. Jahrhundert bis zur digitalen #MeToo-Ära, entfaltet das Werk eine visuell ansprechende und didaktisch brillante Landkarte des feministischen Denkens. Seine Stärke – und zugleich seine philosophische Krux – liegt in der streng chronologischen Gliederung, die den Feminismus als Abfolge von „Wellen“ präsentiert: eine nützliche, wenn auch vereinfachende Metapher, die dem Leser erlaubt, die Evolution der zentralen Fragestellungen nachzuvollziehen.
Ich persönlich hätte den Ursprung feministischen Denkens noch früher angesetzt – bei Hypatia von Alexandria, der spätantiken Mathematikerin und Philosophin, die als Symbol des intellektuellen Widerstands gegen patriarchale und religiöse Macht gilt. In ihrer Gestalt verbinden sich Rationalität und Mut, Vernunft und Selbstbestimmung – genau jene Koordinaten, auf denen später die feministische Idee fußen sollte. Dass das Buch mit dem 18. Jahrhundert beginnt, ist nachvollziehbar, doch der Blick zurück auf Hypatia erinnert daran, dass der Gedanke weiblicher Autonomie nicht erst mit der Aufklärung geboren wurde, sondern tief in der Geschichte der Vernunft wurzelt.
Die philosophische Reise, die das Buch entfaltet, beginnt mit dem Appell der Aufklärung, die universellen Rechte des „Menschen“ auch auf die Frau auszuweiten – ein liberal-humanistischer Impuls, der im Ruf nach Selbstbestimmung gipfelt: „Ich wünsche nicht, dass Frauen Macht über Männer haben; sondern über sich selbst.“ Die zweite Welle markiert einen entscheidenden epistemologischen Bruch, indem sie mit Simone de Beauvoirs Diktum „Man wird nicht als Frau geboren, man wird es“ die ontologische Frage nach dem Wesen der Frau stellt und die Wurzeln der Unterdrückung vom Biologischen ins Soziale verlagert. Das Private wird politisch, und die Analyse richtet sich auf die tiefen Strukturen von Patriarchat, Misogynie und institutioneller Macht.
Manche Kritik an de Beauvoir wirkt dagegen bequem – formuliert aus der warmen Stube der Nachgeborenen, die den Mut und die Einsamkeit übersehen, mit der sie ihre Position in einer intellektuellen Männerwelt behauptete. Es ist leicht, retrospektiv Distanz zu wahren, wenn die Begriffe, für die andere einst verspottet wurden, längst Eingang in die Lehrbücher gefunden haben. De Beauvoirs Werk bleibt eine Pionierleistung: nicht fehlerlos, aber grundlegend, weil sie das Denken selbst in Bewegung setzte.
Die wahre Komplexität und die inneren Spannungen des Feminismus offenbart das Buch in den Kapiteln über die „Politik der Differenz“ und die „neuen Wellen“. Hier wird die Kategorie „Frau“ selbst dekonstruiert. Konzepte wie Intersektionalität („Alle Unterdrückungssysteme sind miteinander verknüpft“), Womanism und postkoloniale Kritik zeigen, dass die Erfahrungen von Frauen nicht universell sind, sondern von sozialen Kategorien wie Herkunft, Klasse und Hautfarbe geprägt werden. Mit Judith Butlers Theorie der Performativität („Geschlecht ist eine Reihe wiederholter Handlungen“) erreicht diese Entwicklung ihren vorläufigen Höhepunkt: Identität wird nicht mehr als Essenz, sondern als Akt verstanden.
So wird der Feminismus hier nicht als abgeschlossene Ideengeschichte präsentiert, sondern als lebendiger, sich selbst befragender Denkprozess – eine Reise, die kein Ende kennt.
Ich persönlich hätte den Ursprung feministischen Denkens noch früher angesetzt – bei Hypatia von Alexandria, der spätantiken Mathematikerin und Philosophin, die als Symbol des intellektuellen Widerstands gegen patriarchale und religiöse Macht gilt. In ihrer Gestalt verbinden sich Rationalität und Mut, Vernunft und Selbstbestimmung – genau jene Koordinaten, auf denen später die feministische Idee fußen sollte. Dass das Buch mit dem 18. Jahrhundert beginnt, ist nachvollziehbar, doch der Blick zurück auf Hypatia erinnert daran, dass der Gedanke weiblicher Autonomie nicht erst mit der Aufklärung geboren wurde, sondern tief in der Geschichte der Vernunft wurzelt.
Die philosophische Reise, die das Buch entfaltet, beginnt mit dem Appell der Aufklärung, die universellen Rechte des „Menschen“ auch auf die Frau auszuweiten – ein liberal-humanistischer Impuls, der im Ruf nach Selbstbestimmung gipfelt: „Ich wünsche nicht, dass Frauen Macht über Männer haben; sondern über sich selbst.“ Die zweite Welle markiert einen entscheidenden epistemologischen Bruch, indem sie mit Simone de Beauvoirs Diktum „Man wird nicht als Frau geboren, man wird es“ die ontologische Frage nach dem Wesen der Frau stellt und die Wurzeln der Unterdrückung vom Biologischen ins Soziale verlagert. Das Private wird politisch, und die Analyse richtet sich auf die tiefen Strukturen von Patriarchat, Misogynie und institutioneller Macht.
Manche Kritik an de Beauvoir wirkt dagegen bequem – formuliert aus der warmen Stube der Nachgeborenen, die den Mut und die Einsamkeit übersehen, mit der sie ihre Position in einer intellektuellen Männerwelt behauptete. Es ist leicht, retrospektiv Distanz zu wahren, wenn die Begriffe, für die andere einst verspottet wurden, längst Eingang in die Lehrbücher gefunden haben. De Beauvoirs Werk bleibt eine Pionierleistung: nicht fehlerlos, aber grundlegend, weil sie das Denken selbst in Bewegung setzte.
Die wahre Komplexität und die inneren Spannungen des Feminismus offenbart das Buch in den Kapiteln über die „Politik der Differenz“ und die „neuen Wellen“. Hier wird die Kategorie „Frau“ selbst dekonstruiert. Konzepte wie Intersektionalität („Alle Unterdrückungssysteme sind miteinander verknüpft“), Womanism und postkoloniale Kritik zeigen, dass die Erfahrungen von Frauen nicht universell sind, sondern von sozialen Kategorien wie Herkunft, Klasse und Hautfarbe geprägt werden. Mit Judith Butlers Theorie der Performativität („Geschlecht ist eine Reihe wiederholter Handlungen“) erreicht diese Entwicklung ihren vorläufigen Höhepunkt: Identität wird nicht mehr als Essenz, sondern als Akt verstanden.
So wird der Feminismus hier nicht als abgeschlossene Ideengeschichte präsentiert, sondern als lebendiger, sich selbst befragender Denkprozess – eine Reise, die kein Ende kennt.
March 31, 2024
As a novice delving into the annals of feminist thought, I embarked on a quest to unravel the intricate tapestry of the movement's history and principles. My exploration led me to "Big Ideas Explained: Feminism," a tome that, in short order, opened my eyes to the multifaceted dimensions of feminism. As a staunch supporter of the first two waves of feminism, I approached this literary journey with a profound reverence for the foundational messages championed by luminaries such as Emma Watson and Sheryl Sandberg. With a fervent commitment to combating violence against both men and women and advocating for a more equitable justice system, I eagerly immersed myself in the pages of this enlightening discourse.
"Big Ideas Explained: Feminism" embarks on a commendable endeavor to elucidate the labyrinthine contours of feminist theory and praxis. The tome adeptly navigates the delicate balance between accessibility and intellectual rigor, furnishing readers with a lucid and expansive panorama of feminism's intricate tapestry. Foremost among the book's virtues is its accessibility. Through judicious use of prose, the author renders complex feminist tenets into palatable servings without compromising the inherent profundity of the subject matter. This dexterity in communication ensures that readers across a spectrum of backgrounds can engage fruitfully with the discourse.
Moreover, "Big Ideas Explained: Feminism" proffers a commendably thorough survey of feminist terrain. Encompassing the historical antecedents of feminist thought, pivotal theoretical frameworks, and contemporary polemics, the book paints a vivid tableau of feminism's evolution and enduring relevance in the crucible of modernity. This panoramic view equips readers with a sturdy scaffold upon which to erect a comprehensive understanding of feminist praxis.
Yet, despite its breadth, the book occasionally falters in depth. Given the vast expanse of feminist inquiry, certain facets receive cursory treatment, leaving a lacuna in the reader's quest for nuanced elucidation. Furthermore, there looms the specter of oversimplification, as intricate concepts are distilled for accessibility, potentially engendering facile comprehension or misconstruction.
Notwithstanding these caveats, "Big Ideas Explained: Feminism" remains a meritorious exposition for those embarking on a sojourn into feminist realms. Its accessibility, coupled with its expansive purview, renders it an indispensable pedagogical tool. By furnishing readers with a firm foundation in feminist scholarship, the book beckons them to embark upon a voyage of discernment and critical interrogation of this indispensable sociopolitical paradigm.
"Big Ideas Explained: Feminism" embarks on a commendable endeavor to elucidate the labyrinthine contours of feminist theory and praxis. The tome adeptly navigates the delicate balance between accessibility and intellectual rigor, furnishing readers with a lucid and expansive panorama of feminism's intricate tapestry. Foremost among the book's virtues is its accessibility. Through judicious use of prose, the author renders complex feminist tenets into palatable servings without compromising the inherent profundity of the subject matter. This dexterity in communication ensures that readers across a spectrum of backgrounds can engage fruitfully with the discourse.
Moreover, "Big Ideas Explained: Feminism" proffers a commendably thorough survey of feminist terrain. Encompassing the historical antecedents of feminist thought, pivotal theoretical frameworks, and contemporary polemics, the book paints a vivid tableau of feminism's evolution and enduring relevance in the crucible of modernity. This panoramic view equips readers with a sturdy scaffold upon which to erect a comprehensive understanding of feminist praxis.
Yet, despite its breadth, the book occasionally falters in depth. Given the vast expanse of feminist inquiry, certain facets receive cursory treatment, leaving a lacuna in the reader's quest for nuanced elucidation. Furthermore, there looms the specter of oversimplification, as intricate concepts are distilled for accessibility, potentially engendering facile comprehension or misconstruction.
Notwithstanding these caveats, "Big Ideas Explained: Feminism" remains a meritorious exposition for those embarking on a sojourn into feminist realms. Its accessibility, coupled with its expansive purview, renders it an indispensable pedagogical tool. By furnishing readers with a firm foundation in feminist scholarship, the book beckons them to embark upon a voyage of discernment and critical interrogation of this indispensable sociopolitical paradigm.
September 13, 2025
I read 98% of this book within this week.
THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY, AS A MAN!
Pop, bang, zap! These women in this book know how to catch my attention with their explicit titles of books, magazines, and theatre plays that are raunchy and deliberately antagonizing; and the terms and quotes they use, too. Holy crap. Women have been ignored and silenced for far too long, which means they have to resort to extreme tactics both in their language and their actions... the activism and literary works does make some entertaining reading content to learn about!
SOME reviewers have accused this book about not being diverse enough and being too Eurocentric, and focusing too much on privileged white women. I'm sorry, but I have no idea where this is coming, except that from the very beginning, the book makes it very clear that it was privileged white women who first had the opportunities to read and write - they were educated in the Enlightenment and French Revolutionary ideals. Since then, privileged white women continued to have the most amount of power and education. The book makes it very clear about that. It also highlights the racism involved, and continues to give credit to minorities - there is even a whole section "The Politics of Difference" that's dedicated to the 1980s, which it then dedicates mostly to exploring indigenous, postcolonial, black women feminism, and so so much more!
I think the book has a really good balanced view of so many diverse view points of feminism.
I thoroughly enjoyed this journey into the feminist movement <3
What a stunning books with so much graphic content, some of it raunch, some of it is disgust and horror.
It kept me on my toes while reading.
As an ignorant man who knew nothing about feminism, I had no idea what was going to happen. It was exciting!
I'm eager to jump into The LGBTQ+ History Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained soon after reading this, as there seems to be some key overlap in this gender and sexuality studies ;P
THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY, AS A MAN!
Pop, bang, zap! These women in this book know how to catch my attention with their explicit titles of books, magazines, and theatre plays that are raunchy and deliberately antagonizing; and the terms and quotes they use, too. Holy crap. Women have been ignored and silenced for far too long, which means they have to resort to extreme tactics both in their language and their actions... the activism and literary works does make some entertaining reading content to learn about!
SOME reviewers have accused this book about not being diverse enough and being too Eurocentric, and focusing too much on privileged white women. I'm sorry, but I have no idea where this is coming, except that from the very beginning, the book makes it very clear that it was privileged white women who first had the opportunities to read and write - they were educated in the Enlightenment and French Revolutionary ideals. Since then, privileged white women continued to have the most amount of power and education. The book makes it very clear about that. It also highlights the racism involved, and continues to give credit to minorities - there is even a whole section "The Politics of Difference" that's dedicated to the 1980s, which it then dedicates mostly to exploring indigenous, postcolonial, black women feminism, and so so much more!
I think the book has a really good balanced view of so many diverse view points of feminism.
I thoroughly enjoyed this journey into the feminist movement <3
What a stunning books with so much graphic content, some of it raunch, some of it is disgust and horror.
It kept me on my toes while reading.
As an ignorant man who knew nothing about feminism, I had no idea what was going to happen. It was exciting!
I'm eager to jump into The LGBTQ+ History Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained soon after reading this, as there seems to be some key overlap in this gender and sexuality studies ;P
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews