Feminist Library - Part II

Following up on my previous post, where I shared 8 must-read books for getting started with feminism, I’m adding some new recommendations to help you keep learning. These are ideal reads for delving deeper into different aspects of feminist theories and movements.

The Longest War in History

Isabel Martínez Reverte, Lola Venegas, and Margó Venegas

In a journalistic style, the authors trace the history of women’s exclusion, examining it from various angles: legislation, the role of different religions and myths, advertising, and education, among others. It is essential reading for understanding how patriarchy has become organically, systemically, and systematically embedded in the social, political, and economic fabric.

It is also a rich source of references for further exploration of various topics.

Sexual Politics

Kate Millett

A classic of second-wave feminism. The author argues that sex is a political act, and then analyzes various classic literary works from this perspective, highlighting their patriarchal nature.

Women and Power

Mary Beard

Essential for understanding and visualizing the role of women in the public sphere, and how their voices have been systematically denigrated and silenced. Spanning from antiquity—where Telemachus is cited as the first documented instance of a man silencing a woman—to the violence women still face today on social media.

Feminism 4.0

Nuria Varela

Nuria Varela’s books are ideal for introducing readers to feminism. *Feminism for Beginners* explores the origins of feminism and some of its most important milestones, making it an ideal first read. In *Feminism 4.0*, the author focuses on the fourth wave of feminism, and provides an extremely comprehensive overview of the latest trends and theories in feminism: ecofeminism, identity politics, postfeminism, postcolonial feminisms, queer theory, and cyberfeminism are just some of the movements she covers.

In particular, I found her overview of intersectionality to be essential for engaging with different forms of feminism and understanding them within the framework of the current political context.

Caliban and the Witch

Silvia Federici

The “witch hunt” takes on a new dimension through Silvia Federici’s perspective and analysis. It was a systematic slaughter of women, intended as a warning, in the context of nascent capitalism, with women serving as the last bastion of a proletariat fighting against the privatization of communal property. Misogyny at its most extreme, attacking—under the label of “heresy”—women’s roles and their knowledge of the body, sexuality, and reproduction.

The “witch hunt”—and the narrative we are most familiar with—is a crystal-clear example of how narratives and history have been shaped to suit the interests of patriarchal capitalism, with the undeniable cooperation of various religions and civil authorities.

Alone (yet accompanied)

Florencia Freijo

A highly engaging and accessible read, the author reviews the norms that shape women’s roles across education, the media, the workplace, the entertainment industry, and more.

In particular, the chapter on “mental load” is very interesting because it names and conceptualizes a “feeling” that the vast majority of women experience on a daily basis.

I hope you find these suggestions interesting! Of course, all your ideas are welcome.

Until next time!