Difficult Women By Helen Lewis - Book Review

From the blurb:

Feminism’s success is down to complicated, contradictory, imperfect women, who fought each other as well as fighting for equal rights. Helen Lewis argues that too many of these pioneers have been whitewashed or forgotten in our modern search for feel-good, inspirational heroines. It’s time to reclaim the history of feminism as a history of difficult women.

Difficult Women is an insightful and thoroughly entertaining book charting the history of feminism through the stories of (so-called) difficult women. It does not shy from character flaws: rather than paint these women as unblemished heroines it properly explains their behaviour and motivations, even when their actions may not today be seen as morally right or politically correct.

I appreciated Lewis’ personal insights and bias: as a British feminist, she focused primarily on British history and events, and was unafraid to detail aspects of her own personal life which shaped the narratives within.

Recommended for all women, particularly those with an interest in the history of feminism.

Reviewed by Amanda Kennedy on 17/05/2020. Rating: 4.5/ 5 stars.