The Creation of Patriarchy: The Origins of Women's Subordination. Women and History, Volume 1 (Women and History; V. 1)

Early chapters supported my loose (evolutionary thoughts, I am a Biologist) on the rise of Patriarchy with scholarly evidence after an argument with another male friend who was apparently`the` expert on Feminism... so gratifying (I`m being petty ha ha). However I learned SO much and was able to follow the human evolutionary thread with Lerner`s erudite research and compact delivery. The latter chapters bring us into the more modern ages and expose our present battle against stupidity imo. Is it too late are we too entrenched in this? I feel even more certain in my Feminist approach to life and mechanisms of humanity , sociology and our survival! (although I admit am not nearl well read enough in current Feminist theory and politics to espouse one school of Feminist thought Vs another). A truly important book for women and one that ALL men should have a read of. Release yourself x

Mandatory reading for anyone interested in looking at Historical events.

perfect

all good

Highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to know how we came to live the way we do today.... why have we been assigned gender roles? why are women oppressed? why do we live under masculine rule? Why do we have a class system? The author tries to answer these, often citing various different key figures, combined with historical evidence. Capitalism is a patriarchal construction, so yes, perhaps someone might look at communist writings (Engels) to argue alternate points of view, but the author does this in a balanced way, often agreeing with some, but not all of it. With regards to the exchange of women between tribes, it is clearly stated, women were exchanged due to the avoidance of incest within tribes and to keep peace (page 24) - but the point the author is making, is that women were not in control of their own bodies, men were controlling this exchange as if women were things - yes, this is important to women's history and should not be down played. Some hard hitting stuff (especially for traditionalists or religious), after all, the book IS challenging the structures the author seeks to explain!!

A fine and deeply touching history of the social syndrome called patriarchy - which may yet do us in.

The primary issue is that instead of searching for truth, the writer has already decided what they think about the past (through the lense of a certain ideology). She then searches the past only in order to construct narratives, to prove what she already thinks she knows to be true. Anything written with such a mindset is garbage at best.

Questo testo, datato ma cult, era e resta un'opera importante. Il libro è arrivato ben imballato e nei tempi previsti.

I'll admit, I was a bit disappointed when I started this book. I'd been a bit spoiled with my social historical books being cut into bite sized pieces and easier to chew and swallow. However, this book only barely falls into the social part of the historical review category. That said, it was fascinating! There were points I stopped, shocked. Other points I stopped, and looked things up. Still others when I stopped, and pulled another book from my shelf to reflect on referenced passages. This book is rich in knowledge and does a fairly good job at looking at all sides of the coin: including the inside. If you are serious on understanding what patriarchy is, where it came from, why it's such a big deal, if you're on your dismantling journey already: buy this book! It will be a priceless resource for you. In that: 10/10 recommend A brief warning, and then a quote. The first two days I was reading this book (took me 3 days total), I had severe PTSD nightmares at night which I remembered in detail when I awoke. Even though the book was not discussing anything even close to my triggers, the subconscious is aware. I am lucky to have a therapist with openings quickly. I say this so that you may be ready if the same happens to you as your brain processes what you are learning. And now, the quote: "Thus they have learned to mistrust their own experience and devalue it. What wisdom can there be in menses, what source of knowledge in the milk filled breast? What food for abstraction in the daily routine of feeding and cleaning? Patriarchal thought has relegated such gender defined experiences to the realm of the natural, the non-transcendent. Women's knowledge becomes mere intuition, women's talk becomes gossip."

I learned a lot from this book and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a good overview of how patriarchy developed from the stone age through the bronze age. Quite a sad subject but an important one to understand. The author tackles it thoroughly and provides many sources.

Un text imprescindible per a contextualitzar la situació de les dones, que malauradament no passa de moda. El voldria haver trobat en català.

Wenn man über Feminismus spricht, finde ich fast immer nur Bücher, die zu emotionell geschrieben wurden, findet man hier aber nicht. In diesem Buch versucht Gera Lerner Feminismus geschichtlich und ausführlich durch die Reise durch die Zeit von Anfang an bis zur modernen Zeit zu erklären. Mir ist auch gefallen, wie breit und etlich ihre Perspektive, die sie beim Schreiben dieses Buchs benutzt hat, ist. Von Das Kapital von Engels bis Antropologie ist alles einfach zu faszinierend!