The Beauty Myth (1991) (edit title/settings)

• Rated 5 stars

“This book talks about the Beauty Myth as a central topic to today's feminist vs. being feminine views. Opens up with a lot of good quotes and arguments. I own the older copy which includes an introduction, I'm not sure if the new one does or not. If not, I wouldn't recommend it. The introduction is one of my favorite parts.”

• Rated 4 stars

“A very very good book. Neat, chockfull of details, relevant, thoughtful. It's starting to get a bit old now.”

• Rated 3 stars

“Thought provoking but clearly dated - it would be nice to see this subject revisited with more current data. The writing style was extremely distracting and difficult to work through, but I have read that this is atypical for the author. ”

• Rated 2 stars

“I really, really tried to get into this book, but 100 pages in I was still pressuring myself to read it. Don't get me wrong, I love feminist writing, I ate 'A Room of One's Own' up, but this one I just couldn't get into.

Maybe if it was updated and more relevant, but it just seemed to be lists of bad things that have happened for women. There was very little that grabbed my attention.

I'm sorry Naomi! I promise I'll try again in the future!”

• Rated 4 stars

“Thouroughly depressing for two thirds of the book.
It does bring about a greater awareness of one's surroundings (specifically if the reader is female) and provides an example of opression.
Wolf is rather wonderful at the end in rallying up the need to make changes and reminding the reader that really the myth is only as powerful as the believer let it be.”

• Rated 5 stars

“LJ user rhapsodeeinblue:

Another essential book. I don't have any quotes for this one (I don't own a copy and didn't cite it for any recent papers of mine), but it's an incredibly important treatise on Western society's treatment of women, which hinges on certain beauty ideals that have not only social but also political ramifications”

• Rated 1 stars

“Too much complaining. One should always find his own vernacular and own element. Don't even pretend to be someone you are not, or to be with people who are not you don't really like, or convince other to adapt your belief system. I notice the irony here...”

• Rated 3 stars

“I liked it. It's a good book for any girl to read. It's a little complicated and a little to free with the language and jargon it uses. sometimes it was hard to understand. i myself am not a feminist and this was a little far into that territory, but it was still a good book.”

• Rated 4 stars

“A little extreme, but definitely insightful.”

• Rated 4 stars

“All feminists & non-feminists should read this, and then talk about it!”