Scan barcode
danicapage's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
4.0
I enjoyed this one for the most part. Eleanor Herman had a refreshing and conversational tone throughout while also having something insightful and worth saying. There were a few parts that were repetitive, and the last chapter or so didn't match the insightfulness of earlier on. Not the most in-depth as far as "new research," but a great book cataloging an important well-known, and widespread problem.
ashleighgray's review against another edition
only dnf bc I’m listening to it and can’t bring myself to continue bc I’m not a big audiobook person. hopefully will get back to this soon, maybe on my kindle 🫶🏻
alexisdpatt's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.5
“Off With Her Head: Three Thousand Years of Demonizing Women in Power” by Eleanor Herman ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
“Off With Her Head” discusses the history of using language, stereotypes, misogyny, sexism, racism and simple frivolity that is spewed at women through the years and today for the simple gratification of men seeing women eat glass.
This book is at minimum 60% politics and 40% history and at max 80/20. So if you don’t like women in politics, go eat glass yourself.
Herman uses historical women like Anne Boleyn, Catherine de Medici, Marie Antoinette, and Catherine the Great (among others) to deconstruct the hateful and misogynistic rhetoric that has been thrown at women in the past (i.e. adultery, incest, sexual promiscuity, murder) and showing how this rhetoric and its relationship to “female values” and “worth” translates into “she’s too loud,” “what is she wearing,” “she’s too man-ish,” “she’s a lesbian,” “she’s a bad mother,” etc., etc.
My biggest cretic would be the lack of historical WOC. However, Herman does acknowledge that she is not well versed in African, Asian and Latin studies and would very much rather someone else more qualified discuss them. To combat this, she does make it know that WOC are treated far worse and harsher than White Women when discussion WOC in politics by highlighting women such as Kamala Harris, AOC, Ilhan Omar and Shirley Chisholm.
One thing I do love, however, is that Herman makes sure to show that this happens to all women, not just those with left leaning political views. I personally cannot stand Margaret Thatcher and Amy Comey Barrett, but I also agree that they should not be subjected to misogyny and sexism but also that conservative women should not attack other women when we have so much in common. I’m very glad that Herman highlights this point.
Overall, this book was a page turner. I was angry and emotional and I loved every page of it. I’m so glad I chose to start it on International Women’s Day.
moongirljesse's review
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
2.5
This book gives a good overview of unique hardships women face in politics, but was very white-feminist and girl boss-feminist. I don't like hearing positive things about women like Margaret Thatcher and Amy Coney Barrett, conservative women who have hampered the progression of feminism and are outright war criminals, just because they are women who have faced misogyny. I found myself skipping entire chapters after the first few pages were full of praise for women like Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton and other anti-progressive politicians. Yes these women faced misogyny, but they also did nothing to advance intersectional feminism and I don't think they should be praised in this way.
dearbookshelves's review against another edition
4.25
I don't think the thesis or main points were anything new and groundbreaking if you know about how language can be used to undermine people but I really think the examples are so interesting. Appreciate the intersectionality in the second half.