Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It
About this audiobook
Brought to you by Penguin.
Extraordinary women have held positions of power throughout history. But, aside from the select few, why do we not hear about them?
The middle ages are seen as a bloodthirsty time of Vikings, Saints and Kings: a patriarchal society that oppressed and excluded women. But by digging a little deeper into the truth, drawing on evidence from all disciplines, we can see that the 'dark' ages were anything but. BBC historian Janina Ramirez has uncovered countless influential women's names struck out of historical records, with the word FEMINA annotated beside them. Male gatekeepers of the past ordered books to be burnt, artworks to be destroyed, and new versions of myths, legends and historical documents to be produced, which has manipulated our view of history.
By weaving a vivid and evocative picture of the lives of the women who influenced their society, we discover not just why these remarkable individuals were removed from our collective memories, but also how many other misconceptions underpin our historical narratives, altering the course of history, upholding the oppressive masculine structures of their present, and affecting our contemporary view of the past.
© Janina Ramirez 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022
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About the author
Professor Janina Ramirez is a Sunday Times bestselling author, Oxford lecturer, BBC broadcaster and researcher. She is Director of Studies for History of Art at Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, and Visiting Professor in Medieval Studies at the University of Lincoln. She has published widely on medieval history, art and literature, has written both fiction and non-fiction for adults and younger readers, and has taught and researched across a broad chronological sweep, covering everything from the sculptures of antiquity to post-modern architecture. She has also written and presented documentaries across the world for over 15 years. She is Lifelong President of Gloucester History Festival, and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Royal Society of Arts, Universities of York and Gloucestershire and City Lit. Her book Femina was an instant Sunday Times bestseller.
