Reviews

El Segundo Sexo by Simone de Beauvoir

kiki_k's review against another edition

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challenging informative inspiring slow-paced

5.0

krichardson's review against another edition

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2.0

She's not wrong about everything, but she is wrong about a lot. Most of this is just outdated and irrelevant and unless you really like hearing about the Oedipus complex and such, it's a hard pass from me. Also hard to believe this methodology was ever acceptable. A common bit of reasoning goes something like "a female character in a novel thought like this/did this/had this problem, so it is applicable to all women." Hello?

thelibraryduck's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

olivia_holmes's review against another edition

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fast-paced

3.75

qp_ad's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

4.0

O livro mostra bem como a humanidade deu overthinking à sua própria existência - e como overthinking dá sempre merda. Mostra também como o machismo se esconde nos cantos mais recônditos, mesmo quando parece defender as mulheres (como no caso da religião católica).

É assustador, contudo, perceber que os temas sobre os quais o livro se debruça ainda são atuais, apenas têm diferentes plataformas e instrumentos.

annalro99's review against another edition

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informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

Una lettura interessante anche se molto superata per alcuni concetti. Sicuramente se inserita all’interno del contesto storico si presenta come un capolavoro. Consigliatissimo per iniziare ad avvicinarsi agli studi femministi, in modo da conoscere i primi lavori importanti per poi leggere quelli più attuali. 

samnotsoshort's review against another edition

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challenging informative slow-paced

4.0

emilyduffjourno's review against another edition

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informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

nitaantony's review against another edition

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informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

THE SECOND SEX
Author: Simone De Beauvoir*
Genre: Nonfiction - Feminism
Moods: Reflective ✓ Insightful ✓
Pace: Medium✓

Overview:
The Second Sex is a deep dive into the concept of 'otherness', the gender equality and the intersection of existentialism and feminism.

It is a masterpiece of Feminist philosophy and a cornerstone for the second wave feminist movement.

Spanning 800 pages, de Beauvoir's magnum opus dissects history, mythology, biology, and personal accounts to expose the subjugation of women and proposes ways for womankind to redefine themselves beyond traditional constraints.

The book underscores the fact that women are not inferior to men, but rather just different.
While men excel in some areas of life, women do so in others. Still, the society of the twentieth century didn’t see things as such.

The content of the book can be roughly discussed in the following titles:

1) Unearthing the roots of womanhood: Simone de Beauvoir's revolutionary perspective

2) Dissecting the myths of gender hierarchy: The truth beyond biology and psychoanalysis

3) The eclipse of matriarchy: Tracing the shift to a world where women became the silent 'Other'

4) Foundations of female subjection: How inheritance and marriage fortified male dominance

5) Strides toward equality: Women’s evolving but unequal role through history

6) Divine decree or societal construct? The role of religion in designating women as the 'Other'

7) Dispelling darkness with mythical light: How stories beyond religion shape the female narrative

8) The dividing line of childhood: How gender shapes identity from the cradle onwards

9) From innocence to 'Otherness': Navigating the turbulent waters of female adolescence

10) The complex tapestry of female sexual awakening: A journey through resistance and acceptance

11) Birthing new life and roles: The dual nature of motherhood for women

12) The double-edged sword of modern matrimony: Economic safety and societal stasis for women

13) The attire of expectation: How fashion perpetuates the narrative of female subjugation

14) Beyond the veneer of choice: Prostitution as a continuation of servitude

14) The tangled web of resistance: Why a revolution among women is complex

15) Perpetuating the cycle: How love and narcissism keep women bound to men

16) A horizon of equality: Rethinking gender relations for a balanced future

17) Embracing freedom beyond the construct: A vision of womanhood redefined

Observation:
Though many of the matters discussed in the book are not relevant today, it was ahead of its time while it was written and published in 1949. And the fact that Simone was not even 40 yrs when she wrote this masterpiece is pretty impressive. 
It’s still read and studied to this day as an essential manifesto on women’s oppression and liberation.

My Rating: 4.5/5

                  

kajsavi's review against another edition

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informative

4.0