The Book of the City of Ladies
Editorial Reviews
Maureen Quilligan, New York Times Book Review
Astonishing, original....an early chapter in women's revisionary history [that] offers true eloquence resurrected from the silence of the past.
From 500 Great Books by Women; review by Erica Bauermeister
The Book of the City of Ladies should be included on any comprehensive reading list, if only on the basis of historical interest. Christine de Pizan is known as the first woman to earn her living by writing; left a widow at twenty-five with three children and no inheritance she saw it as one of her few options. She is more than an historical curiosity, however; her books are literate, feminist, and thought-provoking and cover a wide range of topics. The Book of the City of Ladies is a defense of women that strikes home even in the twentieth century. Using the narrative device of a dialogue between the author and several allegorical figures, the narrator first digs her foundation for a city by defending women against the allegations of lack of intelligence, virtue, strength, and bravery, then builds her walls with an astonishing number of examples of women who disprove all popular misconceptions. Readers whose primary aim is to find out about women figures from the past might prefer the twentieth century style of recent women's history books; the repetitive style of The Book of the City of Ladies can become wearing. On the other hand, there is a thrill in reaching across almost 600 years to Christine de Pizan, who writes about issues we still argue about today and who introduces us to women we never knew existed. -- For great reviews of books for girls, check out Let's Hear It for the Girls: 375 Great Books for Readers 2-14.
The Book of the City of Ladies
The Book of the City of Ladies,Christine De Pizan,Earl Jeffrey Richards,Persea Books,0892552301,Civilization,Conduct of life,Continental European,Early works to 1800,History,Imaginary conversations,Literature - Classics / Criticism,Literature: Classics,Women,Women's Studies - History
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