The Women's history of the World

(From the book jacket) Men dominate history because they write it. Women's vital part in the shaping of the world has been consistently undervalued or ignored. Rosalind Miles now offers a fundamental reappraisal that sets the record straight. Stunning in its scope and originality, The Women's History of the World challenges all previous world histories and shatters cherished illusions on every page. Starting with women in prehistory, the author looks beyond the myth of "Man the Hunter" to reveal women's central role in the survival and evolution of the human race. She follows their progress from the days when God was a woman through to the triumphs of the Amazons and Assyrian war queens; she looks at the rise of organized religion and the growing oppression of women; she charts the long, slow struggle for women's rights culminating in the twentieth-century women's movements; and finally she presents a vision of women breaking free. This brilliant and absorbing book turns the spotlight on the underside of history to present a fascinating new view of the world, overturning our preconceptions to restore women to their rightful place at the center of the worldwide story of revolution, empire, war and peace. Spiced with tales of individual women who have shaped history, celebrating the work and lives of the unsung female millions, distinguished by a wealth of research, The Women's History of the World redefines the concept of historical reality. "Rosalind Miles has rescued from obscurity women of astonishing ability, courage and determination. . . . An exuberant book, written in a jazzy, colorful style sizzling with puns and startling images."--Washington Post Book World

A lively, opinionated and engrossing look at women's roles throughout history and across the globe. Miles looks at women's contributions to the evolution of the human race on every level--cultural, commercial, domestic, emotional, social, and sexual.

IN THE BEGINNING The First Women The Great Goddess The Rise of the Phallus THE FALL OF WOMAN God the Father The Sins of the Mothers A Little Learning DOMINION AND DOMINATION Woman's Work Revolution the Great Engine The Rod of Empire TURNING THE TIDE The Rights of Woman The Body Politic Daughters of Time 241 263 275 Examines women's contribution to the evolution of the human race, and the female achievement on every level--cultural, commercial, domestic, emotional, and social