A Brief History of Feminism

November 1, 2017

Schrupp and Patu explore feminists and feminism from antiquity through the third wave. Accompanied by cartoon drawings, the text discusses issues such as autonomy, basic rights, and violence. Direct quotations are in italics, usually presented near an illustration of the speaker. The text addresses the mistakes and prejudices of those in the movement, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton's willingness to work with entrepreneur George Francis Train, who supported slavery, after black men were granted the right to vote before white women were. The narrative concludes with a look at intersectionality and LGBTQ issues, and a "To Be Continued Note" raises the possibility of another book. VERDICT An excellent, balanced look at feminism throughout the ages for all libraries.-Tamara Saarinen, Pierce County Library, WA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 6, 2017
This collaboration between artist Patu and journalist Schrupp (Vote for Victoria!) is a succinct and sharp-toothed graphic narrative charting Western feminism’s development from antiquity to the present day. The panels alternate between portraits of significant women and tableaux illustrating major currents of thought, often laced with humor. Complicated debates are impressively condensed into a single panel or sentence. The premodern discussion within the Christian church about how a woman could be “more like a man” is represented in a simple picture of a woman being gifted a penis by God, as the discussion of “man-like” was turning at the time from behavior to biology. The book captures how women’s concerns have varied across time, and how feminism intersects with other social movements such as socialism and racial equality. The inclusion of prominent activists from France (Olympe de Gouges), Germany (Hedwig Dohm), and Russia (Emma Goldman) is a welcome change to the Anglocentric bent of most English-language histories, and the illustrations are rich in period detail and dress. The book powerfully organizes feminism’s many distinct terms, aims, and methods into a concise and savvy series of images. It’s a great overview of a complicated subject.