Customer Reviews

Larousse Dictionary of Women

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I purchased this tome in order to expand my knowledge of lesser known significant women throughout world history. But the book is more akin to a People Magazine's Annual list than an OED of women's history.

The book gives short shrift to women from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Its primary focus is on late nineteenth and twentieth century women from the UK and United States. The significance of each woman's contribution to society has no correlation to the length of her entry. Supermodel Claudia Schiffer is devoted more attention than Harriet Tubman and Sandra Day O'Connor.

I got this book as a reference resource for my daughter, and quickly regretted it. This book is extremely watered down, and full of historical inaccuracies.

It primarily gives a very "politically correct" version of history, and focuses more on celebrity profiles than actual history.

For example, Helen Keller was one of the most significant female historical figures of the 20th century. But her profile was both brief (only 5 sentences) and inaccurate (omitting the most significant achievements of her life).

This book is actually disempowering for women.