The Female Eunuch is a 1970 book by Germaine Greer that became an international bestseller and an important text in the feminist movement. The main thesis of the book is that the “traditional” suburban, consumerist, nuclear family represses women sexually, and that this devitalizes them, rendering them eunuchs. The book was published in London in October 1970. By March 1971, it had nearly sold out its second printing. It has been translated into eleven languages.
This incredibly significant book is arguably one of the most important works of the modern era. It challenged a woman’s traditional role in society, and provided an important framework for the feminist movement of the 1970s. The Female Eunuch called on women to reject their traditional roles in the home, and explore ways to break out of the mould that society had imposed on them. It also encouraged women to question the power of traditional authority figures – such as doctors, psychiatrists, priests and the police – who at the time were not used to being questioned, and to explore their own sexuality.
Estimate: $300-400