A satirical take on human history and the woes that befall women.

‘Women: DOWN Through the Ages, How Lies Have Shaped Our Lives’ by Jerry Schaefer takes us from the very creation of humanity (both evolutionary and religious origins) through to recent times, describing human life at each stage and the consequences of the slow development of the patriarchy had on women. 

Powerfully written and, both cynical and scathing at times in tone, The author picks out how “Once men took over the plow, they buried any memory of women’s former egalitarian days”. Alongside this the author also points out that throughout history men are also harmed by the patriarchy, always having to pretend to be something their not: the stereotype of the strong, stoic figure. 

A satire in the way it uses a light-hearted tone to point out the absurd realities of women’s history, I found this equally interesting and infuriating: entertaining while also fueling my frustrations at the patriarchy and its impact on women. In between each section there’s a quiz, meant to be taken in the same vein as the rest of the book; the multiple choice answers may induce a reaction, even if it’s a snort of derision. Ending on a rallying cry to start over, to move away from the civilisation we have that’s left us “on the brink of self-destruction”. This book explores, pokes fun at absurdity and highlights trauma. It’s a conversation starter about our past, that could open the floor for a discussion about how to move forward.