The Creation of Patriarchy

by Gerda Lerner

Book Overview

A major new work by a leading historian and pioneer in women's studies, The Creation of Patriarchy is a radical reconceptualization of Western civilization that makes gender central to its analysis. Gerda Lerner argues that male dominance over women is not "natural" or biological, but the product of an historical development begun in the second millennium B.C. in the Ancient Near East. As patriarchy as a system of organizing society was established...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195051858
• ISBN13: 9780195051858
• Release Date: October 1987
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.72 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Don't Give Up, Finish It!

I'll admit, I was a bit disappointed when I started this book. I'd been a bit spoiled with my social historical books being cut into bite sized pieces and easier to chew and swallow. However, this book only barely falls into the social part of the historical review category. That said, it was fascinating! There were points I stopped, shocked. Other points I stopped, and looked things up. Still others when I stopped, and pulled another book from my shelf to reflect on referenced passages. This book is rich in knowledge and does a fairly good job at looking at all sides of the coin: including the inside. If you are serious on understanding what patriarchy is, where it came from, why it's such a big deal, if you're on your dismantling journey already: buy this book! It will be a priceless resource for you. In that: 10/10 recommend A brief warning, and then a quote. The first two days I was reading this book (took me 3 days total), I had severe PTSD nightmares at night which I remembered in detail when I awoke. Even though the book was not discussing anything even close to my triggers, the subconscious is aware. I am lucky to have a therapist with openings quickly. I say this so that you may be ready if the same happens to you as your brain processes what you are learning. And now, the quote: "Thus they have learned to mistrust their own experience and devalue it. What wisdom can there be in menses, what source of knowledge in the milk filled breast? What food for abstraction in the daily routine of feeding and cleaning? Patriarchal thought has relegated such gender defined experiences to the realm of the natural, the non-transcendent. Women's knowledge becomes mere intuition, women's talk becomes gossip."

The perfect gift

This book is the perfect gift - for an historian studying the intellectual history of the ancient Near East from a Feminist point of view. The "boring" part of it is valid only when applied to people outside of the target audience. I was assigned this book in a history class, and read it with great delight cover to cover. I can understand where other people are coming form, but if you have a feminist Mesopotamian intellectual historian, this is THE book. I give it five stars, but only within it's microniche.

Ms. Lerner The Real Goddess!

The Creation Of Patriarchy should be a textbook in all Universities, all over the world. Ms. Lerner is brilliant in her assessments of historical data!! I highly recommend this book to all MEN (especially Patriarchs, Machismos, Sexist, Racists, Conservatives, Fascists, and the rest of you who think biology is destiny...life is an ever changing force and we need to respect and change with the times!!You Go Girl!

Eye opening

I thought this book was wonderful because it brings up many topics that get your brain thinking in totally different ways. I am currently doing a research paper on the possiblities of Mother Goddess worship in ancient times and this book has been very helpful. What makes this book different from a lot that I have read on the subject is that she shows many different sides to the topics she brings up. This is great because most of the subject is subjective anyway. The book is also very easy to read and follow. It's a great read!

This is a great book, but......

While I completely agree with the other review listed, I just wanted to give a few words of warning. This book is long and quite frankly, boring. While Learner brings up some very interesting ideas about the transition of society from matriarchy to patriachy, and is a decent writer, she is only truly brilliant and inspirational occasionally. I do recommend this book for research purposes and it has a fabulous bibliography for making research easier.

Great book on the history of women

Highly recommended to anyone with the slightest interest in history or women's studies. This book could change the way you look at life! Gerda Lerner tracks the oppression of women from over millions of years ago and shows how a biological difference between the genders turned into a cultural difference. Read this book!!!!