Today I am delighted to be hosting the blog tour for The Philosopher Queens, edited by Rebecca Buxton and Lisa Whiting

Synopsis

Where are all the women philosophers?

The history of philosophy has not done women justice: you’ve probably heard the names Plato, Kant, Nietzsche and Locke – but what about Hypatia, Arendt, Oluwole and Young?

The Philosopher Queens is a long-awaited book about the lives and works of women in philosophy by women in philosophy. This collection brings to centre stage twenty prominent women whose ideas have had a profound – but for the most part uncredited – impact on the world.
You’ll learn about Ban Zhao, the first woman historian in ancient Chinese history; Angela Davis, perhaps the most iconic symbol of the American Black Power Movement; Azizah Y. al-Hibri, known for examining the intersection of Islamic law and gender equality; and many more.

For anyone who has wondered where the women philosophers are, or anyone curious about the history of ideas – it’s time to meet the philosopher queens.

My thoughts

This is a much need and brilliantly curated book that celebrates a small selection of the great women thinkers past and present. I say a small selection – there are twenty featured here, far many more than are usually given space. In this glorious book they are given room to breath. Each essay is informative and intriguing. As a Librarian I feel that this would make an interesting read for any student of philosophy but more than that, anyone who is interested in history, the world and the thinkers who came before us – this gives a fresh insightful perspective.

The ladies featured are not shrouded in rose tinted specs. Each writer provides a balanced take on their subject, warts and all. It is an absolutely fascinating read, each section is written with finesse and all are compelling in their own way. Working in a Library I have come across a fair few of the women before. Indeed I often feature some in my displays for International Women’s Day. Hypatia, Mary Wollstonecraft, George Eliot, Simone De Beauvoir and the brilliant Iris Murdoch, but here within the pages of this book are so many more. It has been an education, and a very enjoyable one at that.

Visually, it’s stunning and the illustrations put me in mind of the fabulous Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls. The illustrator is credited as Emmy Smith and they are just beautiful. They really added another level of enjoyment to the book.

This is one book that I will be firmly placing on my Library bookshelves…and indeed my own.

Thank you so much to Anne Cater for inviting me to take part in this blog tour and to the lovely people at Unbound for sending me the beautiful review copy. It was a joy to read. Beautiful and absolutely fascinating – what more could you want.

About the editors

Rebecca Buxton and Lisa Whiting met at secondary school, where they discovered a shared passion for philosophy. Rebecca is a DPhil student at the University of Oxford, where her research focuses on the political rights of refugees and forced migrants. Lisa is completing her MSc in Government, Policy and Politics at Birkbeck, University of London. Alongside studying, she works as a policy advisor in areas concerning practical ethics.