The Independent Woman | Simone De Beauvoir

When The Second Sex was first published in Paris in 1949, it provoked such outrage and scandal for its unflinching critique of a sexist society that it was banned by the Vatican. It went on to become a canonical text of second-wave feminism, inspiring pioneers from Betty Friedan to Kate Millett to Germaine Greer--and transforming the way we think about sex and gender. Now, for the first time, The Independent Woman provides readers with a portable, manifesto-sized version of this groundbreaking work, presenting the three chapters most central to de Beauvoir's 800-page masterpiece. An essential book for students, activists, and anyone who wants to know more about the history that led to our current moment, The Independent Woman is more relevant now than ever.