Her Things: The Untold History of Women in 100 Subtle Everyday Objects

Die Dinge. Eine Geschichte der Frauen in 100 Objekten

◤◤◤History (written by men) often forgets to record how women outsmarted the constraints of their times◤◤◤
╴ ▂▃▄But there are always some objects that keep the stories ▄▃▂ ╴


How did the 18th-century bidet go from a "female confidant" to a target of a witch hunt?
How the 1950s Miller vacuum cleaner turned housewives into Sisyphus
How could women have something as common as a pocket only in the 20th century?
How did Greta Garbo sign a contract demanding equal pay for equal work with male stars using a gold-plated ballpoint pen?


There are countless ways to tell women's history, but this book chooses to use objects. The author has selected one hundred everyday objects, both subtle and bold, from fields like fashion, medicine, archaeology, and art, to document women's desire for freedom and their rebellious actions. But these objects also represent long-standing myths and norms used to disempower women. Annabelle Hirsch creates a universe of women and their possessions—an ancient Amazon doll, the discredited and forgotten amulet of Lilith, Adam's former wife, the bidet that went from liberating women to slut-shaming, a bust of Simone de Beauvoir made for her by her lover, Hannah Arendt's brooch that unafraid to express her femininity, and the Tupperware containers that made housewives earn more than their husbands...

Each object in the book represents the challenges faced by women in different eras and corners of the world, and the resourcefulness and resilience they demonstrated in facing them. These are not only personal stories of women, but also stories of women who, after their contributions to human civilization have been constantly erased, strive to rebuild and never lose faith.




Yan Zeya｜Publisher Ma Xin｜Writer Yang Jiaxian｜Writer Jiang Yani｜Writer Fan Qing｜Taiwan Women's Image Association Consultant Cheng Lingfang｜Retired Professor of the Institute of Gender Studies, Kaohsiung Medical University Yu Zhenyi｜Assistant Professor of the Institute of Gender Studies, Kaohsiung Medical University Wang Xiaodan｜Distinguished Professor of the Department of Law, National Chengchi University ▂▃▄Recommendations for seeing her in things▄▃▂


"This book explores the history of women from the Stone Age to the 20th century through the lens of minute objects. It's witty and interesting, and the author has a solid foundation. It was a real pleasure to read on this hot summer day." - Fan Qing

"Thoroughly researched with just the right amount of humor...provocative and informative—a must-have for every feminist bookshelf!"—Amelie Schröder, Luxembourger Dictionary

“This book, curated by Hirsch, is a comprehensive survey of women’s history, showing its many facets.” — Juliana Reichert, Daily Mirror

"Hirsch's story is told with a touch of humor and reveals many surprising facts." - Monopol, a German contemporary art magazine

"Her book is a fresh and bold cultural history, full of surprises and interesting, interconnected questions." - Angelica Maas, World Weekly





◢ "An encyclopedia of female resilience and surprise." -- Saha Vina
◢ “The objects in the book offer interesting insights and show how creative and strong women have always been.” — Eva-Maria Manz, Stuttgarter Zeitung
◢ "A history book with a difference. Through the lens of small objects, truly grand stories are told." --Manuela Reichardt, WDR 3, German public broadcaster ◢ "An irresistible book, meant to be read, flipped through, and savored over and over again." --Beate Maier Frankfield, Diwan Books
◢ “Hirsch brings these seemingly ordinary objects back to light, polishes them, and curates them. Suddenly, they shine again, revealing connections across time. It’s a fascinating read; once you start leafing through this treasure chest, you can’t stop.” – Raina Frings, ZEIT Online ◢ “A striking book about women’s history, from antiquity to the present day.” – Brigitte Woman ◢ “Annabel Hirsch presents objects from the grand to the bizarre.” – Vogue ◢ “The 36-year-old author’s choice of objects in this new book is clever and surprising. This book is highly recommended for a wide audience; it’s entertaining, educational, and deeply political.” – Brigitte Wieneburg, German daily
◢ “Some books are worth buying in pairs: one for yourself and one for your best friend… This is the perfect Christmas gift for all those curious friends, coworkers, aunts, cousins, and anyone else interested in debunking stereotypes about women.” — Miriam Stein, Harper’s Bazaar
◢ “Annabel Hirsch couldn’t resist the magical number 100, but in this book she has achieved something astonishing. At least 100 million people should read it: the history of mankind is not just the history of male heroes and achievements, as traditionally portrayed.” – Stephen Klemm, Kölner Stadt-Zeitung
◢ “All of these objects are perfectly suited to telling women’s stories, precisely because they are so everyday… Welcome to the women’s fantasy treasure house!” – Mary Kayser, radioeins ◢ “The book we are presenting breaks stereotypes from the very beginning.” – WDR 3, German public broadcaster ◢ “It’s a clever and unique journey through a fictional object museum.” – Ulrike Matzer, Salzburger Strasse Zeitung
◢ "A history book like no other. Through the perspective of small objects, it can tell truly grand stories." - Manuela. Reichart, WDR 3 Public Broadcasting Station, Germany ◢ “A small treasure trove that invites discovery and wonder.” – SWR2 Cultural Radio ◢ “Smart, lively, and sometimes very personal writing makes this book very interesting... The choice of objects is excellent. Simply priceless!” – Midwives Forum ◢ “A book that tells the history of women through 100 objects: this sounds like an unusual book, and it is. As our reviewer Manuela Reichart said, it is an inspiring book, and she highly recommends it.” – rbb Culture ◢ “What a brilliant book! In these 100 carefully selected objects, the history of feminism is written here.” – Mia Edelhofer, The Standard

2024-08-31

麥田

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