59 pages • 1 hour read
Naomi WolfA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
368
Book • Nonfiction
1990
Adult
18+ years
Naomi Wolf's The Beauty Myth, first published in 1990 and republished in 2002 with an updated introduction, examines the societal and psychological controls exerted on women through the idealization of beauty. Through eight chapters—“The Beauty Myth,” “Work,” “Culture,” “Religion,” “Sex,” “Hunger,” “Violence,” and “Beyond the Beauty Myth”—Wolf explores how the unattainable beauty standard, driven by consumerism and patriarchal concepts, impacts women's identity, perpetuates discrimination, and fosters harmful practices like cosmetic surgery and eating disorders, undermining women's progress and equality. The book references disordered eating and intimate-partner violence.
Informative
Challenging
Contemplative
Unnerving
Emotional
30,592 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Naomi Wolf's The Beauty Myth challenges societal standards of beauty, arguing they harm women. Critics praise its provocative analysis and compelling argument, although some believe Wolf's data and examples are occasionally flawed or overstated. Overall, the book is regarded as an influential and thought-provoking work in feminist discourse.
Readers who would enjoy The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf are often passionate about feminist theory, social criticism, and cultural studies. Comparable to readers of Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique and Susan Faludi's Backlash, these individuals seek to understand the impact of societal beauty standards on women's lives and empowerment.
30,592 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
368
Book • Nonfiction
1990
Adult
18+ years
Continue your reading experience
Subscribe now to unlock the rest of this Study Guide plus our full library, which features expert-written summaries and analyses of 8,000+ additional titles.