Extracts from the Second Sex

Extracts from the Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir presents key passages from one of the twentieth century’s most important philosophical works — the foundational text of modern feminism that argued, in 1949, that women are not born but made. De Beauvoir’s analysis of how femininity is constructed through social convention, language, myth, and material conditions was radical in its time and remains essential today. This selection, published by Vintage, makes de Beauvoir’s ideas accessible to readers who may find the full two-volume text daunting, without sacrificing the rigour and clarity of her argument. For students of philosophy, gender studies, and feminist theory, this is an indispensable introduction. For general readers interested in one of the great intellectual achievements of the twentieth century, it is the ideal starting point.