Femina

A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It

By: Janina Ramirez

Narrated by: Janina Ramirez

A groundbreaking reappraisal of medieval femininity, revealing why women have been written out of history and why it matters

The Middle Ages are seen as a bloodthirsty time of Vikings, saints and kings; a patriarchal society that oppressed and excluded women. But when we dig a little deeper into the truth, we can see that the “Dark” Ages were anything but.

Oxford and BBC historian Janina Ramirez has uncovered countless influential women’s names struck out of historical records, with the word FEMINA annotated beside them. As gatekeepers of the past ordered books to be burned, artworks to be destroyed, and new versions of myths, legends and historical documents to be produced, our view of history has been manipulated.

Only now, through a careful examination of the artifacts, writings and possessions they left behind, are the influential and multifaceted lives of women emerging. Femina goes beyond the official records to uncover the true impact of women, such as:

• Jadwiga, the only female king in Europe
• Margery Kempe, who exploited her image and story to ensure her notoriety
• Loftus Princess, whose existence gives us clues about the beginnings of Christianity in England

In Femina, Ramirez invites us to see the medieval world with fresh eyes and discover why these remarkable women were removed from our collective memories.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Janina Ramirez (P)2023 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

Reimagining the lives of medieval women

Being invited into the discoveries in each chapter and appreciating the bookend reimagined narratives of warrior princess that begins the book and transgender people in London that ends this queer feminist history marking it’s time in the present

It’s mostly about the wealthy and powerful

I was hoping for more about the lives of ordinary women. The last chapter starts to go there but only skims the surface

Fantastic!

I’ve been interested in medieval history throughout my life, and this is one of the best books I’ve encountered. The author is clearly passionate, and her tone is incredibly engaging. Looking forward to reading more from Ramirez.

Fascinating look at the “silent majority”

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I didn’t know how engaged I’d be since I am not a Medieval scholar/enthusiast, but I was hooked. I picked up this book because I wanted to learn more about the lesser told stories of women in history, and it did not disappoint.

Femina was extremely well-written and narrated. The chapters were nicely broken into smaller digestible subsections which really helped in highlighting the author’s points and keeping the reader engaged.
(My only suggestion would be to add the images from the physical copy in the Audible pdf. When I didn’t have the physical copy in front of me, I was having to Google images referenced, ex: Bayeux tapestry)

This book has made me interested in learning more about these fascinating women in Medieval history. I will be going to Normandy this summer and have now added the Bayeux tapestry as a must-see. If I ever find myself in Krakow, I’ll be sure to swing by Jadwiga’s tomb and pay my respects. And as a Swede, I’ll need to add Birka as a stop next time I’m in Stockholm. I’m proud to have these women’s stories brought to my attention.

Thank you, Janina, for sharing this research and reminding us to ask “questions about what stories [we’re] not hearing”.

Stop letting authors read their own stories

Authors and voice actors have different skill sets. Please stop ruining audio books by letting authors read their own work

Must read

This may be the best book I've read all year. I'm a history buff and learned quite a few surprising things from this book. It's well written and narration is perfect.

Too short

I would love another volume of women’s stories. Responsibly written and thoughtful acknowledgment that there is much left to learn.

Amazing!

Scholarly but engaging! As a religious studies historian of a different period and place, I was enthralled by the vibrancy of this book, and deeply impressed by its rigorous research. The print book and the audio are a triumph!

Shallow discourse and presentation

The book presents a shallow discussion on old and newer archeological finds, intermingled with free fictional prose of how the author imagines the historic facts fit her agenda Worse, I find several factual errors and misunderstandings. A sincere scientific approach to be expected is replaced with fiction. Concerning the history of influential women she is breaking down open doors.
If you are looking for a serious discourse do not choose this book.

Maybe the author should read the title notes!

I was expecting a semi-biographical look at medieval women that history has overlooked (based on the title description mind you!) instead we get an author trying to stretch archeological finds and historical chronicles to fit her personal worldview.
The first three chapters are consumed with her contention that "viking" society was gender fluid, based on ambiguous grave goods. By chapter 4 we reach western Europe, only to hear that women joined convents to attain political power and autonomy. Really.
I am sorry to say that the author's evidence for any of her arguments is scanty and truly ambiguous. Her reasoning is circular and biased. This book was an utter waste of my time!