Summary Reviews Specs A brilliant reappraisal of the medieval women whose lives have been misrepresented and co-opted over centuries for political, nation-building ends. By Professor Janina Ramirez, bestselling historian and author of FEMINA . In LEGENDA, bestselling historian Professor Janina Ramirez peels back the layers of time to reveal how the identities of women have been co-opted by those intent on crafting national identities. Their names are well-known, and summaries of their achievements have been recited in classrooms for decades, but medieval women like Joan of Arc, Lady Godiva and Isabella of Castile have been misrepresented, their stories twisted and weaponised. Meanwhile, ground-breaking 18th and 19th-century women who blazed a trail through revolutionary Europe have been forgotten, their legacies too easily dismissed or ignored. Questioning established narratives and searching for the real women behind the legends, Ramirez interrogates what defines a nation and who gets to build it, shining a light on how history is so often hijacked to serve the ideological and political interests of the present. PRAISE FOR JANINA RAMIREZ- 'Ramirez blasts a powerful spotlight into the so-called Dark Ages and reveals a vibrant world, awash with colour and character' DAN SNOW 'Like the interlace stonework on an Anglo-Saxon cross, Janina Ramirez's themes are interwoven with a conssumate skill' TOM HOLLAND 'Passionate, provocative and brilliant' LUCY WORSLEY 'Janina Ramirez is a born storyteller . . . This is bravura narrative history underpinned by passionate advocacy for the women whom medieval history has too often ignored or overlooked' DAN JONES 'Skillfully brings out from the shadows the lives of women who ruled, fought, traded, created, and inspired' CAT JARMAN 'Absolutely brilliant and highly recommended' CAITLIN MORAN Janina Ramirez fearlessly deconstructs the dangerous historical myths and legends that have been shamelessly created to stoke division and hatred, finding complexity, truth and inspiration in this stunning - and shockingly relevant - new analysis of medieval history -- Alice Roberts, author of ANCESTORSThis is a history like no other, a top-down story of nationhood and mythology, a dazzling assessment of the past through the lens of the present and a rallying cry for the importance of history. Most of all, it's a plea to consider the real flesh-and-blood women who made the world rather than their sanitised, mythologised counterparts. A fabulous, invigorating and beguiling read -- Kate Mosse, author of LABYRINTH and WARRIOR QUEENS & QUIET REVOLUTIONARIESIn Legenda, the legendary Janina Ramirez strikes again. I love the way she cuts through the myths with her fierce mind. Stirring stuff -- Lucy Worsley, author of AGATHA CHRISTIE and JANE AUSTEN AT HOMESensational! Janina Ramirez is writing women back into history one by one -- Lauren LaverneBreathtaking and urgent. From dismantling assumptions about legendary women's assigned roles as mothers of nations to re-instating them as powerful agents of change, Ramirez expands our understanding of womanhood. This book is a tour de force -- Olivette Otele, author of AFRICAN EUROPEANSA brilliant concept, conveyed with that dynamo mix: academic authority and storytelling pizzaz! -- Alice Loxton, author of EIGHTEENLively . . . important. Ramirez is urging us to become critical thinkers, able to spot those places where history has been rewritten to serve the ideological interests of whoever happens to have the largest megaphone -- Kathryn Hughes * Daily Mail *Very readable . . . Ramirez tells each of these [women's] stories with verve , and is a knowledgeable guide to the medieval world -- Katherine Harvey * Sunday Times * Author Biography: Professor Janina Ramirez is a Sunday Times bestselling author, Oxford lecturer, BBC broadcaster and researcher. She is Director of Studies for History of Art at Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, and Visiting Professor in Medieval Studies at the University of Lincoln. She has published widely on medieval history, art and literature, has written both fiction and non-fiction for adults and younger readers, and has taught and researched across a broad chronological sweep, covering everything from the sculptures of antiquity to post-modern architecture. She has also written and presented documentaries across the world for over 15 years. She is Lifelong President of Gloucester History Festival, and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, Royal Society of Arts, Universities of York and Gloucestershire and City Lit. Her book Femina was an instant Sunday Times bestseller. General Information ISBN 9780753560426 Publisher Ebury Publishing Imprint Ebury Publishing Weight (g) 0.586 Publication date 05 November 2025 Dimensions 4 Centimeters X 15.3 Centimeters X 23.4 Centimeters Availability date 25 November 2025 Product Type books Other Specifications Author Janina Ramirez Bind Paperback Language English Pages 480 BIC subject HBJ Additional Information For more information on our shipping policy follow this link and for our returns policy click here.
Related
Related
Related
Related