The secret history of wonder woman, by jill lepore the new. Jill lepore, author of the secret history of wonder. October 26, 2014 jill lepores new book about wonder woman reveals the unconventional life of. A riveting work of historical detection revealing that the origin of wonder woman, one of the worlds most iconic superheroes, hides within it a. The freaky, fabulous, feminist secret history of wonder woman. Alison bechdel, author of fun home the secret history of wonder woman is as racy, as improbable, as awesomely righteous, and as filled with curious devices as an episode of the comic book itself. Wonder woman, lepore argues, is the missing link in the history of the struggle for womens rights a chain of events that begins with the womens suffrage campaigns of the early 1900s and ends with the troubled place of feminism a century later. Wonder woman, lepore declares, is the missing link in a chain of events that begins with the woman suffrage campaigns of the 1910s and ends with the troubled place of feminism fully a century. Leporeseamlessly shifts from the micro to the macro. The secret history of wonder woman is an absolutely fascinating nonfiction book about the man who created wonder woman and the many women who inspired him and who, in many cases, directly contributed to wonder woman in concept, story, and design.
Lepore seamlessly shifts from the micro to the macro. Jill lepore examines the feminist underpinnings of the superhero wonder woman. The life and opinions of jane franklin, 20, was the product of the suffragist, feminist, and birth control movements of the 1900s and 1910s and became a source of the womens liberation and feminist movements of the 1960s and 1970s. On the other hand, the secret history of wonder woman is fundamentally a biography of wonder womans largerthanlife and vaguely creepy male creator, william moulton marston. Jill lepores generously illustrated the secret history of wonder woman impressively links the iconic superheros 1941 creation by william moulton marston also the inventor of the lie detector both to the aims of midtwentiethcentury feminism and to the influential marston familys deep domestic intrigues. The freaky, fabulous, feminist secret history of wonder woman jill lepores new book about wonder woman reveals the unconventional life of. Books by jill lepore author of the secret history of. The author reports on the unconventional life of wonder womans creator, william moulton marston, a psychologist and. Her past unchained jill lepores new book, the secret history of wonder woman, is a long, strange thing to chew on. The secret history of wonder woman paperback july 7, 2015. Lepores thesis revolves around the life of william moulton marston, the creator of wonder woman, the character he developed, and the ideas. On the one hand, the story it relates has more uplift than wonder woman s. The freaky, fabulous, feminist secret history of wonder.
Unlike every other superhero, she also has a secret history. Her books include thenew yorktimesbest sellerthe secret history of wonder womanandbook of ages,a finalist for the national book award. The secret history of wonder woman is as racy, as improbable, as awesomely righteous, and as filled with curious devices as an episode of the comic book itself. Wonder woman, lepore argues, is the missing link in the history of the struggle for women s rights a chain of events that begins with the women s suffrage campaigns of the early 1900s and ends with the troubled place of feminism a century later. The secret history of wonder woman by jill lepore smart. In reading jill lepores newest book, the secret history of wonder woman i have some of the same uncertainties, but as baum had done, lepore proposes many ideas that should provoke animated discussion. The secret history of wonder woman by jill lepore 3. On the one hand, the story it relates has more uplift than wonder womans invisible. Its also a history of feminism from the suffragette movement into the 1950s it touches briefly on the 1960s and 70s but is primarily. The secret history of wonder woman by jill lepore goodreads. The secret history of wonder woman audiobook by jill. She is the david woods kemper 41 professor of american history at harvard university and a staff writer at the new yorker, where she has contributed since 2005.
The secret history of wonder woman by jill lepore books. Lepore fully tells marstons history for the first time, as well as the complete history of how so many crisp feminist ideas made their way into wonder woman comics. Jill lepores secret history of wonder woman the new. The secret history of wonder woman, by jill lepore times. Now the world is ready for you, goes one of the lines in the funky, hornheavy opening theme song of the tv seri.
After reading jill lepores book the secret history of wonder woman, you will not be surprised that the amazon princess has struggled so long to get a shot at the big screen. Jill lepores new book, the secret history of wonder woman, is a long, strange thing to chew on. While the stated aim of jill lepore s book is to cast wonder woman as the missing link between early american feminism and its seventies resurgence, the harvard historian is more compelling in. Topics history, comics, graphic novels, feminist theory. The secret history of wonder woman is a richly interwoven and illustrated dual biography of. Jill leporeis the david woods kemper 41 professor of american history at harvard university and a staff writer atthe new yorker. Jill lepores the secret history of wonder woman is not a straightahead history of the confounding, contradictory character of the comics, that amazing amazon. The secret history of wonder woman audiobook, written by.
Her books include the new york times best seller the secret history of wonder woman and book of ages, a finalist for the national book award. Lepore fully tells marstons history for the first time, as well as the complete history of how so many crisp feminist ideas made their way into wonder woman. Jill lepore draws on newly discovered private papers to tell the secret history of the worlds most famous female superhero jill lepore fri 5 dec. Drawing from an astonishing trove of documents, including neverbeforeseen private papers, harvard historian and new yorker staff writer jill lepore reveals the fascinating family story that sparked the invention of the most popular female superhero of all time. Wonder woman, writes lepore historyharvard univ book of ages. The secret history of wonder woman, by jill lepore. The secret history of wonder woman by jill lepore docs. In the spirited, thoroughly reported the secret history of wonder woman, jill lepore recounts the fascinating details behind the amazonian princess origin story. A panel depicting this labor unrest is just one of scores that appear throughout lepores book, further amplifying the. The secret of womans allure, he told a comicbook colleague, after. She fights for womens rights, access to birth control, free love, and the importance of polyamory. Jill lepore born august 27, 1966 is an american historian. Jill lepore talked about her book, the secret history of wonder woman, in which she examines the feminist underpinnings of the superhero wonder woman. A panel depicting this labor unrest is just one of scores that appear throughout lepores book, further amplifying the authors vivid prose.
I will never look at wonder womans bracelets the same way again. In the nexus of feminism and popular culture, jill lepore has found a revelatory chapter of american history. Jill lepore reveals the secret history of wonder woman acclaimed historian jill lepore finds new ways to look at william moulton marston and what his creation says about politics, womens history and the present day. Jill lepore is the david woods kemper 41 professor of american history at harvard university and a staff writer at the new yorker.
She uncovers, unclothes, and satisfactorily binds with ropes and chains the better to dispose of it the myth that wonder woman was a feature of womans liberation rather than one of male dominance. She writes about american history, law, literature, and politics. The secret history of wonder woman by lepore, jill ebook. Listen to secret history of wonder woman by jill lepore at. Jill lepore is a bit of a wonder woman herself, certainly a wonder of a historian. Jill lepore reveals the secret history of wonder woman cbr. All superheroes have strange myths of origin, but the politically and erotically charged backstory of wonder woman outstrips any comic book. Find all the books, read about the author, and more.