Oxford University Press's Very Short Introductions is a useful series. The books can rapidly introduce people to a given subject, in a readable and accessible way. I'm sorry to report that what should have been one of the best and most important works in the series--Feminism--is among Oxford's worst offerings. It is a great letdown. This diservice to readers desparately needs to be replaced.

My review of this book is not a reflection on Professor Walters, nor on her narrative. Dr. Walters competently reviews a number of leading English women and gives glimpses into the ways in which they advanced feminist thought. I particularly enjoyed reading her remarks about Mary Wollstonecraft. Dr. Walters is a clear writer who is well-acquainted with the history of feminism in England. However, Oxford chose not to market this book under its true auspices: "Feminist Women of England: A Very Short Introduction." Rather, OUP mislabled the book, presumably so as to mass market it.

Unfortunately, this isn't a book about *feminism*! It is only is a set of bios about English feminists and proto-feminists. The book offers little insight into major feminists from other lands, nor does it reflect on key historical moments, nor does it provide an overview of feminist theory! A basic book of feminism should, at the very least, consider the gendered division of labor, discussions of the body, notes on the intersection of gender and race/sexuality/class, and insight into to momentous thresholds in theory and politics. With all due respect to the author and the press, this book utterly fails to live up to its title.

牛津大学出版社的《极简介绍》是一个有用的系列。这些书能够以一种可读性和易懂的方式迅速向人们介绍一个特定的主题。我很遗憾地告诉大家，本应是该系列中最好和最重要的作品之一--《女权主义》--是牛津大学最差的作品之一。这是一个巨大的挫败。这种对读者的伤害亟需被取代。

我对这本书的评论不是对沃尔特斯教授的反映，也不是对她的叙述的反映。沃尔特斯博士很有能力地回顾了一些领先的英国女性，并对她们推进女权主义思想的方式进行了展望。我特别喜欢读她对玛丽-沃斯顿克拉夫特的评论。沃尔特斯博士是一位思路清晰的作家，对英国女权主义的历史非常熟悉。然而，牛津大学选择不以其真正的名义推销这本书。"英国的女权主义妇女。A Very Short Introduction"。相反，牛津大学错误地将这本书归档，估计是为了大规模销售。

不幸的是，这不是一本关于*女权主义的书! 它只是一套关于英国女权主义者和原女权主义者的传记。这本书对其他国家的主要女权主义者没有提供什么见解，也没有对关键的历史时刻进行反思，更没有对女权主义理论进行概述 一本关于女权主义的基本书籍至少应该考虑性别化的分工，对身体的讨论，对性别和种族/性/阶级的交叉点的说明，以及对理论和政治中的重要门槛的洞察。出于对作者和媒体的尊重，这本书完全辜负了它的标题。