Monuments And Maidens

'The question of why the female form has been considered appropriate, since the earliest days of Western civilisation, to personify a wide range of ideal concepts is an intriguing one that fully deserves this detailed and scholarly exploration. Marina Warner examines three very different allegorical uses of the female form: New York's Statue of Liberty, the public sculptures of central Paris and the images of Mrs Thatcher favoured by Fleet Street. The latter is one of the most brilliant analyses of the book, displaying Ms Warner's combination of wit and erudition at its most dazzling' - FINANCIAL TIMES'Ms Warner provides no battle cries, suggests no postures, indicates few directions to take; she simply demonstrates a long-lived and continuing process which has been and still is used to the detriment of women. And she demonstrates with clarity and precision which is hard to argue against and impossible to dismiss'. TIME OUT