The Missing Thread: A Women's History of the Ancient World by Daisy DunnMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I think the promise of this book is interesting: telling the history of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds with women at the center. I was hoping to learn about forgetten figures and thinkers; to find out about women that have been downplayed or ignored in the history. There is some of that, but this is more or less a retelling of ancient history. In that, it is compelling and Dunn tells the history well. But often the focus, particularly in the Roman period, is on the men and their wives or mistresses of these men. From there, we have speculation and extrapolation about their roles in history. There is also not a lot of focus on what life might have been like for woman more generally in these societies. In earlier periods, there is, unsurprisingly, a potentially confusing mix of stories, myths, and history. It is not always clear or obvious (at least immediately) what the sources are and how reliable or representative they are. There is a lot of speculation and extrapolation from thin data. While Dunn often does note this, it could be clearer.
The book is interesting and I enjoyed listening to it but it just doesn't deliver on the promise.
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