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Deeds Not Words

On sale

6th February 2018

Price: £12.99

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Selected: ebook / ISBN-13: 9781473646865

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‘An uplifting record of progress and strength… You’ll lay the book down feeling not only informed, but galvanised to take action yourself.’ Independent

‘An incredible book . . . with the potential to change women’s lives.’ Sandi Toksvig


Why is it taking so long? Despite huge progress since the suffragette campaigns and wave after wave of feminism, women are still fighting for equality.

Why will we have to wait until 2069 for the gender pay gap to disappear in the UK? Why, in 2015, did 11% of women lose their jobs due to pregnancy discrimination? Why has 1 in 3 women in the world experienced physical or sexual violence?

‘Engaging…part feminist history, part progress scoresheet and part family memoir.’ Daily Telegraph

In Deeds Not Words suffragette descendant and activist Helen Pankhurst charts the changes in the lives of women over the last 100 years. She celebrates landmark successes and little-known victories, looking at politics, money, identity, violence, culture and social norms and turning to the voices of both pioneers and ordinary women for their perspective.

‘An exciting and engaging account of an essential part of British history.’ Mary Evans, Emeritus Leverhulme Professor, London School of Economics

Combining historical insight with inspiring argument, Deeds not Words reveals how far women have come, how far we still have to go, and how we might get there. It is essential reading for women – and men – on the most important issue of our time.

Deeds Not Words is so timely. A valuable guide and reference.’ Annie Lennox OBE

Reviews

Sandi Toksvig
An incredible book - an engaging social history but also with an activist's lens looking forward. Informative, enlightening, and with the potential to change women's lives. Read Deeds not Words - now!
Emma Barnett
Deeds not Words is for anyone who wants to know how far women have come in the long cold march to equality - by the great grand-daughter of one of our finest leaders. But its more important job is to shine a light on how far we have yet to go. Helen Pankhurst leaves very few stones unturned in this forensic look at the last 100 years of women's history.
Faeeza Vaid, Executive Director of Muslim Women's Network UK
An engaging book and call to action, full of insightful quotes and staggering statistics, vividly reflecting the diversity of British women's lives and their journeys as agents of change.
Rachel Holmes
Conversational, analytical, big-picture sweep of history, directional and - most importantly - wholly accessible. Literally words that make me want to get up and go do deeds, thinking all along the way!
Mary Evans, Emeritus Leverhulme Professor, LSE
Helen Pankhurst lives up to the hopes and expectations of her family name. The various, and often different, ideas of Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters are fully represented and through that readers are invited to consider the many issues and campaigns that feminism has fought and continues to fight. An exciting and engaging account of an essential part of British history.
Annie Lennox OBE
In order to go forwards, we sometimes need to look back, to truly appreciate where we've come from and where we need to go. This is why Deeds not Words is so timely at this juncture. It will serve as a valuable guide and reference to anyone who wants to understand the Women's Movement in more depth. I am deeply grateful to Helen for writing it
inews
Amusing, inspiring and disturbing . . . The conversational tone of her book is welcome in the midst of a reactive 24/7 news cycle. Instead of hectoring, Pankhurst reflects. She moves from legislation to culture and social media to examine how women's experiences are shaped by external forces. There is even a Mean Girls reference thrown in for good measure.