Living Dolls: The Return of Sexism

Listen to the Guardian's review of Living Dolls in the Guardian Audio Edition podcast, 7th January 2013

"I once believed that we only had to put in place the conditions for equality for the remnants of old-fashioned sexism in our culture to wither away. I am ready to admit that I was wrong."

Empowerment, liberation, choice. Once the watchwords of feminism, these terms have now been co-opted by a society that sells women an airbrushed, highly sexualised and increasingly narrow vision of femininity. Drawing on a wealth of research and personal interviews, Living Dolls is a straight-talking, passionate, and important book that makes us look afresh at women and girls, at sexism and femininity - today.

Natasha Walter was born in London in 1967. She read English at St John's College, Cambridge University, and then went to Harvard as a graduate student on a Frank Knox Fellowship. Her first job was at Vogue magazine, she subsequently worked as a reviewer, columnist and feature writer at the Independent, the Observer and the Guardian and became a regular broadcaster particularly on BBC2's Newsnight Review and BBC Radio 4's Front Row.She is a passionate advocate for the rights of women and children who seek asylum in the UK , and in 2006 she founded the charity Women for Refugee Women.

©2012 Natasha Walter (P)2012 Audible Ltd