Invisible Women cover art

Invisible Women

Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men

 Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

£5.99/mo after trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options

Invisible Women

By: Caroline Criado Perez
Narrated by: Caroline Criado Perez
Try for £0.00

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £10.34

Buy Now for £10.34

LIMITED TIME OFFER

£0.99/mo for 3 months - terms apply. Offer ends 24 August 2026.

*THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER*
*A TIMES BEST BOOK OF THE 21st CENTURY*
*OVER A MILLION COPIES SOLD*

Discover the shocking gender bias that affects our everyday lives in this groundbreaking gift of an audiobook edition, read by Caroline Criado Perez.

Imagine a world where...

· Your phone is too big for your hand
· Your doctor prescribes a drug that is wrong for your body
· In a car accident you are 47% more likely to be injured.

If any of that sounds familiar, chances are you're a woman.

From government policy and medical research, to technology, workplaces, and the media. Invisible Women reveals how in a world built for and by men we are systematically ignoring half of the population, often with disastrous consequences. Caroline Criado Perez brings together for the first time an impressive range of case studies, stories and new research from across the world that illustrate the hidden ways in which women are forgotten, and the profound impact this has on us all.

Find out more in Caroline's podcast, Visible Women.

'A book that changes the way you see the world' Sunday Times

'Revelatory, frightening, hopeful' Jeanette Winterson

'Nothing delights me more than a well-written and well-researched book that teaches you and never bores you' Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

'HELL YES. This is one of those books that has the potential to change things - a monumental piece of research' Caitlin Moran

© Caroline Criado Perez 2019 (P) Penguin Audio 2019

 Gender Studies History & Culture Racism & Discrimination Social Sciences Technology & Society Thought-Provoking Inspiring
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Critic reviews

Revelatory – it should be required reading for policy and decision makers everywhere (Nicola Sturgeon)
HELL YES. This is one of those books that has the potential to change things – a monumental piece of research (Caitlin Moran)
Revelatory, frightening, hopeful. A secular Bible (Jeanette Winterson)
This book is a devastating indictment of institutionalised complacency and a rallying cry to fight back… Invisible Women should propel women into action. It should also be compulsory reading for men (Christina Patterson)
Invisible Women takes on the neglected topic of what we don't know - and why. The result is a powerful, important and eye-opening analysis of the gender politics of knowledge and ignorance. With examples from technology to natural disasters, this is an original and timely reminder of why we need women in the leadership of the institutions that shape every aspect of our lives. (Cordelia Fine)
Invisible Women is a game-changer; an uncompromising blitz of facts, sad, mad, bad and funny, making an unanswerable case and doing so brilliantly…the ambition and scope – and sheer originality – of Invisible Women is huge; no less than the story of what happens when we forget to account for half of humanity. It should be on every policymaker, politician and manager’s shelves (Melanie Reid)
Hugely readable, packed with facts and insight. An important book written with humour and flair (Robert Webb)
Here are the facts! Caroline Criado Perez shines her penetrating gaze on the absence of women from the creation of most societal norms – from algorithms to medicinal doses to government policy. Knowledge is power – we all need to know how our systems work if we want change. Arm yourself with this book and press it into the hands of everyone you know. It is utterly brilliant! (Helena Kennedy)
A blisteringly good book... never less than eye-opening, and frequently staggering
It’s a smart strategy to invite readers to view [a] timeworn topic through the revealing lens of data, bringing to light the hidden places where inequality still resides... Criado Perez wields data like a laser, slicing cleanly through the fog of unconscious and unthinking preferences.
All stars
Most relevant
Excellently delivered message, thoroughly researched. Very good explanations with many examples of the many different statistical biases that affect society's understanding of women.

Excellent book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A catalogue of systemic failure to account for women in every sphere of life. Righteously angry and a rallying call to women everywhere

Startling and life-changing

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Tremendous compilation of facts that pile up to make an indestructible case. This is a very important book, and I'm so very glad I read it.

Previous reviews criticise the narrator as tongue-tied, too fast or too angry. I disagree, and found the reading clear and well paced (even when listening at 1.20x). I perceived no anger, but seriousness, clarity and enunciation. I may go out on a limb, but I wonder if such criticisms result from the gender-based perceptual biases explained in this book. All in all, fully recommended.

Amazing book and narration

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I think this is the most revolutionary book I have ever read in my life, but t'm going to try to be objective on my review:

Pros:

It contains so much data about studies and official papers that have never been put together before to analise how women's lives have been affected by the "data gap". I can't stress how important it is for every woman, or anyone who really cares about one to read this book. You will not find out there such a factual wide collection of backed up data, in an organised and coherent way that can even potentially save lives. I'm also getting the paperback edition because there's so much I want to go back to.

The reason it has had such a deep inpact on me is because in my life experience, and from other women I know, I have experienced not only a few, but so many of the things that are described here, that at times it felt overwhelming. And it has hit me many times with strong realisations, for instance the death of a woman close to me which could have been avoided, very serious adverse effects to medication that I had, of illness of other friends who have been mistreated, and a large so on concerning other than only medical matters. Men need to know this as much as women, to abolish the "women are difficult" lazy and sloppy concept, and instead, make an effort to put real names to explain the real women's problems, which have never been addressed, or have been largely ignored. There is a lot to do and a lot that can be done. Carloline Criado Perez should be a Nobel Prize for this and for all her revolutionary and priceless activity as a women's activist.

Cons:

As she's concentrating so much data, I understand there may be some mistaken information. I read something concerning the maternity leave data in Poland and Portugal which may need to be corrected. That's why I'm hoping for a 2nd Edition, including corrections and new up-to-date information.

As in the Audible edition, the book is narrated by the author. I think sometimes it's narrated a bit fast to be able to take in the amount of information that is presented. Paperback will allow a more carefull examination.

Extraordinary. Must read for men and women.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A very important book about human rights and so much more. She reads very fast and forcefully, but that seems right for this heavy stuff. I want everyone I know to read it. I was shocked beyond my imagination about what happens to women all over the world. Why do they say 'slavery has ended'? Again I wish this was on the reading syllabus for schools.

This book should be compulsory reading in schools.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews