The Beauty Myth cover art

The Beauty Myth

How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women

 Preview
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free
Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Just £0.99/mo for your first 3 months of Audible.
1 bestseller or new release per month—yours to keep.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals.
Auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

The Beauty Myth

By: Naomi Wolf
Narrated by: Suzy Jackson
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly. Offer ends 29 January 2026 at 11:59PM GMT.

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £18.99

Buy Now for £18.99

LIMITED TIME OFFER | £0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Premium Plus auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Terms apply.

About this listen

The bestselling classic that redefined our view of the relationship between beauty and female identity.

In today's world, women have more power, legal recognition, and professional success than ever before. Alongside the evident progress of the women's movement, however, writer and journalist Naomi Wolf is troubled by a different kind of social control, which, she argues, may prove just as restrictive as the traditional image of homemaker and wife. It's the beauty myth, an obsession with physical perfection that traps the modern woman in an endless spiral of hope, self-consciousness, and self-hatred as she tries to fulfill society's impossible definition of "the flawless beauty."

©2002, 1991 Naomi Wolf (P)2013 Audible, Inc. Body Positivity Gender Studies Social Sciences Mental Health Inspiring Discrimination Health

Listeners also enjoyed...

 A History of the World in 21 Women cover art
A Brief History of Misogyny: the World's Oldest Prejudice cover art
Unladylike cover art
Something Out of Place cover art
Disobedient Bodies cover art
Virgin cover art
Down Girl cover art
Female Chauvinist Pigs cover art
I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t) cover art
Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions cover art
Detransition cover art
Women of Westminster cover art
Flappers cover art
Naked Feminism cover art
The Female Eunuch cover art
What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat cover art
All stars
Most relevant
Though now 24 years old, this book is still terrifyingly current.

The book I wish I had read at 14.

Essential reading

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is very important book for each woman. Cosmetic surgeries are increasing in my region of the world. Yet personally Made me grateful that we in this same region are being paid equally to men!

Should be read by all women

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I have spent my whole life judging myself on my looks. Not sure how easy it will be to let go but thanks to this book I know I should.

Good grief

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
So much great information- found it extremely interesting, Has changed the way I feel about a lot of aspects of being a woman and how I see other women and the whole beauty industry
My eyes are now fully open!
I personally believe that some of this information should be taught in schools to young females and should definitely be more mainstream information for the masses!
I’ve recommended this book to so many of my female friends and family members.

If you’re a woman you need to listen to this book!

A book every woman should read!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Confirmed what I somewhat knew all along and reaffirmed my positive self-beliefs. I have since stopped conforming and subscribing to modern day beauty ideals. I have stopped comparing myself to other women, changed my consumer habits and have never felt more liberated and happier. Loved every minute of this book.

Enlightening and empowering

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