6th January, 7:30pm - Janina Ramirez, Legenda

Backstory, 71 Balham High Rd, SW12 9AP

Following off the success of Femina, a history of the medieval ages through the women traditionally left out of it, Professor Janina Ramirez takes a look at the histories of legendary women in Legenda- from Joan of Arc and Lady Godiva to the women whose achievements have been dismissed or forgotten. It should be a great evening for history lovers, political thinkers, and feminist theorists alike!

About the book:

From the bestselling author of FEMINA, a brilliant reappraisal of the medieval women whose lives have been exploited over centuries for political, nation-building ends. In LEGENDA, bestselling historian Professor Janina Ramirez peels back the layers of time to reveal how the lives of women have been co-opted by those intent on crafting national identities. Their names are well known, and summaries of their achievements have been recited in classrooms for decades, but medieval women like Joan of Arc, Lady Godiva and Isabella of Castile have been misrepresented, their stories twisted and weaponised.

Meanwhile, ground-breaking 18th- and 19th-century women who blazed a trail through revolutionary Europe have been forgotten, their legacies too easily dismissed or ignored. Questioning established narratives and searching for the real women behind the legends, Ramirez interrogates what defines a nation and who gets to build it, shining a light on how history is so often hijacked to serve the ideological and political interests of the present. 

Tickets Available:

Ticket only - £15 (This ticket does not include a copy of the book. You can decide to buy a copy on the night, but this will be charged in addition, at the full price of the book.)

Ticket & book  (RRP £25) - £30 (To collect on the night or in advance.)