Things aren't easy for the modern woman. Her life is full of unpleasant choices and hard realities. She bears the brunt of social forces which often leave her confused and frustrated.

Why is this?

There are no doubt many explanations, but Kirsten Birkett proposes a radical one: that feminism itself, more than any other factor has made life worse for women over the past 30 years. In this meticulously researched book, Dr Birkett shows that the massive social project called 'feminism' has been detrimental to women in almost every facet of life, and that as a movement it is glaringly deficient both philosophically and ethically.

The Essence of Feminism is required reading for anyone seeking to understand and respond to the most significant social movement of our generation.

Dr Kirsten Birkett is a graduate of the University of New South Wales who has continued as a writer and researcher, mainly in her specialty of the history and philosophy of science. She is the editor of the quarterly journal Kategoria: a critical review.