Women's Gestures

Original title: Gestes de femmes

Author: Coste, Sophie

Publication Date:

September 2024

Pages:

192

Original language and publisher

French | Editions Philippe Rey

Territories Handled

Netherlands, North America, Scandinavia

Genre

Narrative Non-Fiction

Awards:

  • Prix Fémina (shorlist)

Women's Gestures

Original title: Gestes de femmes

Author: Coste, Sophie

Synopsis

An enthusiastic work blending history and intimacy, and a feminist exploration of ancient women’s gestures. 

An original, scholarly, and poetic exploration of ancestral women’s gestures – such as spinning, weaving, sewing, washing, and mending – that have defined domestic life for centuries. These tasks, integral to women’s daily lives, are often overshadowed by traditional masculine activities like hunting and archery. Despite their intimate nature and undervaluation, these gestures persist in our homes and daily routines.

in the spirit of Francia Ponge’s Le Parti pris des chooses, Sophie Costa examines the depth of these gestures, focusing on the linguistic aspects of the related verbs, their etymology, and their symbolic analysis with personal reflection, addressing how these gestures continue to shape our perceptions of women’s work, both int he private sphere and in literature.

Marketing Information

  • Foreword by Philippe Delerm