Items

• The book of the city of ladies
  This is quite possibly the most surprising book seized during the raids and certainly is the oldest narrative, first printed in French in 1405. Christine de Pisan (or Pizan) (1364-1430) was a Medieval Italian woman who lived in France and, following the death of her husband, wrote over twenty works to support her family. Using the device of a discussion with ladies called Reason, Rectitude and Justice, this work highlights women’s oppression, including lack of access to education and misogynistic portrayal in texts written by men, in words which have resonance for more contemporary feminist thought. As befits the times, the text is also underpinned by Christian values, and Christine spent her final years living in a convent. It is unclear which edition of the book was seized during the ‘Operation Tiger’ raids.