The Second Sex cover art

The Second Sex

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Second Sex

By: Simone de Beauvoir, Constance Borde, Sheila Malovany-Chevallier
Narrated by: Ellen Archer, Judith Thurman
Try Premium Plus free

Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $43.99

Buy Now for $43.99

About this listen

Unabridged and available on audio for the first time

Simone de Beauvoir’s essential masterwork is a powerful analysis of the Western notion of "woman", and a revolutionary exploration of inequality and otherness. This unabridged edition of the text reinstates significant portions of the original French text that were cut in the first English translation, and is now available on audio for the very first time. Vital and groundbreaking, Beauvoir’s pioneering and impressive text remains as pertinent today as when it was first published, and will continue to provoke and inspire generations of men and women to come.

©2014 Simone De Beauvoir, Constance Borde, Sheila Malovany-Chevallier (P)2019 Random House Audio Gender Studies Social Sciences

Critic Reviews

"[A] masterpiece.... Restores essential passages that have been missing for 60 years." (The Times)

"Groundbreaking.... A fresh, much expanded, more intelligible book which repays re-reading by adherents of the old version, and cries out for attention from young women who have not been exposed to this most powerful of feminist thinkers. The Second Sex [is] the foundation text of second-wave feminism. It is probably the most important and influential philosophical treatise of the 20th century." (The Irish Times)

"The Second Sex is an inquiry into a subject with profound implications for the entire human race, and its ideas are as fresh and inspiring as they were when [Beauvoir] began work.... Now Beauvoir’s great work is available in a full English translation for the first time.... It is a fine piece of work, a lucid translation." (The Independent)
All stars
Most relevant  
I don't think I can sum it up better than that. This book articulated the womans experience so eloquently and robustly that the next time a republican asks "define woman then" with a smug look on their face, I might turn to them and say ",read the book"

still striking young feminists in 2024

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Its long, and some of the arguments made feel like they shouldn't have to be made, but they do. It's a powerful and really important piece of work, read by someone who shares a passion for what's being said. Every human becomes a better human for reading it.

Essential reading for all humans

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Is it not nice to know that generally nothing has changed since this book was first published 1949,
to me via my equal opportunity upbringing… the second sex is a state of mind.
As long as the population is controlled by women with access God’s herbal pharmacy and or legal abortion,
man is an appendage be it a millstone, handbag or coat of armour, choose wisely.
Thoroughly enjoyable listen, thank you Simone de Beauvoir, much appreciated :-)

A book for all seasons

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.