William Collins signs Emre's history of 'woman'

William Collins has signed a “bold and sweeping” history of the concept of woman from Oxford University associate professor Merve Emre.

Publishing director Arabella Pike bought UK and Commonwealth rights to Woman: The History of an Idea from Caspian Dennis and Anna Carmichael at Abner Stein on behalf of Alia Hanna Habib at The Gernert Company. Doubleday will publish simultaneously in the US.

The synopsis explains: “A genealogy of how the conception of ‘woman’ has evolved across time, Merve Emre tells the story of how women have been perceived and received throughout history; how they have been defined by literature, philosophy, science and culture from the Ancient Greeks to the present. With her focus trained on a single and yet ever-changing word, Emre shows what ‘woman’ was made to mean and how those meanings continue to resonate. A vast and global study from classical republics to the voice in your iPhone, the result is a rigorous, witty and fitting history for our times.”

Pike said: “Merve Emre burst onto the scene with her acclaimed biography of the Myers Briggs founders, What’s Your Type? (William Collins). With Woman—a book written with the wit and intellectual reach of the greatest writers—Emre asks another question: what does it mean to be a woman? Then takes her reader on an intoxicating journey through literature, philosophy, science and culture to address the many misconceptions that continue to shroud this idea. Wow! it is good. We are thrilled to be publishing it.”

Emre added: “I'm delighted to be working with the extraordinary Arabella Pike and her wonderful team at William Collins on this project.”