Helen Morales's insightful and thoroughly researched Antigone Rising examines modern society and events through an ancient lens, pushing readers to look at the ways life has been influenced by classic Greek myths. As she says, "Choosing which ancient thinkers to hold up as authorities in the modern world, and how we selectively interpret them, is a politicized business with real-life ramifications."
Morales holds the Argyropoulos Chair in Hellenic Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, so it comes as no surprise that she digs beyond surface-level readings of the myths. She examines the context in which they were recorded, and the impact of these stories through the centuries as they've been selectively retold and reimagined. As she details how many of these myths, though perhaps once revolutionary in their time, have been used against women, Morales also makes a compelling case for modern readers to take a closer look--to focus not just on the brutalization of women but on the stories of perseverance, of art as resistance and of women supporting one another. With examples including Beyoncé's overt goddess imagery and an inaptly named "sex strike" in Liberia, she concludes that stories hold an immense power over culture and gender norms, and that changing the stories being told is the path toward justice and peace.
Inclusive of all women and featuring extensive notes and suggested reading, Antigone Rising is a short but powerful call to action for the modern--or mythological--woman. --Suzanne Krohn, editor, Love in Panels