The Descent of Woman: The Classic Study of Evolution

This pioneering work, first published in 1972 and revised in 1985, was the first to argue, intelligently and irrefutably, the equal role of women in human evolution. The book's influence has been profound and lasting - on the terminology used by students of prehistoric anthropology, on the theory of evolution and, above all, on the biblically fostered attitudes towards women as an afterthought and an amenity. It remains the key book in any discussion of women's place in society.