Off With Her Head by Eleanor Herman Summary

Off With Her Head examines three thousand years of systematic misogyny against powerful women throughout history. Eleanor Herman reveals recurring patterns used to demonize female leaders from Cleopatra and Anne Boleyn to Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris. The book exposes what Herman calls the "Misogynist's Handbook"—a collection of tactics targeting women's ambition, appearance, voice, and sexuality to undermine their authority and keep them from power.

Eleanor Herman is a New York Times bestselling author known for her works on popular history, including Sex with Kings, Sex with the Queen, and The Royal Art of Poison. Often called the "Sherlock Holmes of history," Herman combines rigorous research with engaging storytelling. She has hosted historical programs for The History Channel and National Geographic Channel, and graduated from Towson State University with a background in journalism.

Off With Her Head is essential reading for anyone interested in gender politics, women's leadership, and historical feminism. This book appeals to professionals navigating workplace bias, political enthusiasts, history buffs, and activists seeking to understand systemic misogyny. Women in leadership positions will find validation and context for their experiences, while male allies can gain critical insights into recognizing and challenging gender-based discrimination in modern society.

Off With Her Head is widely praised as informative, eye-opening, and well-researched by readers and critics. Herman's signature wit makes complex historical analysis accessible while delivering powerful insights into ongoing gender discrimination. The book successfully connects ancient patterns to contemporary politics, providing both historical context and practical awareness. Reviewers consistently recommend it for anyone seeking to understand how misogyny operates across centuries and continues shaping leadership opportunities today.

The Misogynist's Handbook refers to recurring tactics Eleanor Herman identifies for undermining women in power. These include attacking their "overweening ambition," criticizing appearance and hair, questioning emotional stability through "female hormones," labeling voices as "shrill," emphasizing "unlikability," comparing women to animals ("bitch"), demonizing them as "witches" or monsters, and focusing on alleged sexual depravity. Herman demonstrates how these same weapons have been deployed consistently for millennia against female leaders.

Off With Her Head analyzes powerful women across three thousand years, including ancient rulers like Cleopatra, European monarchs such as Anne Boleyn, Marie Antoinette, Catherine the Great, and Elizabeth I, plus modern political leaders including Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, Theresa May, and Julia Gillard. Herman shows how each faced remarkably similar smear campaigns despite living in different eras. The book particularly emphasizes how attacks focused on personal attributes rather than professional qualifications.

Off With Her Head reveals that powerful women face predictable vilification patterns focused on personal attributes rather than competence. Herman argues the patriarchy enforces gender norms by punishing women who defy expectations, with tactics evolving superficially while remaining fundamentally consistent. The book emphasizes intersectionality, introducing "misogynoir" to describe compounded discrimination against Black women. Herman advocates awareness, solidarity among women, and actively challenging stereotypes to dismantle these entrenched systems.

Misogynoir, as explained in Off With Her Head, refers to the specific intersection of racism and misogyny faced by Black women in power. Eleanor Herman dedicates an entire chapter to this concept, showing how women like Kamala Harris face double discrimination based on both race and gender simultaneously. This compounded prejudice creates unique challenges that white women don't experience, requiring feminist movements to address intersectional identities rather than treating all women's experiences as identical.

Off With Her Head draws direct parallels between ancient and contemporary women leaders to demonstrate persistent patterns. Herman compares Cleopatra's sexualized reputation to similar attacks on Hillary Clinton, showing how both faced scrutiny of appearance over policy. Julia Gillard's famous misogyny speech mirrors resistance from historical queens. These case studies reveal how cultural narratives about powerful women haven't fundamentally changed despite technological and social progress, with media perpetuating centuries-old stereotypes.

Off With Her Head features impactful quotes like Julia Gillard's "I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man," expressing frustration with double standards. Audre Lorde's "Your silence will not protect you" emphasizes speaking against injustice. Bette Davis's observation—"When a man gives his opinion, he's a man. When a woman gives her opinion, she's a bitch"—captures pervasive bias. These quotes illuminate how women's identical behaviors receive dramatically different treatment than men's.

Off With Her Head provides frameworks for identifying subtle and overt discrimination against women leaders. By recognizing tactics like tone-policing ("shrill"), appearance criticism, ambition-shaming, and likability tests, readers gain tools to call out bias. Herman's historical analysis helps professionals understand these aren't isolated incidents but systemic patterns. The book empowers both women experiencing discrimination and allies to challenge unfair treatment with historical context and vocabulary to articulate what's happening.

Off With Her Head advocates awareness and education as first steps, teaching readers to recognize misogynistic tactics when deployed. Herman emphasizes empowerment through solidarity, encouraging women to support each other rather than compete. The book calls for actively challenging stereotypes that diminish women's authority and creating more inclusive feminist movements addressing intersectional experiences. Herman ultimately argues for completely dismantling the "Misogynist's Handbook" through conscious effort, speaking out, and refusing to accept discriminatory patterns as inevitable.