Ria Lina writes a book about the women erased by history
'Fierce, funny and smart' title out next year
Ria Lina has written a book about how innovative women have been removed from history
How To Erase A Woman – subtitled ‘the women who did the work. The men who got the credit’ – will republished by Wildfire in March next year.
In the book, the comic will examine 15 examples of 'the Matilda effect’ – the marginalisation of women's achievements – including Rosalind Franklin, whose work was central to understanding the structure of DNA, or the American artist Margaret Keane, whose work was secretly appropriated by her own husband.
Lina told The Bookseller: ‘Ever since I did Rosalind Franklin as my topic on Celebrity Mastermind I knew I wanted to foreground the stories of women who had suffered similar silencing in the annals of history and to highlight the methods used to erase them.
‘Sometimes when you're in the fight, you can't speak for yourself, for the sake of your work, your funding, and in some cases, your safety. So it's up to other people to shout about your achievements for you. And that's what I'm doing with this book.’
Editor Lindsay Davies added: ‘This is not just another book celebrating forgotten women from around the world; it's much fiercer, funnier and smarter than that’
How To Erase A Woman is available to pre-order now in hardback, paperback and eBook formats from Amazon.
Published: 24 Mar 2026
Victoria Wood let women be petty, brilliant, deluded and glorious, all at once
TV and radio regular Ria Lina – who’s performing…
25/07/2025
Radio 4 has announced a raft of comedy programmes,…
4/11/2024
Radio 4 pilots new topical comedy shows
Radio 4 is piloting six new topical comedy shows in…
5/07/2023
Dave confirms World's Most Dangerous Roads return
TV channel Dave has confirmed the return of The World’s…
16/01/2023
Ivo Graham and Ria Lina to appear on University Challenge
Comedians Ivo Graham and Ria Lina are among the celebrities…
8/12/2022
Comedians to tackle the world's most dangerous roads
TV channel Dave has revived The World's Most Dangerous…
7/11/2022
Comedy Central to air Richard Hammond panel show
Comedy Central is to air Richard Hammond’s new…
23/02/2022
Ria Lina makes Have I Got News For You debut
Ria Lina is to make her debut on Have I Got News For…
5/10/2021
Fighting for comedians' rights
Performers' union Equity today officially launched…
24/06/2015
Comedian Ria Lina has landed her first Radio 4 commission.Her…
18/04/2015
The nominees for the Emma award for the best multicultural…
24/04/2004
Character comic Sarah Davies has won the first Babycham…
8/07/2003
Products
Book (2027)
How to Erase a Woman by Ria Lina
Past Shows
Agent
We do not currently hold contact details for Ria Lina's agent. If you are a comic or agent wanting your details to appear here, for a one-off fee of £59, email steve@chortle.co.uk.
