Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com
Summary:
Featuring a mix of primary source documents, articles, and illustrations, Women's America: Refocusing the Past has long been an invaluable resource. Now in its sixth edition, the book has been extensively revised and updated to cover recent events in American women's history. It provides many new selections from leading theorists and historians and restores several readings that were cut from the fifth edition. Successfully classroom-tested, these new essays offer more material on the impact of ethnicity in American culture, the roles that women have played in the creation of male-dominated structures, and the international dimensions of women's lives. The book covers such diverse groups as Christian Indian women in colonial America, African-American women in post-Civil War Atlanta, young Jewish labor organizers in turn-of-the-century New York, new arrivals to San Francisco's Chinatown, Japanese-American women during World War II, and Chicana feminists. The introductory essay has been revised and the bibliography has been updated to take into account the growing body of contemporary literature in the field. Women's America is an essential text for courses in women's history and an ideal supplement for more general survey courses on American history.
Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Rating:
Very Interesting.
Customer Rating:
I needed this book for a class I'm taking. However, it is still an interesting read. You almost forget sometimes the struggles that women have faced through out history.
The Best Textbook I've Ever Read
Customer Rating:
I originally purchased this book for a college course; now it sits on my bookshelf, never to be resold. I rarely have enjoyed reading for my classes, but this book not only captures the heart of the female struggles throughout history--it gives examples of the women who lived them.
This book presents the reader with an in-depth analysis of women's traditional roles and their active fight for change while explaining the conditions that determined the feminine experience in different historical periods. But the best benefit of the book was actually learning, and realizing, that the world that my generation (the 20 somethings) was born into is radically different from that of females 50, 40, 30, 20, and even 10 years before us. I realize now that many freedoms I take for granted should be cherished, and more freedoms should be fought for.
A wonderful introduction to U.S. Women's History
Customer Rating:
I have used various editions of this book for the past four years in teaching a women's history course at a college-preparatory, single-sex independent high school. I have found this to be an incredibly complete anthology and the new edition is even better than the previous ones. My only complaint about the new edition is that the editors -- both renowned historians in the field -- on a few occasions shortened the articles to the point that the context needed to understand them was missing. However, because of the brevity of the articles, it is the perfect anthology for an introductory course.
A Biased Book
Customer Rating:
Rationale for the three star rating: I would give this book a "one." However, I think that women's history buffs would give it a "four" or "five". I read this for a class, and found it dull and very biased (I AM female, in fact, I used to attend a women's college. I am PRO women and their acheivements. However...) Though i don't think it was the intent of the book, I grew to dislike government programs and all this "rah rah" jazz women have done in the last century which often accomplished little. I want to know when people are going to start taking responsibility for their own lives instead of expecting society to change or be chaged for them- in their lifetimes, no less. Many movements were admirable, thank goodness we have the vote today! But every article seems to have a very biased attitude (to the liberal persuasion) and I personally would like to see a more neutral tone. BUT I realize that this is not a concern of many people who read women's history and have a great interest in these articles that are, by nature, slanted one way. This is a good text for those looking to confirm their owm points of view. I PERSONALLY would like to see a more well-rounded approach. But find out for yourselves!
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