Customer Reviews

Foreign and Female: Immigrant Women in America, 1840-1930

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This book contains so many endearing accounts of women and their lives. I smile and cry reading these stories, thinking of my own ancestors and their similar stories! After reading this book, I feel so much closer to the women to whom I am so similar, and yet never met!

I bought "Foreign and Female" because I am an amateur genealogist, and I hoped to gain more insight to the lives of those 19th- and early 20th-century European female ancestors whose lives I am researching. I was not disappointed: For this purpose, I think, the book is rivaled only by Oscar Handlin's "The Uprooted", and it should be mandatory reading for any would-be American family historian.

Beyond this, though, I highly recommend "Foreign and Female" to any American--man or women--who is interested in the history of our nation, warts and all. In recounting the hunger, hardships and heartaches of women who immigrated to America between 1840 and 1930, she also touches on the story of ALL American women, and their struggle for equal rights. Moreover, because these women often were the "tentpoles" of their families, we learn a lot about the lives of their children and male relatives--fathers, brothers, and husbands--as well.

Finally, as a citizen of New York City, whose foreign-born population has surged once again to 10%(!), I valued the insight that this book gave me to the likely feelings of my immigrant neighbors and work colleagues, and their families. With the challenges that our city and country now face, understanding each other has become ever more important.

I notice that reviews of Ms. Weatherford's other books often use the word "meticulous", and that adjective applies to this work as well. It is readily apparent that this author is very smart, and undaunted by original source material that others have bypassed. She does a remarkable job of weaving together the pertinent statistics that support her understanding of the life experience of "typical" female immigrants. But what made this book so compelling for me was her presentation of the voices of these women themselves, through their diaries and letters to the Old Country. Very well balanced, and very moving.

My only criticism--and it is minor--is that the stories she tells seem to portray almost all men of this era as "cads". I do not doubt that the male chauvinism of the day was virtually universal, but do too many of her anecdotes show men as being coldly selfish, oppressive, and cruel?

I have urged my wife, who is a school teacher, and my daughter, who is a college student, to find the time to read this book. I highly recommend it, too, to all other thoughtful Americans who want to understand better where our families and our nation really came from.

wonderful exerpts of daily lives of these brave women. Told first hand. i truly enjoyed the different way this was told about all the ethnic beliefs .Made me realize more of what my family went through when they came to this great country.Would highly recommend this book. i am a huge fan of non fiction diaries and early american life.

As a genealogist I am always searching for books concerning the life and times of my ancestors. "Foreign and Female" is the best book I have read concerning women's lives and expectations in the time period 1840 - 1930. It gives insight into why the women of their time accepted and dealt with the hardships presented to them. As mentioned by a previous reviewer it will make you laugh, cry and at times become angry at the situations women faced. It will make you appreciate how fortunate women in America are in the present generation.
Ms. Weatherford's writing is detailed and well documented but never boring. It is the kind of book you will want to continue reading through the last chapter and then go back to for reference many times. It is a keeper for your personal library.
I purchased this book as used because it is "out of print", but if you can find it, I strongly urge you to buy it.