This photo-filled celebration of extraordinary 20th-century women highlights women's contributions in politics, child care, science, education, athletics, literature, entertainment, art, and more. 200+ photos. **Barbara Walters is hosting a 90-minute TV special based on " Ladies' Home Journal's" list of the 20th-century's most important women on Friday, April 30, 1999, at 9:30 PM, Eastern Daylight Time on ABC-TV. The special will include Barbara's interviews with Oprah Winfrey, Jane Fonda, and Gloria Steinem.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
100 Most Important Women of the 20th Century is a gift book, with photographs and short essays on influential women around the world, ranging from writers and scientists to politicians and athletes, and from progressive figures like Oprah Winfrey and Eleanor Roosevelt to reactionaries like anti-feminist Phyllis Schafly and ruthless Madame Mao (Jiang Qing). Although the essays on even the most famous figures, such as Billie Jean King or Princess Diana, are well-written and interesting, the best thing about this book is that it calls to mind wonderful women whose names have lost their currency, among them Jane Addams, who cofounded Chicago's Hull House and was vitally involved in the formation of the ACLU, and Carrie Chapman Catt, who formed the League of Women Voters. The foreword by Barbara Walters, who has interviewed many of the women included, describes her own difficulties in establishing a career as a television journalist (even after she was allowed on the air, she was referred to as "the Today girl") and celebrates the new opportunities made possible by these leading women. --Regina Marler
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
good, made you glad to be a woman, but...,
This review is from: 100 Most Important Women of the 20th Century (Hardcover)
This book was good for learning a little about each person, however, I felt as though quite a few women were left out. I suppose that it is only 100 women, and they did have to include some from each area, but many in here didn't seem to have a significant impact. Many women who I feel had a significant impact weren't listed. I didn't feel as though each woman got equal coverage.
22 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
What's wrong with this picture?,
By A Customer
This review is from: 100 Most Important Women of the 20th Century (Hardcover)
Usually I don't bother reviewing so-so books, but I have to ask: How could they include such women as Lady Di (oh, please), Jiang Qing, Eva Peron, Sonja Henie (Sonja who?), and what appaled me the most, Phyllis Schlafly, in the list? When I saw the book I though it would be about women who had helped to elevate our status and create better conditions for us all, but Schlafly appears here, and I quote "as the woman who helped shot down the Equals Right Amendment(....)" I was mad. Where are the truly deserving women, the ones that did try their best to leave the world a little better that when they found it? Where is Eileen Collins, Gabriela Mistral, Karen Horney, and why not, Audrey Hepburn (isn't she a way more reasonable choice than Jane Fonda?) I'll grant that they compiled a more or less good list of important women, but I'm glad I borrowed this book instead of buying it. I have better plans for my money.
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars For Appeal, Three Stars For Choice of Women,
By
This review is from: 100 Most Important Women of the 20th Century (Hardcover)
After receiving this book as a birthday gift, I was initially delighted. The best thing about this book is certainly its "magazine-like" appeal. Its pages are glossy, the print is sharp, the layout is pleasantly modern, and best of all, the short, concise biographies of a widely diversified group of women are fascinating and effortlessly attention-grabbing. Indeed, this book is a godsend for people who ordinarily wouldn't want long, detailed historical books and biographies; "100 Most Important Women of the 20th Century" gives this type of person a glimpse of important history without boring them. And of course, needless to say, hardcore history buffs wouldn't want to be without this book...However, upon closer examination and further reading, a fundamental flaw present in this volume becomes obivious. Put simply, somehow it seems that some women in this book are simply not worthy of being named "most important." Before I go any further, I think it necessary to say that I understand that it's impossible to satisfy everyone when creating a book like this, but I still feel that selections could have been better. For example, why is Mary Quant included? I know that the mini skirt created quite a stir in the fashion world, but fashion is only so important. Sonja Heine? Revolutionizing the sport of figure skating is can hardly be considered a fundamental accomplishment of the century, at least by my book. Dorothy Parker? Maybe I'm missing something here, but when reading this book, it appeared that she basically drank, smoked, and told witty jokes. Madonna? I won't even go there. I suppose when I think of criteria for inclusion in a book like this, I would only consider truly intelligent women who changed society in a serious, unselfish way and affected large numbers of people. To be fair, I must say that many extremely deserving women also made it into this book-Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosalind Franklin, Rachel Carson, Carrie Chapman Catt, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Mary McLeod Bethune are all women I look up to. The final word? This is an attractive book and an enlightening read, yet a book whose "admittance criteria" seems sketchy and sometimes ineffective. However, if you can refrain from becoming indignant as you are reading if you find that you disagree with the author/editors' choices, you will find yourself enjoying the unique perspectives and opinions found in this book.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
