The Reader's Companion to U.S. Women's History [Hardcover]

Gwendolyn Mink Professor (Editor), Marysa Navarro Professor of History (Editor), Wilma Mankiller (Editor), Barbara Smith (Editor), Gloria Steinem Editor (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 27, 1998

The most inclusive book to date on U.S. women's collective history! A landmark work, The Reader's Companion to U.S. Women's History, gathers together more than 400 articles to offer a diverse, rich, and often neglected panorama of the nation's past. Written by more than 300 contributors, drawn from various areas of expertise, these narrative and interpretive entries "effectively cover five centuries of women's experiences" (Bloomsbury Review). Here are articles on cowgirls and child care, on the daily lives of single women and the changing notions of motherhood, on the artistic contributions of women of color and the history of Jewish feminism. Wide-ranging in scope and wonderfully accessible, this unique resource reexamines with fresh clarity and brio the issues and concerns that color the lives of all women. Articles and their contributors include: African American Women, Darlene Clark Hine; Cult of Domesticity, Carroll Smith-Rosenberg; Fashion and Style, Lynn Yaeger; Jazz and Blues, Daphne Duval Harrison; Lesbians, Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy; Native American Cultures, Clara Sue Kidwell; Picture Brides, Judy Yung; Salem Witchcraft Trials, Mary Beth Norton; Vietnam Era, Sara M. Evans.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Presented in encyclopedia format, with articles ranging from "Abolitionist Movement" to "YWCA," this hefty book provides a vast amount of material, both factual and interpretive. The editors, which include such icons as Gloria Steinem and the first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation Wilma Mankiller, give a broad overview of issues relevant to feminist history and present material that will further debates about the role played by women in American history. The Reader's Companion offers a strongly feminist interpretation, and some would no doubt argue that many of the pieces are not so much history as arguments for social reform. That said, the reference's nearly exhaustive coverage (there are more than 400 articles) makes the book a valuable resource.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-More than 300 scholars, activists, and writers have contributed to this alphabetically arranged cross-cultural guide. In addition to the clear, descriptive entries, there are many longer evaluative essays. These narratives are written by those who have defined the field such as legal scholar Catharine A. MacKinnon, who writes on feminist jurisprudence; Judy Yung on Japanese and Korean picture brides; and Letty Cottin Pogrebin on Jewish feminism. A general article on feminism is followed by numerous shorter pieces ("Arab American Feminism," "Cultural Feminism," "Ecofeminism," etc.). Major historical events are freshly interpreted, and erased or forgotten events are brought to the fore. Entries are cross-referenced. Well-selected black-and-white photographs occasionally highlight a point in the more than 400 articles. Easily a cornerstone of any women's history collection, this ready-reference book makes fascinating reading, whether the subject is "Mother's Day" or "Lynching," "Explorers" or "Household Workers" (paid and unpaid), or controversial issues involving the Constitution or immigration.
Mary H. Cole, Polytechnic Preparatory Country Day School, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 720 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (February 27, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395671736
• ISBN-13: 978-0395671733
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.5 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,038,134 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful reading and browsing, May 19, 2000

By 

Jane Mansbridge (Cambridge, Mass.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Reader's Companion to U.S. Women's History (Paperback)

Don't be discouraged by the awesome title of "Reader's Companion to U.S. Women's History." I found this book deeply engaging. Each article told me something I didn't know. I kept the book by my night-table, and dipped into it before I went to sleep. The editors have not imposed a deadly uniformity on the entries, but have encouraged a wide and diverse set of approaches. From the TWO articles, with different perspectives, on "feminism and feminisms" (followed by 17 -- I think -- different specific feminisms) to the story of Bessie Coleman under "Aviation" -- this book gives you a magnificent insight into women's history in the U.S.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Gift, January 7, 2010

By 

KLGreen (Ooltewah, TN) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Reader's Companion to U.S. Women's History (Paperback)

I gave this book to my mom as a Christmas gift. She has already told me it is a great book. I want to borrow it from her as well. It is a book you could read all afternoon or if you just have a few minutes. Very interesting.