Woman of Valor: Margaret Sanger and the Birth Control Movement in America (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: marriage manual, contraceptive utility, birth control reform, New York, United States, Margaret Sanger (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Former Columbia University Faculty Fellow Chesler succeeds admirably in bringing the extraordinary career and controversial personality of Margaret Sanger (1879-1966) to life in this skillfully researched and objective biography. Sanger, a political radical, devoted herself to ensuring women's access to contraception after observing the plight of the poor as a public health nurse. An astute organizer, she fought against the opposition of a conservative political and religious male establishment, building a national and international birth control movement. Chesler explores the negative as well as the positive aspects of Sanger's character, noting that she was known to manipulate people and sometimes modified her views to achieve her ends. A strong believer in her own right to a fulfilled sex life, Sanger married twice and took many lovers, including Havelock Ellis and H. G. Wells. This is an outstanding biography of a feminist reformer whose achievements changed the lives of women forever. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The contemporary social debate over women's reproductive rights provides a timely backdrop for this major new biography of Margaret Sanger and her struggle for birth control. Sanger spent 50 years organizing a movement and advocating for birth control rights that are taken for granted in today's Western world. Chesler believes that Sanger's impact on women's lives has not been adequately appreciated or documented. This biography succeeds admirably in filling the gap with a new look at Sanger's private and public life. Interwoven in this account are discussions of the sweeping social and political developments of the 20th century. Chesler presents a Margaret who rejected the conventional restrictive female role and, while living a hidden and unconventional private life, worked publicly to push society into accepting new rights for women. This work is carefully documented and, while not as breezy a read as some biographies, is a major contribution to women's history. Recommended for academic and public libraries.
- Judy Solberg, Univ. of Maryland Libs., College Park
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 656 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 2nd Printing edition (June 15, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671600885
• ISBN-13: 978-0671600884
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,228,811 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, in-depth look at a remarkable woman, November 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Woman of Valor (Paperback)

I've just finished reading this book for a women's history class. I found it hard to put down. It's a shame that it is out of print, as Margaret Sanger's life story, and her struggle for the reproductive rights of women and female autonomy, make for enlightening reading. Ellen Chesler put in an enormous amount of work, documenting every detail, and weaving the whole into a very readable book. I would definitely recommend this to any reader, not only those interested in the empowerment of women, but also those NOT interested in it, since it might change their minds! Definitely an important work, and an important woman, for gaining an understanding of how the 20th century has been shaped.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Glaring omissions cannot be put asside, May 5, 2009

By	EAJ "Bookie" (Troy, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Woman of Valor: Margaret Sanger and the Birth Control Movement in America (Paperback)

It got into her personal life, fostering the hero myth but it left out much that is troubling.
Ms. Sanger founded Planned Parenthood but was also a proponent of eugenics, advocating selective breeding, sterilization and euthanasia. In 1932 Sanger urged "a stern and rigid policy of sterilization and segregation to that grade of population whose progeny is already tainted or whose inheritance is such that objectionable traits may be transmitted to offspring." In her 1938 autobiography, she describes how well she got along with the woman's branch of the KKK at Silver Lake, N.J. in a speech she gave to them, hanging on well into the night talking with the ladies after the speech. She was associated with The Negro Project, whose main idea was to recruit charismatic black ministers to encourage black women to practice birth control, thereby reducing the number of black babies being born. In a December 10, 1939 letter, Sanger wrote to Dr. Gamble, head of The Negro Project: "We do not want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population and the minister is the man who can straighten that idea out if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members."
These are hew own words. The KKK still quotes her and Hitler gave her an award. The harm she caused, even if you agree with abortion is demonstrable and inexcusable. That the author really didn't touch on this is a crime.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great biography of an amazing woman, February 12, 2009

By	Heather (Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews

This was a great biography of an amazing woman whose life saw and shaped the evolution of the birth control movement. The book was well researched, and the addition of so many pictures brought the book to life.

The book is fairly long so it took me awhile to read but it was worth it. The whole life of Margaret Sanger was covered. Both her personal and public life was explained and shown. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the birth control movement or Margaret Sanger. The book offers a great deal of information about both.