The Lost Sisterhood: Prostitution in America, 1900-1918 (Paperback)

by Ruth Rosen (Author) "Never before had Americans exhibited such widespread concern over prostitution..." (more)
Key Phrases: vice commission, many female reformers, organized womanhood, New York, United States, San Francisco (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Rosen has broken entirely new ground in what will surely remain the definitive study of urban prostitution in America for many years to come." -- Times Literary Supplement

Product Description
"Rosen has broken entirely new ground in what will surely remain the definitive study of urban prostitution in America for many years to come."--'TLS'

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press (June 1, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801826659
• ISBN-13: 978-0801826658
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #162,004 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars simply fascinating, January 11, 2002

By	doc peterson (Portland, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The Lost Sisterhood: Prostitution in America, 1900-1918 (Hardcover)

The Lost Sisterhood is a fascinating account of prostitution at the turn of the last century. It is also a marvelous glimpse at the challenges and difficulties faced by lower class women - persons who had many careers and doors closed to them, prostitution one of the few ways an independent (ie. unmarried) woman could earn a living.

Far from a sordid or judgemental account, Rosen explores the factors behind the profession, its tolerance (especially in the growing cities of the West), and the attitudes of contemporary Americans towards the trade and those who plied it. I recommend the book for its straightforwardness on a challenging topic, as well as for its honest treatment of the subject and scholarship.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing women's history, March 30, 2000

By A Customer

Anyone interested in American women's history and the history of the progressive period will be fascinated by this engrossing book. Rosen explains prostitution within the context of a rapidly growing United States, showing how concerns over prostitution dovetailed with concerns about problems of industrialization and urbanization and immigration. Rosen explores the various attitudes of progressive reformers toward prostitution and explores the lives and works of the prostitutes themselves. There are a few interesting photos included in the book, too.