America's Women

400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines

by Gail Collins

On Sale: 04/24/2007

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America's Women

400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines

by Gail Collins

On Sale: 04/24/2007

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Amazon Indigo

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About the Book

Rich in detail, filled with fascinating characters, and panoramic in its sweep, this magnificent, comprehensive work tells for the first time the complete story of the American woman from the Pilgrims to the 21st-century

In this sweeping cultural history, Gail Collins explores the transformations, victories, and tragedies of women in America over the past 300 years. As she traces the role of females from their arrival on the Mayflower through the 19th century to the feminist movement of the 1970s and today, she demonstrates a boomerang pattern of participation and retreat.

In some periods, women were expected to work in the fields and behind the barricades—to colonize the nation, pioneer the West, and run the defense industries of World War II. In the decades between, economic forces and cultural attitudes shunted them back into the home, confining them to the role of moral beacon and domestic goddess. Told chronologically through the compelling true stories of individuals whose lives, linked together, provide a complete picture of the American woman’s experience, Untitled is a landmark work and major contribution for us all.

Critical Praise

“A fascinating compendium” — Oprah Magazine

“Masterful...Collins’ sly wit and unfussy style makes this historical book extremely accessible.” — People

“Though America’s Women is an easy and entertaining read, it also fulfills the radical promise of women’s history.” — Chicago Tribune

“Illuminating cultural history of American women... Informative and entertaining.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Collins offers a fast-paced and entertaining narrative history of American women.” — Library Journal

“This is one of the most fascinating American History books I’ve ever read. I learned something new on every page.” — Huntsville Times

“Gail Collins knows how to tell a story. Lively, witty, and dead serious, this wise history is a fascinating read.” — Linda K. Kerber, professor of history, University of Iowa, and author of No Constitutional Right to Be Ladies