This is a deeply satisfying, witty and surprising book about how the role of women evolved in the U.S. over the centuries. I always kind of assumed that the acknowledged role of women was a steady uphill march towards equality. Actually, women’s roles morphed according to what society (or men) seemed to need most at the time. Women went from the home to the workplace and back again with dizzying speed. This book explores the day-to-day reality of a woman’s life through the years – how they dealt with childbirth, diapers, cooking (“beat the batter for 45 min”) and entered new worlds of college, the workforce and the political sphere. Stories are told through sketches of both famous Americans and from diaries and letters of ordinary women. This book helped me to appreciate all the opportunities open to me today…. and all the helpful kitchen appliances. – Kirsten
