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alliebex's review
4.0
An excellent overview of the history of three feminist icons and the times they impacted and lived in. While it’s certainly not super in-depth, in terms of both the women and the history, it provides a great basis that I realized I was lacking! It is engaging to read, though the final section is a bit ho-hum as it was written thirty years ago now. I found this book in the young adult section of the library and Archer is heralded as a non-fiction author for young people, but I would never have guessed that this book was intended for young audiences!
njmiller04's review
4.0
Jules Archer does a great job at showcasing three prominent pioneers of the women’s revolution. Starting with Susan B. Anthony, the book reveals how women struggled to attain the vote from the mid 18th century up until its enactment in 1920. Anthony was a trailblazer that defied classical feminine stereotypes by being rebellious and unrelenting in her fight for both the abolitionist movement and the women’s suffrage. Margret Sanger is also shown as a prominent figure in women’s rights. Through her fight with Comstock laws and widely dispersed contraceptives, Sanger lead the way in allowing women to take back power in family planning. Sanger was also an integral part in helping countries around the world slow their population growth to account for limited resources. Her unrelenting fight for wide spread information on birth control helped women and families of all statuses plan for their family’s future. The final figure shown is Betty Friedan, who is popularly know for her book The Feminine Mystique. Her work to break down the stereotypical portrayal of women allowed many to feel empowered in the workplace and envision a life outside of homemaking. Friedan was active in the National Organization for Women which advocated for women’s rights in the workplace, in the right to choose, and other causes of the women’s liberation movement. Friedan stood as a powerful reminder that women and minorities should not be treated as second class citizens and that women’s rights were human rights. The book shows where the women’s movement is heading and the progress that has been made as well as the hurdles that must still be overcome. It puts in perspective the rights given to women in countries all around the world and the work that the U.S. and other countries have still to conquer. The book is great for young and older women (and men) who would like to know more about where our rights have come from and the people we have to thank for them.
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