THE AMERICAN WOMAN: A Report in Depth 1987

A compilation of articles on women's issues with much supportive statistical material. Many key areas are covered dealing with family, civil rights, employment and political issues. A history of the women's movement from Gibson Girl to new feminist is helpful in developing a long-term perspective. Women have moved steadily from the confines of home and hearth into the world at large. In the process, they have had a great effect on the society around them. In the beginning they made their mark on social work, nursing and education. Their struggle for increased rights, both political and economic, came in fits and starts, but always the general movement was toward greater participation in the world beyond the home. Now, some 28 million women are in the work force, many of them with families. Their demands and the complex issues involved from divorce and the feminization of poverty to comparable worth are examined here briskly and clearly. Throughout, women's determination to be full participants in their society is a constant. The first in a series of reports on women's issues, this is a good beginning. Teeming with facts based on extensive research, it gives a good picture of where the nation is and makes suggestions for framing future policies. It's an essential guide for those interested in this area.