Women's History

A sensation upon its publication in 1970, Sexual Politics documents the subjugation of women in great literature and art. (Descriptive content provided by Syndetics™, a Bowker service)

The Feminine Mystique (1963) is a powerful critique of women's roles in contemporary American society. (Descriptive content provided by Syndetics™, a Bowker service)

Perhaps best known for her chilling depiction of a woman's mental breakdown in her unforgettable 1892 short story "The Yellow Wall-Paper," Gilman also wrote Herland, a cunning, wry novel that imagines a peaceful, progressive, environmentally conscious country from which men have been absent for two thousand years. (Descriptive content provided by Syndetics™, a Bowker service)

Arguably the most original book of the eighteenth century, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman is a pioneering feminist work. (Descriptive content provided by Syndetics™, a Bowker service)

Beauvoir's revolutionary book The Second Sex decried the historical mistreatment of women, and called for liberation.

Today, Arab women outnumber men in universities, and a few are beginning to face down religious and social tradition in order to live independently, to delay marriage and to pursue professional goals. Deeply informed, heartfelt and urgent, Excellent Daughters brings us a new understanding of changing Arab societies and gives voice to the remarkable women at the forefront of this change. (Descriptive content provided by Syndetics™, a Bowker service)

In her critical and compelling new book, The Cost of Being a Girl, Yasemin Besen-Cassino examines the origins of the gender wage gap by looking at the teenage labor force, where comparisons between boys and girls ought to show no difference, but do. Because of discrimination in the market, most teenage girls who start part-time work as babysitters and in other freelance jobs fail to make the same wages as teenage boys who move into employee-type jobs. The "cost" of being a girl is also psychological; when teenage girls work retail jobs in the apparel industry, they have lower wages and body image issues in the long run.Through in-depth interviews and surveys with workers and employees, The Cost of Being a Girl puts this alarming social problem--which extends to race and class inequality--in to bold relief. (Descriptive content provided by Syndetics™, a Bowker service.)

In Beauty Sick, Dr. Renee Engeln, whose TEDx talk on beauty sickness has received more than 250,000 views, reveals the shocking consequences of our obsession with girls' appearance on their emotional and physical health and their wallets and ambitions, including depression, eating disorders, disruptions in cognitive processing, and lost money and time. Combining scientific studies with the voices of real women of all ages, she makes clear that to truly fulfill their potential, we must break free from cultural forces that feed destructive desires, attitudes, and words--from fat-shaming to denigrating commentary about other women. She provides inspiration and workable solutions to help girls and women overcome negative attitudes and embrace their whole selves, to transform their lives, claim the futures they deserve, and, ultimately, change their world. (Descriptive content provided by Syndetics™, a Bowker service.)

Women of Color and Feminism tackles the question of how women of color experience feminism, and how race and socioeconomics can alter this experience. Rojas explores the feminist woman of color’s identity and how it relates to mainstream culture and feminism. (Descriptive content provided by Syndetics™, a Bowker service)

Female writers, directors, and producers have radically transformed the television industry in recent years. Shonda Rhimes, Lena Dunham, Tina Fey, Amy Schumer, Mindy Kaling: These extraordinary women have shaken up the entertainment landscape. But things weren't always this rosy. It took decades of determination in the face of preconceived ideas and outright prejudice to reach this new era. In this endlessly informative and wildly entertaining book, veteran journalist Joy Press tells the story of the maverick women who broke through the barricades, starting with Roseanne Barr ( Roseanne ) and Diane English ( Murphy Brown ), whose iconic shows redefined America's idea of "family values" and incited controversy that reached as far as the White House.