Women in American History

April 1, 2017

Those who wish to study women's role in American history will find much to relish in this thorough and enlightening four-volume set from Lamphier (intergenerational general education, California State Polytechnic Univ., Pomona) and Welch (intergenerational general education, California State Polytechnic Univ., Pomona). The first volume covers precolonial North America to the early Republic; Volume 2 examines antebellum America through the Gilded Age; Volume 3 moves on with the Progressive era through World War II; and the concluding book starts with the Cold War and moves up to present day. Each title is divided into three sections, with ten categories of thematic essays, including childbirth and child rearing, clothing and fashion, courtship, marriage and divorce, and education. A multipage historical overview at the beginning of each section provides general information on the time period and concludes with a listing of further reading. Each entry ends with a "see also" reference, which will help readers access related information within this set of books, and a listing of further reading, including scholarly articles, titles, and websites. Each volume has a complete index. VERDICT Recommended for academic libraries serving women's studies students who use print reference regularly. Public libraries with patrons interested in women's and U.S. history may also want to purchase.--Jason L. Steagall, Gateway Technical Coll. Lib., Elkhorn, WI

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2017
This four-volume set does more than simply provide biographical information on influential American women. With more than 750 entries on individual women, groups, movements, and conceptsand nearly 200 primary documentsthe set takes a comprehensive look at the many interconnected pieces of the history and culture of American women. Each volume covers a wide span of time and begins with a historical overview of the time period. Within each volume, there are three subsections that cover more defined periods of time. These subsections all close with thematic-issues essays that provide time-period-specific information on topics such as childbirth, gender roles, and political powers, along with bibliographies for further research.Individual entries are brief, focused, and provide a thorough overview of the woman or topic. Each also includes a useful see also section and a further-reading section, which includes mostly scholarly sources. In addition, the index includes detailed cross-referencing to further assist readers with navigating through the sets.The editors make sure to mention two important things about the work: that it would not be possible to include all women who have made a significant impact on American history and that the well-known women throughout history tend to be heterosexual, white, and Protestant, so care was taken to include women of color and LGBTQ women. As a result, the work is not all-encompassing but still touches on subjects and women who may have been overlooked in American history. With applications for history, gender studies, political science, sociology, and more, this would be a useful addition to high-school and undergraduate libraries.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)