'The Lost Sisterhood: Prostitution in American, 1900-1918" by R Rosen
937687
An even-handed examination of working women's history in America. It provides deep & wide insight into how women got into the business of prostitution, stayed there, died in it, or left it.  The book is as current today as it was when first published in 1982, as is the turn-of-the-century business era it examines. An excellent read and is a 'to include' in women's history reference/biblio lists.
1780432
This is an excellent book that explains what the early womens-rights advocates were really about, before it was stolen by the later feminists.

If you're a woman, the best time to read this book is when you're young, preferably before you've finished school.

If you're a single man, this book can really develop your idea of the kind of woman to marry and the kinds to avoid marrying. "You cannot grow old together if you haven't spent your youth together."
4160470
In Russia, the responses to the feelings of decadence spread throughout Europe in the fin-de-siecle period of the end of the 19th century manifest "utopian, millennial hopes to an extent unknown in Europe." Unconventional, exotic, feverishly imaginative sexual ideas and practices were the locus of such hopes. At the heart of these were emotions and ideas about the desirability and potency of abstinence. However, this was not chastity in the religious sense, but rather a suppressed eroticism which reflected both the sense of futility relating to an apocalyptic outlook and also the anomalous hope of spiritual regeneration and transformation. Matich--professor of Russian literature and culture at the U. of California, Berkeley--lays out the varied symbols, literature, and practices of this peculiar Russian turn relating to perceived decadence in the latter 19th-century political and social disruptions and concomitant anxieties in Russia and parts of Europe. The Russian writers Tolstoy and Alexander Blok and the philosopher Dmitri Merezhovsky and the woman Zinaida Grippius with whom he had a relationship are among those critiqued for bases and variations of this Russian blending of eroticism, spirituality, vision, and politics. Matich has a solid hand on this heretofore obscure vein of Russian fin-de-siecle culture ordinarily dominated by radical political philosophers, social anarchists, and the writer Dostoevsky. The author brings cogency and breadth, and thus allure and longevity, to the subject.
34819
Golden Goddesses; 25 Legendary Women of Classic Erotic Cinema 1968-1985 by Jill C. Nelson with Forward by Jennifer Sugar is a comprehensive, documentary/interview-style work about 25 (plus 15 honorable mentions) women who pioneered the explosion of pornography in the United Stated in the early days when it was still illegal to film, show, or sell it.

I was approached by the author to consider reading and reviewing it and I agreed.  I only give blatantly honest reviews.  A free book will not buy my praises and Jill understood this.  It took me nearly a year and a half to work my way slowly through it's nearly 1,000 pages.  It's not that I wasn't interested in the topic, because I am, but it took me so long because I wasn't interested enough to read for so long straight through on a single topic.  So I read a chapter here and there interspersed with all of my other life activities and that's how long it took me.

How would you answer the question "What kind of woman has a long-term career in pornographic cinema?"  I had plenty of my own answers to that question.  But, while reading the book, my stereotypes were challenged over and over again.

This book is more academic, researched-based and informative than it is titillating erotica.  Yes there are over 300 photographs (some are nude and erotic but none are pornographic in nature), and the topic is often graphic and raw because that's the life and the topic and the interviews are in the words of the women who lived the experiences.  I kept thinking that this book would make an excellent text book for a college level course...perhaps in gender studies, human sexuality or a class based solely on the topic of pornography from a historical, sociological or psychological perspective.  Think for a moment that this is a multi-billion dollar industry, that millions of people partake in the viewing of, but the "stars" are often marginalized and demonized.  That's a fascinating double-standard don't you think?  If people view it and buy it and like it...why, then, would the people providing the entertainment be demonized?  Hard to wrap my head around that but that's what we do in American culture.

I have a very mixed reaction to the topic of pornography and this book had me thinking about it.  The 25th woman in the book, Nina Hartley truly challenged my thinking.  Certainly, you may find hints in some of these women that will support your hunches about "what kind of woman does this?", but by and large, you will find exceptions.  You will find a depth of interest, and talent and realness which is part of the diversity that makes up the human race.  If you have strong negative feelings about pornography, it will grate on your beliefs and preconceptions and challenge you to think more fully.

Jill Nelson created a comprehensive, historically significant work.  I can't even begin to imagine what an undertaking the researching and writing of this book was.  She is detail-oriented and weaves historical facts and film data in with the interviews she conducted.  We've had the opportunity to have some back and forth email exchanges and I can tell you, she doesn't meet any stereotype of "what kind of woman would research and write this?".

Now to be perfectly honest, because this topic isn't of huge interest to me, in terms of this much detail, I slogged through this book at times.  The sheer number of pages put me off and overwhelmed me.  I had this "I'll never finish this book" feeling.  But each and every chapter, taken in small bits was interesting for informational sake as well as for the internal dialogue I had while challenging my own feelings and preconceptions about the topic.

Certainly not for everyone, but amazing for what it is:  comprehensive, relevant, culturally significant and challenging.
3930784
In "The Straight State: Sexuality and Citizenship in Twentieth-Century America", Margot Canaday works to dispel the notion that the extreme state repression of sex and gender noncomformity in the mid-twentieth century was a result of the sudden visibility of gays and lesbians during and after World War II (pg. 2). Her scope, then, focuses on how the government defined homosexuality beginning in World War I, through the Depression, and finally during and after the Second World War with the advent of the G.I. Bill. While military and governmental personnel did their part in defining homosexuality prior to World War II, the G.I. Bill, more than any other piece of legislation, tied the gender roles associated with heterosexuality to the concept of proper citizenship. This bill serves as the focal point of Canadays argument.
Canaday begins her chapter on the G.I. Bill arguing, The suggestive and symbolic removal of the sexually deviant from federal reliefhas morphed into the actual removal of homosexuals from programs for veterans benefits (pg. 139). The social stigma associated with receiving an undesirable, or blue, discharge prevented many veterans from using the advantages offered through the G.I. Bill and thus gaining the ideal rewards of American citizenship (pg. 145). Though the military initially used the blue discharge for a number of offenses, including drunkenness, the discharge soon transformed into a code for those dismissed due to homosexual acts or tendencies. Further, while the language of the G.I. Bill only prohibits those dishonorably discharged from taking advantage of its benefits, the Veterans Administration took the responsibility for determining which blue discharges were acceptable for benefits. The Veterans Administration, in explicitly linking homosexuality with undesirability, condemned American veterans who, despite serving their country, belonged to a different gender than those in power.
In denying benefits to those discharged for homosexuality, the Veterans Administration created a group of second-class citizens to whom the benefits of a college education or a home loan were not available. The 1957 Doyle Bill, intended to offer relief to those given blue discharges for behaviors other than homosexuality, further reinforced gender lines. Doyles rehabilitation program identified those who had married, started families, and sought employment as most likely to deserve rehabilitation. All of these traits fit in with traditional ideas of manhood. Tellingly, one congressman described a veteran deserving of this program as having assumed the position of a man (pg. 166). The use of binary language indicates that the other choice was the position of a woman, which would equate the veteran with a homosexual in the eyes of the government. Canaday summarizes this program, In continuing the World War II-era practice of using the undesirable discharge for soldiers discharged for homosexuality, the military increased the association between undesirability and homosexuality (pg. 167). The entire program served as a self-perpetuating system for ensuring only those that met strict heterosexual gender standards received rewards and full citizenship from the government.
Canadays book demonstrates that the government defined homosexuality more than homosexuals themselves. Concepts of manhood played a significant part, but the desire to prosecute or deny benefits, especially in the case of the G.I. Bill, dominated the discourse surrounding homosexuality. This discourse of punishment explains why homosexuality continues to suffer from a social stigma in the United States to this day.
1739164
Pimp State is a significant contribution to the movement to abolish prostitution, porn, and lap dancing. I found especially helpful Banyard's critique of the euphemism "sex work", the chapter on the abuse and violence inherent in prostitution, the information about the origin of the campaign to decriminalize prostitution, and the chapter on the efficacy of the Sex Buyer Law. I recommend this book to anyone who works with people who are in the sex trade.
4417051
This beautifully written book says much about how American women were involved in World War One, particularly as reflected in the pages of the Ladies Home Journal. Carefully researched, it reveals much about that era. The pictures are a valuable addition, although I would have liked more of them. Scholarly yet highly readable, it is not tendentious like many modern writings on women's history. Make sure to read the last page, which succinctly reveals much about the changes in women's lives coming in the post-war era.
1899868
Yael Kohen writes, We Killed: The Rise of Women in American Comedy at the time of and in response to Christopher Hitchens article in Vanity Fair proclaiming women aren't funny.

Comedy has always reflected society- its values, taboos, norms. Surely, then, it only makes sense that the rise of women in comedy has run parallel to the rise of women in out society (5). This is one of several hooks in the introduction, however I lost interest hereafter.

Kohens introductions to chapters are concise, consisting mostly of history with a sprinkle of her own observation.
The format of the book is awkward. Each paragraph is an oral account of club proprietors, writers, performers, producers, etc.- the name and profession in bold type followed by their personal story. The problem with this is, the book gave little indication of its format, thus confusing me right out the gate. Another reason this is troublesome is because it doesnt move the history along. There is an abundance of information embedded in the oral accounts and I learned a great deal, but I felt like I had to hunt for the information. Not everything accounted for needed to be recounted.

Kohens book is well researched and surely informative. I loved learning how women dealt with sexism in each of their generations, past to present. I learned Phyllis Diller preferred to work gay clubs because they were chic; the audience had higher brow expectations for jokes unlike the vaudeville clubs.
I appreciate Kohen creating an inclusive environment in her book- men and women participate in the discussion- this is how feminism is thrives and paradigms begin to shift.

Kohen does a wonderful job researching and including so many wonderful people, but I feel there might be a few missing pieces. Chapter Three: Prime Time introduction speaks of the 1970s as the most prolific decade for women in television (57).  The introduction and statement discredits the early work of women such as Lucille Ball and Donna Reed (creator and producer, respectively). Without them, how could the most prolific decade for women in television exist?

Overall, Kohen pieced together a scrambled and misogynistic history into a densely rich, accessible perspective. For that, I thank her. This book should be the jumping off point for turning this into a documentary.
1426359
This is a turn of the century mystery based in Chicago around the time of the World's Fair. Rosalind comes from her rural farm life to the bustle of Chicago to find out what happened to her sister, Miranda. Miranda went missing and no one - the maids, servants, neighbors, or even the wealthy, prominent family in the Sloane house - know anything.

Thus ensues a search for the truth behind Miranda's - and later other maids - whereabouts. Gray provides a look into high society Chicago: the gap between the socialites and the help, the level of disregard and disrespect shown to the help by their employers, and the lengths those in high society will do to maintain their good names. The protagonist, Rosalind, experiences a poignant evolution as she maneuvers through the Sloane house and perseveres in her mission to find her sister while struggling to come to terms with the growing affection she feels for Reed, a socialite intrigued by Rosalind's charm, grace, beauty and determination.
1109245
Very good fictional book based on real human trafficking which occurred in the late 1800s/early 1900s in New York involving immigrants and resident young women. Hard to put down once I started. Kudos to Cathy Gohlke for devoting so much time researching and bringing further into the light this subject. Well-written.
2306883
By Melissa Patafio

Rose Baker is a typist for the NYC police department in the 1920's, typing the confessions of the criminals that come into the precinct. Although Rose has to listen to the details of awful killings, she remains a perfectly poised lady, until one day when a new typist named Odalie enters the picture...

This book fascinated me with all the glitz and glamour of the 1920s. I loved reading about all of the speakeasies and bathtub gin, the roaring twenties fashion, and the slang that was used in that era.

This story took so many twists and wove such a web that I often wasn't sure what was the truth and what was deception. The author's descriptive narrative made me feel as though I were right in the middle of 1920s New York.

There were some dark parts in the book that I hadn't expected, but they added to the mystery of Odalie and her sordid past.

I would recommend The Other Typist to anyone that enjoys the 1920s, as well as multiple twists and turns. I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the movie to come out!

Originally posted at chicklitcentral.com
503
What is the relationship between feminism and socialism? Should women wait until the socialist future to pursue their demands for equality? As young women were debating these ideas in the women's liberation movement of the 1960s and 70s, many of us had no idea that our predecessors in the early Marxist movements in the US and Europe grappled with the same questions--until we read this pamphlet. Waters shows how important the fight for women's equality is in the struggle to overthrow capitalism. And how women can only win complete liberation through a socialist revolution.
You'll relive the important debates that took place in the early socialist and communist organizations. And you'll meet the early feminists who stood their ground within these movements to champion the cause of women. Waters describes the radical measures taken by the early revolutionary government in the USSR to liberate women from their subordinate place in society. She also explains how these progressive acts were later reversed by the Stalinist regime.
4455587
This book(I haven't finished it yet) shows a  more intimate side to what it was actually like to be a bunny. They weren't subjugated women forced to suffer as Gloria S. depicted in her article. These women were some of the first women to have credit cards in their own named. It talked about all the opportunities working in the club had opened up for them. It is so far a very empowering look at the playboy clubs and the bunnies that worked in it. It is a nice hardcover book. In perfect condition.
1890599
Delores French did an excellent job protraying the profession of "working" as it is without getting into trying to talk the reader out of it. Like it or not, prostitution is a profession. Anyone who reads  her very informative publication will learn this message. In her pages,  Delores goes into her "pilgrimage" from working into the  traditional world into the various worlds that comprise sex businesses. She  describes her work throughout the world and seeks to decriminalize the  field. For those who want to learn about this field and has been seeking a  "career" guide, I recommend you read these pages. For those  trying to talk people out of working in this field, I hope you read Delores  account, as she does a good job protraying the field in it's objective  light.
3899477
I enjoyed this book very much. it was interesting to see how each of the girls found themselves as individuals rather than one of a set of twins. This was at a time when women in general were dependent on men and not to have a career of their own.
1601607
Having grown up in a liberal New York City home during the time covered in David Rosen's wonderful book I was aware of the general ideas Mr. Rosen presents.  What I was missing were all the specific examples and stories that Mr. Rosen offers.  They are both enlightening and entertaining.  I encourage anyone who is interested in gaining a more in depth understanding of how New York City lead the nation in the 1950s when it came to concepts of sin, sexuality and subversion to read this book.
2979261
Laurence Veysey is a Professor Emeritus from UC Santa Cruz.  In this 1973 book (republished in 1978 with a new preface by the author), he studies a variety of "Anarchist and Mystical" communities in modern America.  In the new Preface, Veysey observes, "The brief but spectacular resurgence of alternative communities in this country from about 1967 to 1973 furnished a superb opportunity to study them at firsthand.  This book offers the fruits of such direct investigation, set against accounts of strikingly similar undertakings which existed several decades earlier."

The book includes chapters on "The Ferrer Colony and Modern School of Stelton," "Contemporary Anarchistic Communes," "Vedanta Monasteries," and "New Mexico, 1971: Inside a 'New Age' Social Order."

Veysey notes that the Ferrer School "For a long time ... ran the only progressive school in America which deliberately sought a working-class clientele."

He covers the Vedanta movement in some detail, and notes that "The Vedanta movement never attracted a mass American following.  Federal religious census figures show only 340 members in 1906 ... Total membership rose to 628 in 1936, to around 1,000 in 1960, and perhaps 1,200 today."  He also observes that "the early followers of Vedanta (were) disproportionately feminine, besides being well-to-do and cosmopolitan." and that "All the Vedanta swamis have depended upon gifts from the members of their congregations to survive."

Disappointingly, Veysey writes, "The record of counter-cultural movements seems to suggest that, even in the United States, the most heavily authoritarian and intensely charismatic of these social movements possess the greater internal elan."