On a recent trip to Washington, DC, my astute seven-year-old daughter asked me whether women could become president of the United States.
Covered with sweat on that 104 degree day, having just toured at least two Smithsonian museums on foot, I was impressed with the perceptiveness of her observation that we have never had a woman president, and also by her endurance. That she could still think and converse after the day we had had was truly remarkable.
Chewing ice in a desperate attempt to cool off, I tried to clear my mouth enough to answer her important question expeditiously. I could not let this thought that she could not grow up to be the 47th president of the United States stand long enough to take hold. I spit out, “Yes, yes, yes women can become president.” Then I choked on the remaining ice. Convinced (it is still easy at this age), she walked away.
Caroline’s innocent question brought back the feeling that I had during most of my school history classes. I never loved history, though I should have, because I never felt a part of what was being taught. We learned about wars, and dates, and founding fathers. I was (and am) a 5’3” myopic, asthmatic girl. I certainly wasn’t ever leading troops into battle in this lifetime. And I don’t sew like Betsy Ross or heal like Florence Nightingale. I never saw myself in our history as it was taught.
Gail Collins is changing that. She has written an important book – a very important book.
Her book, America’s Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines, is simply excellent. This book changes the story of our history not only by changing the answers, but more importantly by changing the questions. She writes about the private sphere and the public sphere, and discusses women prominent and ordinary in both. She discusses childbearing and menstruation, maternal death, and institutional and cultural biases against women. These and so many other issues she raises are important historical details that few have considered relevant to our history until recently.
America’s Women is a chronological telling of American history from pre-Revolutionary times through the 1960s and a bit beyond. There is not much sex and violence, and we all know how the story ends. But there are great characters Collins brings to life. She tells about unsung heroines and ordinary women from each time so we get a flavor of the times and our heritage.
Collins’s writing is not preachy, as some of these tomes can be. It is informative, as if it is perfectly common to write about history including mostly women as actors.
This book is refreshing in what and who it considers historically relevant, and in its accessible style. Gail Collins is a long-time journalist, and it shows. Her writing is crisp; her style casual and informative.
America’s Women should be required reading in every American history class. It will be required reading for my daughters. I hope that with this book in their libraries they will grow up understanding our rich history and feeling pride in their American heritage.
