“Like man, woman is a human being.” When The Second Sex was first published in Paris in 1949—groundbreaking, risqué, brilliantly written and strikingly modern—it provoked both outrage and inspiration. The Independent Woman contains three key chapters of Beauvoir’s masterwork, which illuminate the feminine condition and identify practical social reforms for gender equality. It captures the essence of the spirited manifesto that switched on light bulbs in the heads of a generation of women and continues to exert profound influence on feminists today.
A red thread links the fate of two people together. Julia lost her parents and lives a hard life taking care of her two older sisters. Her sisters will be getting married and leaving home soon, but who is she going to marry? At a party, Julia is approached by Professor Gerard, a Dutch aristocrat and the head of the medical world. His impression of her is terrible when she teases him about the dress he made by tailoring the curtains.She never wants to see him again. But it's also the professor who gives her a hand when she loses her job and her house. Is he a tease, or is he kind?
Martha Vicinus's subject is the middle-class English woman, the first of her sex who could afford to live on her own earnings 'outside heterosexual domesticity or church governance.' She wanted and needed to work. Meticulous, resonant, original, triumphant, Independent Women tells of the efforts and endurance of this Victorian woman; of her courage and the constraints that she rejected, accepted, and created. . . . The independent women are the 'foremothers' of any women today who seeks significant work, emotionally satisfying friendships, and a morally charged freedom."—from the Foreword by Catharine R. Stimpson "Feminist insight combines with vast research to produce a dramatic narrative. Independent Women chronicles the energetic lives and imaginative communal structures invented by women who 'pioneered new occupations, new living conditions, and new public roles.'"—Lee R. Edwards, Ms. "Vicinus is to be congratulated for her brave and unflinching portraits of twisted spinsters as well as stolid saints. That she stretches her net up into the '20s and covers the women's suffrage momement is a brilliant stroke, for one may see clearly how it was possible for women to mount such an enormous and successful political campaign."—Jane Marcus, Chicago Tribune Book World "Vicinus' beautifully written book abounds in rich historical detail and in subtle psychological insights in the character of its protagonists. The author understands the complexities of the interplay between economic and social conditions, cultural values, and the aims and aspirations of individual personalities who act in history. . . . A superb achievement."—Gerda Lerner, Reviews in American History "Martha Vicinus has with intelligence and energy paved and landscaped the road on which scholars and students of activist women all travel for many years."—Blanche Wiesen Cook, Women's Review of Books "Independent Women can be read by anyone with an interest in women's history. But for all contemporary women, unconsciously enjoying privileges and freedoms once bought so dearly, this book should be required reading."—Catharine E. Boyd, History
"Today, only twenty percent of Americans are wed by age twenty-nine, compared to nearly sixty percent in 1960. The Population Reference Bureau calls it a 'dramatic reversal.' [This book presents a] portrait of contemporary American life and how we got here, through the lens of the single American woman, covering class, race, [and] sexual orientation, and filled with ... anecdotes from ... contemporary and historical figures"--
In Confessions of an Independent Woman: Truth, Lies, & Relationships, she stresses we must move on regardless, as dwelling on what might have been, or obsessing over problems is not a solution." Although she shares her own harrowing experiences with us, the point of this empowering, informative, and highly motivational book is to reveal the lessons she learned, and to show other women how she emerged triumphant--and remind them that they can too. "Sharing our stories with other women demonstrates huge growth and proves we are bigger than how we are all-too-often portrayed," she says, while she encourages us to "gain self-worth, value, and respect." This is the process that helped Aprille achieve what she really wanted in the end: to live freely and happily. "Our lives are a testimony, and we should look at how we overcome our struggles and use them as valuable lessons to help others."
Independent Female Filmmakers collects original and previously published essays, interviews, and manifestos from some of the most defining and groundbreaking independent female filmmakers of the last 40 years. Featuring material from the seminal magazine The Independent Film and Video Monthly—a leading publication for independent filmmakers for several decades—as well as new interviews conducted with the filmmakers, this book, edited by Michele Meek, presents a unique perspective into the ethnically and culturally diverse voices of women filmmakers whose films span narrative, documentary, and experimental genres and whose work remains integral to independent film history from the 1970s to the present. Independent Female Filmmakers also includes a biographical profile of each filmmaker, as well as an online resource with links to additonal interviews and a sample course syllabus. The filmmakers in this book include: • Lisa Cholodenko (High Art, The Kids Are All Right) • Martha Coolidge (Valley Girl, Real Genius, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge) • Cheryl Dunye (The Watermelon Woman, Stranger Inside) • Miranda July (The Future, Me And You And Everyone We Know) • Barbara Kopple (Harlan County USA, Wild Man Blues) • Maria Maggenti (The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love) • Deepa Mehta (Fire, Earth, Water) • Trinh T. Minh-ha (Surname Viet, Given Name Nam, Night Passage) . . . and more!
At the turn of the century, a time when women had few choices, Bess Steed Garner inherits a legacy - not only of wealth but of determination and desire, making her truly a woman of independent means. From the early 1900s through the 1960s, we accompany Bess as she endures life's trials and triumphs with unfailing courage and indomitable spirit: the sacrifices love sometimes requires of the heart, the flaws and rewards of marriage, the often-tested bond between mother and child, and the will to defy a society that demands conformity. Told in letters we follow the remarkable life of Bess Steed Garner from her childhood in 1899 to her death in 1977.
"Is there something wrong with me?" It's a common question asked by strong and capable women who are kicking ass in life, but struggling in LOVE. Are you successful in your career, but you find relationships difficult? Have you been told that you can be intimidating? Do you find yourself attracted to those who are unavailable? Are you easily annoyed or turned off by people who express interest in you? Do you feel like you've failed every time a relationship doesn't work out? Do you feel like maybe there is something wrong with you?... If so, listen up, ladies! This book is for you. Author and fellow career woman, Christine Chang, is here to set the record straight. There is nothing wrong with you but, there are some things you can do right away to boss up your love life and meet your perfect power couple match. In SHOW UP: Finding Love For Independent Women, Christine shares her personal journey from shaky and sporadic relationships to deep, supportive and unbreakable love. Through her nightmarish relationship struggles and often embarrassing "a-ha's," she reveals the most important questions you need to ask yourself to slay the dating process and find the partner you deserve. Because even though love can be a mess, you should never settle for anything less!
A passionate, tender love story of a lonely girl, Sandhya who begins to trust and love Akash, a wealthy but well natured man. An unexpected turn of events separates them and by the time they meet again, their love is turned into deep hatred. Sandhya is by then, a fiercely independent woman determined to never depend on a man as she once did. Will she ever let herself trust and love the same person that once almost destroyed her existence?
