Women's work and the family economy in historical perspective /

This collection delivers precisely what the title advertises: ten empirically grounded investigations into the complex interrelationships between women's work and the family economy. Organized chronologically, the book spans some 300 years, beginning with early protoindustrial settings and concluding with mature industrialization. All of the essays are based upon northern and western European sources; half of them center upon England alone. As the superb introduction emphasizes, these essays draw upon recent feminist historiography to shape the issues, methods, and selection of materials. This constitutes both the book's strength and its weakness. Carefully marshaled empirical evidence enables several authors to challenge overarching generalizations typical of developing fields. But some essays become mired in detail. As much as the editors strive to empower women, their lives--within the family and the economy--offer variations upon comparative powerlessness. The product of a series of seminars sponsored by the University of Liverpool, this footnoted volume will be consulted by graduate students in women's and European history. -D. Lindstrom, University of Wisconsin--Madison