Daniel horowitz is a professor of american studies and history at smith college. Ever since the 1963 publication of her landmark book, the feminine mystique, betty friedan has insisted that her commitment to womens rights grew out. Mass media and the shaping of american feminism, 19631975. Books by daniel horowitz author of betty friedan and the making of. May 30, 2016 betty friedan, the godmother of the postwar us womens movement, was an accidental feminist. Books by betty friedan author of the feminine mystique. Discover book depositorys huge selection of daniel horowitz books online.
Betty friedan was one of the founders of the national organization for women. This suggestion is made by daniel horowitz in his reassessment of friedan s feminism. And the making of the feminine mystique is more intellectually ambitious, but so tendentious. Some material in this collection will be closed during digitization, including items relating to the feminine mystique. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. A leading figure in the womens movement in the united states, her 1963 book the feminine mystique is often credited with sparking the second wave of american feminism in the 20th century. Founded in 1997, has become a leading book price comparison site. Betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique the american left, the cold war, and modern feminism. Problem that had no name times higher education the. Daniel horowitz is mary higgins gamble professor of american studies and director of the american studies program at smith college. The american left, the cold war, and modern feminism. The feminine mystique by betty friedan book resume. Mar 01, 2010 the book that changed the consciousness of a countryand the world. Rebuffed by a subject who had covered up a large part of her past.
Betty friedan, cofounder of national organization for women now, speaks during the womens strike for equality event in new york on aug. Aug 18, 2001 by betty friedan the feminine mystique betty friedan on. The book is about the development of friedan s feminist. Issues of equality and positional power were continual themes in her life. Betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique is a riveting account of the forces that produced one of the most important books of the modern feminist movement. Her father, harry goldstein, emigrated from russia in the 1880s, and built a successful. Osburn on horowitz, betty friedan and the making of the feminine. After he published an initial article about friedans youthful work as a labor journalist, friedan maligned him. In her book, she describes a womans life in the 1950s as completely centred around being a mother and housewife.
In an exploration published in 1998 of betty friedans past and the early drafts of the feminine mystique daniel horowitz found what he believed was an explanation for the narrow class bias of the work the conscious choices of the author. Daniel horowitz has 35 books on goodreads with 7 ratings. Horowitz offers a reading of the feminine mystique and argues that the roots of friedan s feminism run deeper than she has led us to believe. Her life is good on her personal life but too shallow and gossipy to convey the subtleties of her thinking. She coined the term feminine mystique to describe the societal assumption that women could find fulfillment through housework, marriage, sexual passivity, and child rearing alone.
Focusing his study on friedan s ideas in feminism rather than on her personal life horowitz s book gave friedan a major role in the history of american feminism. See his rethinking betty friedan and the feminine mystique. In his unauthorized biography of betty friedan, betty friedan and the making of the feminist mystique, historian daniel horowitz contradicts friedans assertion that prior to authoring the feminine mystique she was disconnected from womens rights. Labor union radicalism and feminism in cold war america, american quarterly, vol. When betty friedan produced the feminine mystique in 1963, she could not have realized how the discovery and debate of her contemporaries general malaise would shake up society. But as daniel horowitz would later establish conclusively in betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique, friedan s famous description of the american household as a comfortable concentration camp was in fact a result of her marxist leanings rather than her. Her father owned a jewellery store while her mother was a housewife who started to work after harry fell ill. Daniel horowitz s betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique rosen, ruth. Daniel horowitz smith college in a certain sense it was almost accidentalcoincidentalthat i wrote the feminine mystique, and in another sense my whole life had prepared me to write that book.
Betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique. The schlesinger library will be digitizing a portion of the papers of betty friedan mc 575 starting in august 2017. Horowitz explored friedans engagement with the womens movement before she began to work on the feminine mystique and pointed out that friedans feminism did not start in the 1950s but even earlier, in the 1940s. Her life is good on her personal life but too shallow and gossipy to convey the. The feminine mystique annotated text, contexts, scholarship book. The american left, the cold war, and modern feminism culture, politics and the cold war horowitz, daniel on. Labor union radicalism and feminism in cold war america, daniel horowitz sets out to reshape our understanding of both friedan s past and her reasons for writing the feminine mystique 1963 by bringing to light a new way of looking at a time in friedan s life that is absent from the book. Victims of a false belief system, these women were following strict social convention by loyally conforming to the. In this very readable book, daniel horowitz examines betty friedan s political and intellectual origins and finds good reason to question the widely held understanding that the feminine mystique was written out of the perspective and consciousness of a typical surburban housewife. Bettyes mother, miriam horwitz goldstein 18981988, eighteen years. Louis menand on betty friedan, the feminine mystique, and the power of the books that defined the early years of the womens movement. Yet as daniel horowitz persuasively demonstrates in this illuminating and.
February 4, 1921 february 4, 2006 was an american feminist writer and activist. Although horowitz, the author of the new biography, is a sympathetic leftist, friedan refused to cooperate with him once she realized he was going to tell the truth about her life as betty goldstein. Contrary to friedan s own later assertions, she had been a vocal leftist before the mccarthy era and, as a part of her radical activism, had long been attentive to womens concerns. Drawing on new scholarship in the social sciences, betty friedan attacked a wide range of institutionsamong them womens magazines, womens colleges, and advertisersfor promoting a onedimensional image. A mothers day mash note, of sorts, to betty friedan. Daniel horowitzs study suggests that, like the book she wrote, friedan. In october 1966 friedan cofounded the national organization for women now, a civil rights group dedicated to achieving equality of opportunity for women. Her mother quit her job as editor of the local newspapers womens pages to become a housewife. In 1947, betty married a theater producer named carl friedan. Consult the catalog record for updated closure information. Ever since the 1963 publication of her landmark book, the feminine mystique, betty friedan has. Betty friedan has 17 books on goodreads with 79663 ratings. The feminine mystique, a landmark book by feminist betty friedan published in 1963 that described the pervasive dissatisfaction among women in mainstream american society in the postworld war ii period.
Beginning in 1963 with the publication of betty friedan s the feminine mystique and reaching a high pitch ten years later with the televised megaevent of the battle of the sexesthe tennis match between billie jean king and bobby riggsthe mass media were intimately involved with both the distribution and the understanding of the feminist message. Historian martin seymoursmith places betty friedans the feminine mystique firmly on a list of the 100 most influential books ever written. In a new book, betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique, smith college professor daniel horowitz no relation establishes beyond. The american left, the cold war, and modern feminism kindle edition by horowitz, daniel. Futurist alvin toffler says the book pulled the trigger on history. Landmark, groundbreaking, classicthese adjectives barely describe the earthshaking and longlasting effects of betty friedans the feminine mystique. Betty continued to be active in politics and writing until her. A jewish feminine mystique jewish women in postwar. Betty friedan, feminism, and jewish identity, from joyce. Instead, born of an awareness of antisemitism and class differences in her hometown of peoria, il fostered during her years as a. Dec 19, 2018 this collection includes personal and business correspondence, drafts of books and articles, financial and legal documents, research and teaching notes, and organizational records of men, women and media, an organization friedan cofounded in 1988 to analyze gender parity and representation in different forms of media. Betty friedans enduring mystique the new york times. Ever since the 1963 publication of her landmark book, the feminine mystique, betty friedan has insisted that her commitment to womens rights grew out of her experiences as an alienated suburban housewife. The feminine mystique 1963 is a powerful critique of womens roles in contemporary american society.
In his book, betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique, horowitz acknowledges that friedan had a brilliant mind, was a prolific writer, and pursued her cause with a singleminded devotion. Daniel horowitz argues in this carefully constructed book that betty friedan s commitment to social change was originally a product of her old left background. At smith college 19892012, he directed the american studies program for 18 years and was, for a time, sylvia dlugasch bauman professor of american studies. The backdrop of her adolescencea series of events in peoria, the nation, and. Betty friedan was born betty naomi goldstein, the daughter of an immigrant jeweler and a newspaper editor. Historian martin seymoursmith places betty friedan s the feminine mystique firmly on a list of the 100 most influential books ever written. Historian daniel horowitz skilfully reconstructs the leftwing background of friedan that she carefully suppressed in revising her personal biography as she became a major figure in american society.
List of books and articles about betty friedan online. Daniel horowitz s most popular book is a students guide to history. Friedan, radical roots, and homophobia by eleanor kerr. Friedan and her battle for womens rights, after all, have a lot to do with why. Until i started writing the feminine mystique she confessed in 1973, i wasnt even. A few years later, the historian daniel horowitz, who taught at smith, published a book revealing that friedan s feminism had its origins not in her frustrations as a suburban housewife, which. Neither hennessee nor daniel horowitz is quite up to the challenge friedan poses as a subject. Her life and daniel horowitz, a professor of american studies at smith college, have also written about friedan. Feminist blau wrote of the feminist movements influence on friedan s personal and professional life. Reading betty friedans feminine mystique for the first time, 50 years after its publication, a critic found that the book. He is a historian whose work focused on the history of consumer culture and social criticism in the u.
Justine blau was also greatly influenced by friedan. Careers can be arduous, but betty friedans the feminine mystique is a reminder of life without them. Betty friedan was a longtime participant in the american communist movement. Betty friedan schlesinger library radcliffe institute for. By daniel horowitz university of massachusetts press. Betty friedan, horoscope for birth date 4 february 1921. Labor union radicalism and feminism in cold war america, daniel horowitz sets out to reshape our understanding of both friedans past and her reasons for writing the feminine mystique 1963 by bringing to light a new way of looking at a time in friedans life that is absent from the book. Yes, betty friedan january 5, 1977 in this essay, friedan writes, we women had to liberate ourselves from the slavish necessities, the excessive drudgery and guilt related to cooking in order to be able to now liberate ourselves from an excessive need to react against it. Mar 25, 2016 in rethinking betty friedan and the feminine mystique. Daniel horowitzs most popular book is a students guide to history. Yet as daniel horowitz persuasively demonstrates in this illuminating and provocative biography, the roots of friedan s feminism run much deeper than she has led us to believe. Labor union radicalism and feminism in cold war america daniel horowitz smith college in a certain sense it was almost accidentalcoincidentalthat i wrote the feminine mystique, and in another sense my whole life had prepared me to. The future of feminism by friedan, betty free inquiry, vol.
This book provides a rich chorus of voices, further proving that whatever the. Daniel horowitz is a historian whose work focuses on the history of consumer culture and social criticism in the u. At smith college she was involved in radical, antiinterventionist groups like the american youth. Read together, hennessees and horowitz s new books provide a fascinating and complex look at feminism and the ways that betty friedan shaped the movements trajectory in the 1960s and 1970s. Horowitz s third book, betty friedan and the making of the feminine. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. Dissent daniel horowitzs betty friedan and the making. As president of now, she directed campaigns to end sexclassified employment notices, for greater representation of women in government, for childcare centres for working mothers, and for legalized abortion and other reforms. Betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique goodreads. Betty friedans most popular book is the feminine mystique. Home betty friedan research guides at harvard library. In a new book, betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique, smith college professor daniel horowitz no relation establishes beyond doubt that the woman who has always presented herself as a typical suburban housewife until she began work on her groundbreaking book was in.
Daniel horowitz is the mary huggins gamble foundation chair and professor of american studies emeritus at smith college. We deliver the joy of reading in 100% recycled packaging with free standard shipping on u. Daniel horowitz s exciting new book was an especially difficult one to write. Her life and horowitz s betty friedan and the making. In it, he exposed a startling, weirdly littleknown truth about its. Allan wolf, in the mystique of betty friedan writes. But as daniel horowitz a former colleague of friedan s uncovers in his book betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique, friedan was deeply involved in radical feminism and labor activism as early as her time at smith college. The american left, the cold war, and modern feminism by professor daniel horowitz online at alibris. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Drawing on an impressive body of new research including friedan s own papers horowitz traces the development of friedan s feminist outlook from her childhood in peoria, illinois, through her wartime years at smith college and berkeley, to her decadelong career as a writer for two of the periods most radical labor journals, the federated press and the united electrical workers ue news. I was born and grew up in peoria, illinois, which you might say is the middle of the middle of america, what used to be a synonym almost. It has long been suggested that betty friedan was a marxist. The result is an impressive contribution to the historical literature of secondwave feminism. In rethinking betty friedan and the feminine mystique.
Betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique daniel. Horowitz talked about his book, betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique, published by university of massachusetts press. Home browse books book details, betty friedan and the making of the feminine. Rethinking betty friedan and the feminine mystique. But horowitz also reveals a dark side to friedan s social activism. Daniel horowitz books list of books by author daniel. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Labor union radicalism and feminism in cold war america, daniel horowitz looks at how betty friedan s portrayal of herself as someone who was trapped by the feminine mystique was part of a reinvention that she constructed and promoted as part of her book the feminine mystique 1963. Shes trying to do some of the things that are the next stage of the betty friedan revolution. In, rethinking betty friedan and the feminine mystique. Daniel horowitz is an author with two videos in the cspan video library.
Yet as daniel horowitz persuasively demonstrates in this illuminating and provocative biography, the roots of friedan s feminism run much. February 4, 1921 february 4, 2006 was an american writer, activist, and feminist. Daniel horowitz further complicated the book s legacy with his 1998 book betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique. Read the fulltext online edition of betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique.
Fran kepler talked about the life of peoria, illinois writer and feminist activist betty friedan cspans local content vehicles lcvs made a stop in their 2016 lcv cities tour in. It was precisely those of meads books that friedan liked best that have not withstood later scrutiny. Betty friedan wrote the book the feminine mystique which ignited the contemporary womens movement in 1963. Horowitz forged ahead, basing his biography of betty friedan on her writings and her papers.
In 1966, friedan cofounded and was elected the first. In her 1963 feminist classic the feminine mystique betty friedan condemned the limited. It shares that space with, among others, the bible and the koran. In 1963, betty friedan 19212006 published the feminine mystique, a founding text of modern feminism that is considered one of the most influential books of the twentieth century. Discover book depositorys huge selection of betty friedan books online.
Journal of american history a jewish feminine mystique. Rethinking the origins of 1960s feminism through the life and work of betty friedan lori e. She helped to change not only the thinking but the lives of many american women, but recent books throw into question the intellectual and. This biography of betty friedan traces the development of her feminist outlook from her childhood in illinois to her marriage.
Dec 16, 2014 even though her body of work would largely suggest a primary focus on white middle class women, early in her career, she wrote for leftist, socialist publications and often spoke about the plight of the lower class. Culturebox cant think of a figure more deserving of her admiration than feminist exicon betty friedan. Betty friedan, christened bettye naomi goldstein, was born on february 4, 1921, in peoria, illinois, to miriam and harry goldstein, who were jews hailing from russia and hungary. Buy betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique. Betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique the. The american left, the cold war, and modern feminism 1998. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique. Betty friedan the reader wiki, reader view of wikipedia. In a new book, betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique, smith college professor daniel horowitz no relation establishes beyond doubt that the woman who has always presented herself as a typical suburban housewife until she began work on her groundbreaking book was in fact nothing of the kind. Books by daniel horowitz author of betty friedan and the.
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