Apr 25, 20 i feel like ive written a lot about, or in connection to, the feminine mystique over at my other blog, a homebody, because of all the feminism issues. Stephanie coontzs useful revisiting of friedans book, a strange stirring. Landmark, groundbreaking, classic these adjectives barely describe the earthshaking and longlasting effects of betty friedans the feminine mystique. A sensation on publication selling over 3 million copies, it established friedan as one of the chief architects of the womens liberation movement. Friedans findings provided a cleareyed analysis of the issues that affected womens lives in the decades after the second world war, and became the basis to her book, the feminine mystique. Part social chronicle, part manifesto, the feminine mystique is filled with fascinating anecdotes and interviews as well as insights that continue to inspire. Her work propelled the stagnant womens rights movement into its second wave and helped women reclaim some equality. Jan 27, 20 in a strange way, all those deficits are the books strength. Betty friedan is to women what martin luther king, jr.
Most critics were polarized in their views of the book. Now is the time for all good women to pay homage to betty friedan, who 50 years ago wrote the gamechanging manifesto the feminine mystique. Barkerbenfield and catherine clinton new york, 1991, 599615. When the feminine mystique was first published in 1963, it exploded into american consciousness. This is the book that defined the problem that has no name, that launched the second wave of the feminist movement, and has been awakening women and men with its insights into social. The feminine mystique, is considered partially responsible for ushering in second wave feminism, or a feminist movements which began midcentury and included a broad range of issues such as. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Published in 1963, it gave a pitchperfect description of the problem that has. Buy the feminine mystique penguin modern classics 01 by friedan, betty isbn. Us history chapter 30 betty friedan the feminine mystique. In the feminine mystique, betty friedan put a spotlight on the hidden, yet. Defining this concept in her book is thought to have started 1960s feminism. Daniel horowitz further complicated the book s legacy with his 1998 book betty friedan and the making of the feminine mystique. Today, developing the online book becomes very increasingly.
Unlike friends who went to womens colleges, i went to a coed campus and. She describes the feminine mystique as the heightened awareness of the expectations of women and how each woman has to fit a certain role as a. This book is available in this website with simple word. A 50thanniversary edition of the trailblazing book that changed womens lives, with a new introduction by gail collins. The publication of betty friedans the feminine mystique, on february 17, 1963, is often cited as the founding moment of secondwave feminism.
The mystique is an artificial idea of femininity that says having a career andor fulfilling ones individual potential somehow go against womens preordained role. In the fifteen years after world war ii, this mystique of fem. This is the book that defined the problem that has no name, that launched the second wave of the feminist movement, and has been awakening women and men with its insights. Those who think of it as solely a feminist manifesto ought to revisit its pages to get a sense of the magnitude of the research and reporting friedan. This study guide consists of approximately 102 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the feminine mystique. Feb 20, 20 the guardian s popup book club discussion of the feminine mystique starts wednesday at 3pm and will last for half an hour for our first chat, well be focusing on the first 100 pages. The feminine mystique betty friedan read online free books. In the book, friedan defines womens unhappiness as the problem that has no name, then she launches. Since its first publication in 1963, millions of people have read the feminine. It was and is important because it helped encourage so many women, during that. A book is one of the important ways to get more knowledge and reference. Apr 10, 2010 the feminine mystique by betty friedan this persuasive argument against the cult of the 1950s housewife was an important motor for secondwave feminism hermione hoby. Het misverstand vrouw oorspronkelijk the feminine mystique is een. The book highlighted friedans view of a coercive and pervasive postworld war ii ideology of female domesticity that stifled middleclass womens opportunities to be anything but homemakers.
The feminine mystique and american women at the dawn of the 1960s basic. In a strange stirring, her book about the feminine mystique and its. Free download or read online the feminine mystique pdf epub book. The feminine mystique, by betty friedan, ushered in a second wave of feminist thought and progress in the united states. This 50thanniversary edition features an afterword by bestselling author anna quindlen as well as a new introduction by gail collins. It is the most famous of betty friedans works, and it made her a household name. The main characters of this feminism, non fiction story are. In it, he exposed a startling, weirdly littleknown truth about its. Betty friedans feminine mystique 50 years later the new york. While many book critics immediately recognized the potential in friedans book when it was released in 1963.
The feminine mystique, reassessed after 50 years the new. Best known for starting the second wave of feminism through the writing of her book the feminine mystique an account of housewives lives in which they subordinated their own aspirations to the needs of men. The feminine mystique is a very specific cry of rage about the way intelligent, welleducated women were kept out of the. If, then, there is still a feminist fight to be fought it is for the right to work. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 592 pages and is available in paperback format. The book also includes a section on the scholarship on the feminine mystique, with excerpts from scholars such as daniel horowitz, joanne meyerowitz, ruth.
Despite focusing on the seemingly small problems of middle class white women, the legacy of the book has paved the way for more universal movements. The feminine mystique is the false notion that a womans role in society is to be a wife, mother, and housewife nothing else. This is the book that defined the problem that has no name, that launched the second wave of the feminist movement, and. Landmark, groundbreaking, classicthese adjectives barely do justice to the pioneering vision and lasting impact of the feminine mystique. The feminine mystique is a book by betty friedan that is widely credited with sparking the beginning of secondwave feminism in the united states. Mar 04, 2010 buy the feminine mystique penguin modern classics 01 by friedan, betty isbn. The book explores the desire of many women in america in the 1950s and 1960s to become housewives and mothers rather than pursuing careers of their own. The feminine mystique, a landmark book by feminist betty friedan published in 1963. The feminine mystique by betty friedan is an iconic book that relentlessly changed the way the american woman saw herself, until its first publication in 1963. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. Jan 14, 2019 the feminine mystique by betty friedan, published in 1963, is often seen as the beginning of the womens liberation movement. For insightful readings of friedans book, see donald meyer, betty friedan, in portraits ofamerican women.
Published in 1963, it gave a pitchperfect description of the problem that has no name. Feb 10, 20 the problem was the feminine mystique, which was also the title of her groundbreaking book, published 50 years ago. The feminine mystique, more than onethird of all women were in the. In the feminine mystique, betty friedan put a spotlight on the hidden, yet immense problems women faced during the 1950s. The feminine mystique is the title of a book written by betty friedan who also founded the national organization for women now to help us women gain equal rights. Betty friedan described the feminine mystique in her 1963 bestseller. The feminine mystique is a 1963 book by betty friedan which is widely credited with sparking the beginning of secondwave feminism in the united states. The feminine mystique, by betty friedan, was one of the most important and influential texts of feminism in the 1960s. Barbara seaman, author of free and female the feminine mystique stated the trouble with women so clearly that every woman could recognize herself in the diagnosis. One of the great online books is the book entitled the feminine mystique by betty friedan. It seems that everywhere i turn, theres some hotbutton oped that can be connected to the feminine mystique.
One of those rare books we are endowed with only once in several decades. When friedan discovered that many of her former classmates were unhappy with their lives as women in society she pitched an article based on. The feminine mystique project gutenberg selfpublishing. The feminine mystique betty friedan, kirsten fermaglich, lisa. In the most immoderate passage of her seminal 1963 book, she writes. In truth, the feminine mystique s 50year shelf life got off to a somewhat rocky start. In het boek beschrijft en analyseert friedan het onbehagen van amerikaanse vrouwen. 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. Pdf the feminine mystique book by betty friedan free. The most important book of the twentieth century is the feminine mystique.
Feministic in a good way, without the morbid extravaganza other reads of that type hold, its relevant even now and if you dont choose to believe so, at least you can appreciate it as a historical document. Feminist theorist bell hooks took betty friedans book to task for its. In 1963, betty friedan unleashed a storm of controversy with her bestselling book, the feminine mystique. Publication of the feminine mystique by betty friedan. Fine, a historian at michigan state university and a coeditor of the first. The feminine mystique now feels both revolutionary and utterly contemporary. Afroamerikaanse vrouwen komen in the feminine mystique zo goed als niet. The feminine mystique by friedan, first edition abebooks. Feb 19, 20 the feminine mystique tends to be hailed simply as the book that started secondwave feminism, said lisa m.
This is, i believe, the most telling sign of the books continued relevance. Hundreds of women wrote to her to say that the book had transformed, even saved, their lives. Free ebook the feminine mystique by betty friedan puqtsil. Npr stories about the feminine mystique betty friedan, cofounder of national organization for women now, speaks during the womens strike for equality event in new york on aug. In 1957, friedan was asked to conduct a survey of her former smith college classmates for their 15th anniversary reunion. The feminine mystique by betty friedan, hardcover barnes. Feminists of the 1960s and 1970s would later say the feminine mystique was the book that started it all. Landmark, groundbreaking, classicthese adjectives barely describe the earthshaking and longlasting effects of betty friedans the feminine mystique. The book that changed the consciousness of a countryand the world. Feministic in a good way, without the morbid extravaganza other reads of that type hold, its relevant even now and if you dont choose to believe so, at least you can appreciate it as a. In the feminine mystique, friedan tried to portray herself as the. The feminine mystique 50th anniversary edition betty. The books overall message that the only acceptable role of housewife and mother does not fulfill women reached over one million readers in 1964, a year after the book was published. The first edition of the novel was published in february 19th 1963, and was written by betty friedan.
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