This book takes on the massive topic of women's rights history from 1960 to about 2008. As I read, I kept on wanting to say to someone, "Did you know this?" Did you know that as late as 1980, it was almost unheard of for a woman to buy property? Did you know that in 1960 you could be kicked out of a courtroom for not wearing a skirt? Did you know about the sexism that black women faced within the very civil rights movement in which they worked?
Lots of illuminating history, told mostly anecdotally. Occasionally, I got lost in the detail. But it's a fascinating subject, and using so many different women as primary sources gives one a sense of the immediacy and pervasiveness of prejudice against women. Sadly, there is still a lot of it today.

I enjoyed the mix of statistics and personal histories, but this is an incomplete account, with Gail Collins picking and choosing what info to include. For instance, she includes a quote by Gloria Steinem explaining her romantic reasons for getting married but omits Steinem's husband's need for a green card. Collins also includes Steinem's complaint about continually being judged for her looks while not also mentioning that she's had plastic surgery. Contradictions like this strike me as important, because they reflect how murky the situation was--and continues to be--for women in the modern era.

I like her voice and style so I expected to give this a 5, but something didn't quite come together to bump it up to that level. Overall it was very readable, it put our recent history in a very human perspective and helped me understand some of the generational differences I see in women.

Very well written. Lots of personal stories of individual women added interest to the politics and cultural changes. I had a hard time putting this down. I particularly liked reading about some of the first women in Congress.

Great book about how things changed for women in America. Collins combines stories of well-known women with "normal" women to show how much progress has occurred since the 1960s... and how much room there still is for improvement. I loved this as a follow-up to "America's Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines" - together, the two books really show how much women have accomplished. On top of this, Collins writes in a VERY readable style, making reading about history fun.

Lot's of anecdotes, not enough history. Boring. Could not finish.

Found this really interesting and easy to read. Can’t believe how much has changed since the 60s, and how some things remain the same.

Being a history major, I am really excited to read this book. I decided to jump on the Alison & Janine bandwagon and read it. I want to sit at home all day and read - I like it a lot so far. It also makes me want to smoke a cigarette and drink a martini a la Mad Men. Ok.. I am only in the second chapter so I am sure these urges will subside and will morph into urges to burn my bra and join NOW.

I really enjoyed this book. It took me a bit longer to get through it than I had originally anticipated but it was good. Eye-opening. I liked the commentary of the impacts of the women's movement today.

It was a good overview, but like so many feminist texts, it concentrates heavily on white, educated, upper middle class women. But, as a history of 2nd wave feminism, it's hard not to. Also, Collins assumes too often that women's lives will include childbearing.