Women and books in the seventeenth century

A summary account of women’s book ownership patterns during the seventeenth century. Although much work is now ongoing to understand the extent of female book ownership and reading in the early modern period, the documentary record is unbalanced. This chapter brings together many kinds of evidence—contemporary lists, inscriptions, bookplates, bindings, inscriptions, wills—to provide an overview of women’s book ownership during the seventeenth century. Women interfacing with books was widespread, not restricted to the closets of gentry ladies, and cultural historians keen to see women’s reading as controversial or subversive are overstating the case. Subject coverage of women’s libraries is explored, noting the high proportion of devotional and English language material typically found, alongside a wider range of books which may be also be associated with women.

The Social Position of Women in Cities in the USA During the 1960s-1980s

The article is dedicated to the problem of the position of women in cities and to creation and formation of “women’s spaces” in the United States in 1960-1980. Following the development of the second wave of feminism, we focused the attention not only on the movement for civil rights itself but also on the activities of organizations and women who were trying to improve the living conditions of female citizens. Prisoners in their homes, women have always been associated more with the suburbs than with the cities themselves. They were never seen as citizens, but rather as rare guests in this urban space. In order to make cities more women-friendly, feminists began to create exclusive women’s spaces that would help women not only get out from their house-arrest but also solve difficult life situations. Shelters, women’s health centers, women’s libraries, book clubs and kindergartens – all of these new spaces helped an American woman move out of the alienation spaces of their houses and gain new opportunities for self-development.