Friday, March 18, 2022

Women's History Month 2022: Good Wives

 In this third week of Women's History Month, we are looking at social history books that will help you better understand her life.



Title: Good Wives: Image and Reality in the Lives of Women in Northern New England 1650-1750

Author:  Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Publisher: Vintage Books


Synopsis: "Good Wives is a study of the role of women in Northern New England from 1650-1750. Ulrich divides her text into three parts, each named after a biblical female who exhibited particular idealized feminine traits that are elevated within New England society. Ulrich traces both the abstract roles that women were expected to align with, as well the realities of daily life, which demonstrate the complicated way in which numerous roles intertwined and created or limited possibilities for women in Colonial New England." (Historical Book Reviews)


Why You Need This Book: Well the first reason you need this is it's written by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. Her work should be studied to better understand social history and women's history. In addition, she provides yet another way to look at early American women. To do this she uses genealogically relevant records like probate, court records, and histories from libraries, archives, genealogy societies and more. You learn how to do better research and analysis by studying the work of those who are masters of it. Do yourself a favor, if you are researching American women, start studying the scholarship of Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. 

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