The Women Who Broke All the Rules: How the Choices of a Generation Changed Our Lives

by Susan B. Evans, Joan P. Avis, Joan Avis

Book Overview

Life turns out in ways you never expected.

The eighteen million women born in the first years of the baby boom grew up anticipating a life of rules--go to college, get married, have a family. But when the time came, the cultural, social and political tumult of the late 1960s catapulted them into options that no previous generation had even considered.

The Women Who Broke All the Rules is the first book to celebrate the ordinary but...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1570714282
• ISBN13: 9781570714283
• Release Date: March 1999
• Publisher: Sourcebooks
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.3" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

APPRECIATING THE WOMEN WHO CAME BEFORE US

REVIEW: The authors of WOMEN WHO BROKE ALL THE RULES illustrate the lives of women born during the baby boom era (1945-1955). A captivating story, read in a single sitting, about women who challenged existing social strictures by forging into professional fields previously closed to them. Most important for my generation to appreciate is the fact that they had to do so without the benefit of role models and mentors, which they now have become to those of us born in the 1960's. To hear how these ordinary yet exceptional women triumphed after immense struggles and conflicts they encountered in their lives, left me with a great sense of appreciation for what they went through personally, as well as,what they accomplished for women who have followed. This book should be required reading for both high schools and universities so that generations coming after the baby boom era can be reminded that the innumerable opportunities that exist today for women must not be taken for granted. Dr. Susan Evans and Dr. Joan Avis portray the lives of these women within the context of "Old Rules"--existing social constructs, and "New Truths"- the discoveries made when breaking the "Old Rules." This method perfectly illustrates the broad social impact of their individual acts of courage and their trail blazing spirits. The actions of these women literally forced society to think and act differently. I recommend and applaud this book and thank the women of the baby boom generation.

Must read for all women 45 to 55 and every man who loves one

What an incredibly well researched and well written book. For all of us who have struggled with living in a world different than the one we were brought up to live in, it really hits home and validates all those conflicting feelings that we have about who we are and what our roles are in today's world. And for the men who were raised by the same parents who raised us, and don't understand our struggle and why we aren't just like 'mom' this is a must read. And every marriage counselor who works with 'boomer' couples should read it, too.

A remarkable generation comes alive on all the pages!

The result of Evans and Avis's five-year collaboration is an extraordinary book, The Women who Broke all the Rules, containing stories based on ideas, motivations, and behaviors of 100 selected female representatives of the Torchbearer Generation (individuals born between 1945 and 1955). By utilizing an effective interview questionnaire, designed by the authors and provided in the Appendix, as well as by conducting extensive face-to-face interviews, Evans and Avis have accomplished a difficult task. They have successfully managed to combine four decades of thousands of childhood, adolescent, and adult memories into an enticing exploration of American social history. Pleasantly surprising, these 100 Torchbearers are not easily recognized public figures, superstars, or celebrities. Instead, they may be readily distinguished as any one of our own trusted wives, older sisters, younger sisters, cousins, aunts, friends, and colleagues who have had to "reconcile their 1950s childhoods with their more liberated adult selves." Whether married, divorced, remarried, childless, with children, or invested in any other combination of personal realities, the self-made female heroes in this book are cleverly discussed within the concepts of "old rules" (e.g, "Your families' values, beliefs, and practices should be yours") or "new truths" (e.g., "Honor your traditions but act on what you think is right"). Understandable, engaging, and thought-provoking, this fine piece of work presents significant "choices" to think about and discuss with friends, lovers, or family members.

A must read for women of the baby boomer gereration.

An important contribution to the literature of the social history of women in the 2nd half of this century. Contains material previously unstudied and not available elsewhere. Starting from the old paradigms of the female code of conduct this book moves through the lives of the women who were able to create their own paradigm. We learn that the costs and rewards were great and therefore how critical it is to understand how this resonates with the women from this generation. Ultimately we must come to grips with how their journey changed the social constuct of male/female relationships and produced the achievement oriented women of today.This notable book accomplishes all that and more. A good read with thought provoking insights that you will ponder long after the book is read.