The Worth Of Women

Gender equality and the responsibility of husbands and fathers: issues that loom large today had currency in Renaissance Venice as well, as evidenced by the publication in 1600 of The Worth of Women by Moderata Fonte. Moderata Fonte was the pseudonym of Modesta Pozzo (1555–92), a Venetian woman who was something of an anomaly. Neither cloistered in a convent nor as liberated from prevailing codes of decorum as a courtesan might be, Pozzo was a respectable, married mother who produced literature in genres that were commonly considered "masculine"—the chivalric romance and the literary dialogue. This work takes the form of the latter, with Fonte creating a conversation among seven Venetian noblewomen. The dialogue explores nearly every aspect of women's experience in both theoretical and practical terms. These women, who differ in age and experience, take as their broad theme men's curious hostility toward women and possible cures for it. Through this witty and ambitious work, Fonte seeks to elevate women's status to that of men, arguing that women have the same innate abilities as men and, when similarly educated, prove their equals. Through this dialogue, Fonte provides a picture of the private and public lives of Renaissance women, ruminating on their roles in the home, in society, and in the arts. A fine example of Renaissance vernacular literature, this book is also a testament to the enduring issues that women face, including the attempt to reconcile femininity with ambition.

Many common assumptions about work are challenged in this book. For example, the findings refute the common assertion that work tasks can be categorized into ‘“instrumental,” or task activities, versus “caretaking,” or people-oriented activities. It is shown that, regardless of the type of job, tasks are accomplished through the management of relationships. Other findings show that workers devise ingenious methods for maintaining dignity in the face of blatant oppression, a conclusion neglected in traditional studies of work where prestige hierarchies are presumed to affect workers’ feelings about themselves. This book integrates findings from qualitative studies of women’s work experiences in 13 occupations. The methods for gathering the data include participant observation, unstructured interviews, analysis of diaries, and review of historical documents. These methodologies permit unanticipated patterns to emerge from the data. Hence, The Worth of Women’s Work not only presents new insights into women’s work experiences, but simultaneously takes a much-needed step in developing a framework for integrating qualitative research.

Cutting across class, race, religion, and gender, A Woman's Worth speaks powerfully and persuasively to a generation in need of healing, and in search of harmony. With A Woman's Worth, Marianne Williamson turns her charismatic voice—and the same empowering, spiritually enlightening wisdom that energized her landmark work, A Return to Love— to exploring the crucial role of women in the world today. Drawing deeply and candidly on her own experiences, the author illuminates her thought-provoking positions on such issues as beauty and age, relationships and sex, children and careers, and the reassurance and reassertion of the feminine in a patriarchal society.

These days women are so busy about so many things that it's easy to lose sight of one's being in the midst of One's doing. Any woman wondering about her worth to her family, to her colleagues, to herself, and to God will find much to rejoice in here. Each chapter takes a verse or two from Proverbs 31 and offers a personal story, a reflection on the verse, a portrait of a woman saint who exemplifies the verse, some questions designed for discussion or contemplation, and a prayer. Read it from beginning to end or dip in here or there as a verse strikes you-there's no wrong way to read this book! The clear, affirming message is that God loves you and you ARE a woman of worth, no matter where you find yourself in life. Book jacket.

In antebellum society, women were regarded as ideal nurses because of their sympathetic natures. However, they were expected to exercise their talents only in the home; nursing strange men in hospitals was considered inappropriate, if not indecent. Nevertheless, in defiance of tradition, Confederate women set up hospitals early in the Civil War and organized volunteers to care for the increasing number of sick and wounded soldiers. As a fledgling government engaged in a long and bloody war, the Confederacy relied on this female labor, which prompted a new understanding of women’s place in public life and a shift in gender roles. Challenging the assumption that Southern women’s contributions to the war effort were less systematic and organized than those of Union women, Worth a Dozen Men looks at the Civil War as a watershed moment for Southern women. Female nurses in the South played a critical role in raising army and civilian morale and reducing mortality rates, thus allowing the South to continue fighting. They embodied a new model of heroic energy and nationalism, and came to be seen as the female equivalent of soldiers. Moreover, nursing provided them with a foundation for pro-Confederate political activity, both during and after the war, when gender roles and race relations underwent dramatic changes. Worth a Dozen Men chronicles the Southern wartime nursing experience, tracking the course of the conflict from the initial burst of Confederate nationalism to the shock and sorrow of losing the war. Through newspapers and official records, as well as letters, diaries, and memoirs—not only those of the remarkable and dedicated women who participated, but also of the doctors with whom they served, their soldier patients, and the patients’ families—a comprehensive picture of what it was like to be a nurse in the South during the Civil War emerges.

Many women strive daily to meet the almost impossible standards the world sets. Others try to measure themselves by more traditional roles--submissive, gentle, hospitable and "busy at home." But what does the Bible really say about what a woman ought to be? This book explores the search to unlocking the beautiful, confident creation you were destined to be!