I am looking for the answers of a few questions concerning Betty Friedan's book The Feminine Mystique. I haven't read the book yet but I have it on order. Question 1. Can some one define "the Feminine mystique" in Betty Friedan's eyes? Question 2: How long has it been around, (when did it emerge in our society - American) and what groups were/are affected by it?

Do you know if a review of the book is on the WWW? If so, where because I would like to read it before I start the book. Thank You, Lisa

I haven't read the Feminine Mystique, but I did study parts of it in a woman's history class and have certainly heard about its impact through my work in recent years. I think that what Friedan was proposing--was that many white, middle-class suburban married women were not as "happy and content" as they were perceived as being. In fact, many of these women wanted to be "liberated" from the constraints of their role solely as "wife and mother." The book was published in 1963. However, what Friedan was saying was not necessarily "new information" but she was the first to publicly voice the feelings that these white, middle-class suburban housewives had been feeling for years. Then and now this book seems to speak to the women for whom it was written. Sorry, I couldn't be more helpful and good luck--Amy

P.S. I don't know of anything on the WWW about Friedan, but as a founder of NOW you may want to contact the NOW website for more information.

—Amy