The Wages of Sickness

“Tightly argued and well crafted. . . . This is an excellent book that should interest historians of public health, business, labor, women, and public policy.” — Journal of American History

“A timely, well-written, and amply researched new look at the most promising effort to pass a state government health insurance program . . . . Hoffman’s most significant contribution is to bring women into the struggle for health care reform as active and critical participants . . . . Hoffman’s admirable accomplishment has been to recover an important and early part of the century of struggle for compulsory health insurance: the work of women activists and analysts.” — American Historical Review

“Nicely written and deeply researched. . . . Hoffman adds much to the conventional narrative. . . . Hoffman has produced a very fine book that . . . suggests many intriguing questions.” — Labor History

“[This] book weaves the interests of disparate influences such as employers, labor unions, medical doctors, women’s groups, and politicians into a fascinating narrative. . . . The volume is both extensively documented and written in lively, readable prose. It will appeal to students of a wide range of disciplines, from history to public policy.” — ###Choice

“Beatrix Hoffman has reframed the formative years of American health policy in a most innovative way. Her vivid description and compelling explanation of progressive failure should greatly interest all those concerned with health security as a historical problem or a contemporary one.” — Alan Derickson, Pennsylvania State University