“A landmark in the field. . . . It will have perceptible impact on feminism, on historical scholarship, and on medicine itself.” — Women’s Review of Books
“An incisive history of the struggle of women to become doctors in this country. . . . Besides its feminist interest, [the book] opens out into general considerations of the medical profession today.” — Newsweek
“This is the first study to examine these events in the proper context and to connect the masculinization of medicine with two other transformations, scientific and professional. It also tells a good story, with anecdotes as well as generalizations and with neither exaggeration nor simplification.” — New York Times Book Review
“An absorbing and richly detailed account. The author . . . is especially good at detailing the many currents and counter-currents that affected the course of women seeking professional careers. . . . More than a feminist/medical history, this is an excellent reflection on the changing scene of American culture and values.” — Kirkus Reviews
“In this book, the author accomplishes what historians have attempted to do with only partial success: she delineates the intricate role of women physicians in America from Victorian times to the present without demeaning their struggles toward two ideals that often seem to be in conflict: feminism and femininity. In this elegant study, Morantz-Sanchez analyzes what made these women tick, as professionals, as doctors, and as women.” — New England Journal of Medicine
“A work of major significance. It is an important contribution to what ought to continue to be a dynamic exploration into the history of women doctors in America.” — Journal of American History
“This careful and well-documented study deserves to be read by historians and members of the medical profession. It raises important issues that absorbed women doctors in the past — separatism, balancing family and career, specialty choices, professionalism, uniqueness — most of which continue to challenge women in the profession today. It is thoughtful and scholarly, as well as very readable, and it is highly recommended.” — Isis
