Physical description

Illustrated book with white front cover that has four coloured illustrations of women in various activities. Title and authors' names are printed in red ink, along with a book description in black ink on the front cover along with publisher's logo and four red lines. Abbreviated title, underlined, in white ink, and authors names in black ink are printed on an orange background on the spine along with the publisher's logo. The back cover has a summary of the book printed in orange, along with another three illustrations of women, publisher's logo and 'Victoria 150 ' logo on a yellow background

Publication type

non-fiction

Inscriptions & markings

On the front cover is a printed black and white donation sticker: black Maltese cross in circle, "This book was donated to Alfred Archival Association Nursing Division by "Marjorie Connor (handwritten in ink) Previous catalogue number is also handwritten in ink on this label.

Summary

This book explores the experiences of women in Victoria over 150 years, highlighting their diverse roles in public and private life. It features more than fifty women, from convicts to nuns, actresses to soldiers, settlers to writers, and housewives to political activists, showcasing their social and personal diversity. The book emphasizes the home's importance, alongside the marketplace, and examines the significance of both reproduction and production. It provides a new perspective on Australian history, focusing on women's place, relationships between public and private life, paid and unpaid work, and the intersection of politics and gender.