The Business of Being a Woman

"The only reason I am glad I am a woman is because I will not have to marry one."
-Ida Tarbell
In The Business of Being a Woman (1913), Ida Tarbell rode the wave of an upsurge in interest in the changing role of women in Western culture. Since she was among the earliest writers to explore this social phenomenon, the book is truly a pioneering work. In it, the author acknowledges the rising discontent among women of her generation to limit their role to that of housewife, and encourages those who are restless to explore male roles. However, she also argued that the responsibilities of homemaking and motherhood remained the noblest and most rewarding for a woman.