Our Mothers' War - by Emily Yellin (Paperback)

About the Book

A stunning and unprecedented portrait of women--from factory workers to pinup girls to spies--during World War II, which drastically transformed women's roles in American society.

Book Synopsis

Our Mothers' War is a stunning and unprecedented portrait of women during World War II, a war that forever transformed the way women participate in American society.

Never before has the vast range of women's experiences during this pivotal era been brought together in one book. Now, Our Mothers' War re-creates what American women from all walks of life were doing and thinking, on the home front and abroad. These heartwarming and sometimes heartbreaking accounts of the women we have known as mothers, aunts, and grandmothers reveal facets of their lives that have usually remained unmentioned and unappreciated.

Our Mothers' War gives center stage to one of WWII's most essential fighting forces: the women of America, whose extraordinary bravery, strength, and humanity shine through on every page.

Review Quotes

"Educational and dishy, Our Mothers' War is a graceful portrait of the other half of the greatest generation."
-- Entertainment Weekly

"In this lively, smart, sometimes contrarian work of social history, New York Times writer Yellin explores the manifold roles of women in WW II....A superb contribution to the literature of WW II."
-- Kirkus (starred review)

"Stop the presses: the greatest generation had women in it. Yellin zeroes in on primary sources -- letters, memoirs, and interviews that describe the war years as women actually experienced them. Yellin has done first-rate research and reporting."
-- The New York Times Book Review

About the Author

Emily Yellin is the author of Our Mothers' War, and was a longtime contributor to the New York Times. She has also written for Time, the Washington Post, the International Herald Tribune, Newsweek, Smithsonian Magazine, and other publications. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin--Madison with a degree in English literature and received a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. She currently lives in Memphis, Tennessee.