Untold Lives

Book excerpt: The presence of women psychologists has largely been blotted out of historical accounts of the discipline. "Untold Lives" explores why this has occurred and champions the cause of writing women into history by reconstructing the lives of twenty-five pioneering women psychologists in America. Providing a detailed examination of several gender-specific issues, the authors describe several ways in which the experiences of this group of women differed from those of their male counterparts. Each of five early chapters tells the story of one woman whose life or career vividly exemplifies a particular theme: institutional barriers to graduate education, obligations of a daughter to her family, the marriage versus career dilemma, limited employment opportunities, and discrimination by male colleagues. The book concludes with a collective portrait of this first generation and cameos that highlight their unique experiences. -- From publisher's description.