50 Years of Ms.

April 1, 2023

Launched in 1971, Ms. was the first U.S. magazine to advocate for the Equal Rights Amendment, rate presidential candidates on women's issues, make domestic violence and sexual harassment cover stories, commission a national study on date rape, and demand repeal of laws criminalizing abortion. U.S. executive editor of Ms., Spillar selects the magazine's most important writings; with an introduction by Gloria Steinem. Prepub Alert.

Copyright 2023 Library Journal

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 24, 2023
Spillar, the executive editor of Ms. magazine, takes a lively and inspiring look at the pioneering feminist periodical. Debuting in 1972 after a preview issue in New York magazine, Ms. “emerged to fill a gap between a determined, vibrant movement and the continued curtailment of women’s rights in virtually every aspect of American life.” Each chapter of the book is devoted to one decade of the magazine’s existence, with short introductory essays contextualizing the periodical’s challenges and accomplishments. In its founding era (the 1970s), writers for Ms. reported on gendered double standards around grooming and body hair removal, surveillance of domestic activists by the FBI, and Shirley Chisholm’s candidacy for president, among other issues. In the ensuing decades, the magazine tackled such topics as no-fault divorce and date rape (1980s); misogyny and feminism in rap and the rise of “hate radio” hosts such as Rush Limbaugh and Howard Stern (1990s); intersectional feminisms and the militarization of American culture after 9/11 (2000s); same-sex marriage and the Black Lives Matter movement (2010s); and most recently, the carework emergency during Covid-19 and the judicial dismantling of Roe v. Wade. The selections feature plenty of well-known writers, including Angela Davis and Barbara Ehrenreich, and the ample inclusion of letters from readers—some supportive, some critical—help to convey how Ms. connected with ordinary people. This thorough survey makes a persuasive case for the magazine’s continued importance.

August 1, 2023

Ms. magazine executive editor Spillar (exec. dir., Feminist Majority Foundation) celebrates the publication she leads with this compilation of well-chosen essays from the magazine's first 50 years. Starting with Ms.'s founding in the 1970s, the collection moves through the decades to the present day, addressing subjects such as marriage, abortion, the Equal Rights Amendment, violence against women, divorce, wealth, gender identity, sexual orientation, and more. Many essays illuminate the experiences of women of color and marginalized communities. Each section opens with a short essay that places the content within the context of Ms.'s history, illustrating how the publication navigated revenue issues, advertising problems, editorial independence, and the online era. There are also sidebars that add historical or cultural context. Many of the essays are written by feminist luminaries such as Gloria Steinem, Audre Lorde, Joyce Carol Oates, and Alison Bechdel. This book also includes poetry, illustrations, and letters from readers showcasing reactions to the magazine's content. VERDICT A timely and thought-provoking collection of feminist essays, which shows how far society has come and how much work is left to do to obtain true gender equality.--Rebekah Kati

Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 1, 2023
This thoughtfully curated and zestful celebration of the first 50 years of Ms. would be fascinating under any circumstances, but given the renewed assaults on women's rights it's all the more compelling. Opening pieces by Gloria Steinem, executive editor Katherine Spillar, and publisher Eleanor Smeal chronicle the mission and evolution of this revolutionary magazine. The first issue appeared in January 1972 and sold out in eight days, then thousands of letters poured in, establishing an ongoing dialogue. This "best of" collection proceeds decade-by-decade, showcasing the magazine's arresting covers, page layouts, and a treasury of rigorous, vibrant, insightful, witty, and powerful reporting, analysis, opinion, profiles, advice, poems, short stories, and those all-important letters. Diverse writers cover topics ranging from abortion to welfare, body image, getting male partners to do their share of the housework, rape, domestic violence, pornography, divorce, gay rights, Anita Hill's testimony against Clarence Thomas, women's history, women in sports, women with disabilities, women in politics, women in prison, and Black Lives Matter. The illustrious contributors include Susan Brownmiller, Gina Barreca, Angela Bonavoglia, Brittany Cooper, Angela Davis, Barbara Ehrenreich, Bay Fang, Joy Harjo, Martha Mendoza, Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Alice Walker, and Patricia J. Williams. Ms., long a not-for-profit endeavor, continues to lead in the long battle for gender equality, an essential element in a thriving democracy.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.