Susan H. Armitage

A collection of scholarly essays presents a multi-dimensional portrait of western women, challenging the traditional images of frontier women as passive participants in male history by exploring the experiences of Indian women, servants, waitresses, prostitutes, women farmers, and more.

A valuable introduction to the rapidly changing field of western history, Writing the Range explains clearly how race, class, and culture are constructed and connected. The first section examines issues raised by more than a decade of multicultural western women's histories; following are six chronological sections spanning four centuries. Each section offers a short introduction connecting its essays and placing them in analytic and historical perspective. Clearly written and accessible, Writing the Range makes a major contribution to ethnic history, women's history, and interpretations of the American West.