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Summary
Summary
In this clearly written, well-organized book, Nathan traces the gains women in the military have made from the Revolutionary War to the present day, including the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Glimpses of each time period are skillfully woven into the text, providing a solid historical overview. Each major war is discussed from the perspective of the female participants of that era, and quotes from individuals, insets with mini biographies, and an abundance of period photographs bring the narrative to life. The slow and difficult transition from women acting as helpers on the battlefield to fighting as soldiers alongside their male counterparts is described in detail. A discussion of sexual harassment and racial discrimination sheds light on some of the problems women have faced. Readers will find this book valuable for research and interesting for browsing.
Author Notes
Amy Nathan who majored in history at Harvard, has master's degrees from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Columbia's Teachers College. She lives with her husband and two sons in New York State
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
History and personal narrative combine here to provide an impressive overview of women who have served our country in times of military conflict. The book covers the roles of women from the Revolutionary War to Operation Iraqi Freedom. It offers information on spies, nurses, aviators, mechanics, and more. Throughout, first-person accounts are offered in side boxes. Numerous black-and-white period reproductions and photos illustrate the book. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
The author of Yankee Doodle Gal offers another comprehensive historical account of women in history with Count on Us: American Women in the Military by Amy Nathan. Beginning with America's drive for independence during the Revolutionary War, the author relates the exploits and legends of America's first female fighters, including Deborah Samson, Native American Tyonajanegen and Margaret Corbin. She tracks the progress and challenges of uniformed women right up to their efforts in the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. Interviews, photographs and personal accounts of several brave, female soldiers add further depth to the text. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
The nine chapters of this book crisply summarize women's contributions to the U.S. military, from the Revolutionary War to the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. As photos and primary material gradually become more available, Nathan uses them effectively to help tell the story of women's struggle to serve and be treated equally. The overall tone is positive, and the book offers both an overview and individual vignettes. Bib., ind. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
Women have served in every war this country has fought. From that first war on, while they cooked and cleaned and nursed, they also worked the guns, dug the trenches, and finessed the enemy. In this splendidly designed and lucid narrative, Nathan uses sidebars about individual women soldiers and medical personnel along with a rich array of photographs to personalize every conflict; chapters include the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, both World Wars, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, and Afghanistan and Iraq. She does not flinch from the enormous obstacles put in the path of women who, for a variety of reasons, wanted to serve their country at war, nor from the prejudice and racism they encountered. She is plainspoken about the hardships and horrors, but also about how women worked, studied, learned, and did what needed to be done. Readers will also get a sense not only of how far women have come, but how far military science and medicine have progressed. Alert readers will also see clearly how far women have yet to go to achieve equality in and out of the service. (bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 9-14) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Gr. 6-9. I always wanted to drive a battleship. Not the lifelong dream of your typical girl, perhaps, but the fact that it was the goal of Navy Commander Susan Fink is a tribute to generations of women who preceded her, officially and unofficially, in military service. Nathan ( Yankee Doodle Gals, 2002) celebrates those pioneering women, from individuals who disguised their gender to fight in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars to Black Hawk pilots flying missions today. Quotes, striking photographs (such as a nurse clad in a prim white frock and a World War I gas mask), and personal profiles, including one of the aforementioned Commander Fink, lend Nathan's narrative variety and immediacy. With the Privateessica Lynch story so much in the news, this engaging overview is likely to find an audience well primed to learn how times of national crisis have provided women opportunities to demonstrate their abilities and resolve. An extensive list of books and other resources will help young researchers. --Jennifer Mattson Copyright 2004 Booklist
Table of Contents
| Foreword | p. 5 |
| Introduction / Remembered at Last | p. 7 |
| 1 Revolutionary War 1775 - 1783 | p. 9 |
| 2 Civil War 1861 - 1865 | p. 15 |
| 3 World War I 1917 - 1918 | p. 25 |
| 4 World War II 1941 - 1945 | p. 37 |
| 5 Korean War 1950 - 1953 | p. 49 |
| 6 Vietnam War 1959 - 1975 | p. 55 |
| 7 Persian Gulf War 1990 - 1991 | p. 63 |
| 8 Keeping the Peace 1990s | p. 73 |
| 9 Afghanistan, Iraq, & Beyond | p. 79 |
| Resources | p. 86 |
| Acknowledgments | p. 88 |
| Index | p. 89 |
