When it comes to the history books, wives have always been a fringe element. They have forever been in the shadows, the little woman behind the great man. And for any woman who has ever been a wife (some many times over), it is painfully obvious how little recognition we receive. It was with a much-gladdened (and somewhat apprehensive) heart that I picked up A History of the Wife. It did not disappoint me.

She begins with the modern view of the wife, and her place in today's society. It seems that we may be a dying breed. The word "wife" is no longer held to the esteem it once had. With current themes of single-motherhood and domestic partners, there really is no reason to get married anymore. Women can carry their own weight now, without the need of a man. Now more than ever, marriage is truly a matter of love, and commitment. It wasn't always this way though. The author proceeds to move all the way back to the beginning of society as most of us know it, with Adam and Eve. After that, she makes her way through the evolution of western society. She covers the more well-known areas, i.e. the Biblical world, Ancient Greece and Rome, Medieval Europe and England, all the way through the Reformation to the colonization of America. From there she covers the Victorian wife in England and America, as well as the American wives during WWII. She then proceeds to the New Working woman of the 20th Century all the way through the 1990's. She includes in-depth studies of sex and contraception throughout, giving the theories and beliefs of each period. She also gives details about the laws that had oppressed women for so long, sich as the ever-popular English "rule of thumb" stating that a man may beat his wife with a rod as long as it is no thicker then his thumb. This law was not repealed until the 1920's. It took quite awhile to come a long way.

This book should be required reading for all females, regardless of marital status. It is a testament to everything we have endured over the millenia. And even though it is a historical study, it is easy to follow. It is, in fact, quite engrossing. I actually had difficulty putting it down. I highly recommend this book to anyone, male or female. It is truly a worthwhile experience.