Ebook: Blessed Motherhood, Bitter Fruit: Nelly Roussel and the Politics of Female Pain in Third Republic France

One of French feminism's most courageous public figures has received relatively little in-depth mention until now: Nelly Roussel's crusade gave women control over their own bodies and sexuality and Blessed Motherhood Bitter Fruit reveals her sacrifices and accomplishments during the process. Roussel was an actress and beauty who defined parameters of the women's movement which would not be realized for over seventy years: she was the first feminist spokeswoman for birth control in Europe and her lectures, essays, and speeches promoted then-radical ways of thinking. Her biographer does an outstanding job of linking Roussel's life and thoughts to her times and the evolving history of the women's movement as a whole, making it a top pick for any definitive women's history collection.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch