Women in Science: 100 Journeys into the Territory

by Vivian Gornick

Through interviews with women scientists from a variety of disciplines, this book explores the world of scientific research, identifying the obstacles women have had to surmount and tracing their contributions to the demystification of scientific work

Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Vivian Gornick is the author of, among other books, the acclaimed memoir Fierce Attachments and three essay collections: The End of the Novel of Love, Approaching Eye Level, and, most recently, The Men in My Life. She lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Noah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is primarily composed of conversations/interviews the author (not a scientist) had with a wide variety of women in science. The range of experiences is very broad but a few key trends emerge. Many of the questions and challenged women faced entering the scientific workforce remain despite some changes. The ability to have a life including a family outside of work is hotly debated and the narrowly focused few of scientific work is celebrated by some women and despised by others. This book makes some decent remarks on the feminist movement and science but I think it could go much further.

Regardless it’s a good start although naturally a bit dated. Science is not and has never been an entity divorced from society and the human workers who create the field and this book recognizes that. For further reading along these lines I recommend Science for the People: Documents from America’s Movement of Radical Scientists.