The Girl I Left Behind: A Narrative History of the Sixties

by Judith Nies

At the height of the Vietnam War protests, twenty-eight-year-old Judith Nies and her husband lived a seemingly idyllic life. Both were building their respective careers in Washington—Nies as the speechwriter and chief staffer to a core group of antiwar congressmen, her husband as a Treasury department economist. They lived in the carriage house of the famed Marjorie Merriweather Post estate. But when her husband brought home a list of questions from an FBI file with Judith's name on the front, Nies soon realized that her life was about to take a radical turn. Shocked to find herself the focus of an FBI investigation into her political activities, Nies began to reevaluate her role as grateful employee and dutiful wife. In The Girl I Left Behind , she chronicles the experiences of those women who, like herself, reinvented their lives in the midst of a wildly shifting social and political landscape. In a fresh, candid look at the 1960s, Nies pairs illuminating descriptions of feminist leaders, women's liberation protests, and other pivotal social developments with the story of her own transformation into a staunch activist and writer. From exposing institutionalized sexism on Capitol Hill in her first published article to orchestrating the removal of a separate "Ladies Gallery" on the House floor to taking leadership of the Women in Fellowships Committee, Nies discusses her own efforts to enlarge women's choices and to change the workplace—and how the repercussions of those efforts in the sixties can still be felt today. A heartfelt memoir and piercing social commentary, The Girl I Left Behind recounts one woman's courageous journey toward independence and equality. It also evaluates the consequences of the feminist movement on the same women who made it happen—and on the daughters born in their wake.

Genres: History, Memoir, Biography, Nonfiction, Feminism, American History, Womens

368 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2008

About the author

Judith Nies is the award-winning author of three nonfiction books—The Girl I Left Behind, Nine Women, and Native American History, which won the Phi Alpha Theta prize in international history. Her journalism, book reviews, and essays have appeared in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, Orion, Harvard Review, Women’s Review of Books, and American Voice. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Tim Null · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main thesis of Judith Nies' book The Girl I Left Behind is this: The world we currently live in was created during the 1960s, and as early as 1971 forces had gathered together to destroy that world. I would argue that those forces were already active during the 1960s and were indirectly (if not directly) responsible for assassinations, lynchings, and other nefarious activities designed to thwart the legal and social advancement of minorities.

This story could have been told from the perspective of any group that lacked full civil rights in 1960. Judith Nies used her own personal history to tell the story of the civil rights advancement of women. She also compared her own life with the life of a former owner of the house she lived in to provide historical perspective.

So, how have the lives of women been limited historically? Let me delineate some of the limitations on women that were present in 1959 (in no particular order). 1) career choice limitations. 2) workplace limitations. 3) societal limitations. 4) financial limitations. 5) limited control over their own bodies. 6) married women had fewer rights than married men. 7) married women had more rights than single women. 8) women had fewer property rights than men. 9) women in the military had fewer rights than men.

The war in Vietnam provided an opportunity to discuss United States foreign policy. Nies argues that the Defense and State Departments have a flawed decision-making process where "anti-learning mechanisms are built in". As a result, the USA has gone from one never-ending war to the next.

Nies concludes, "The spirit of social engagement of the sixties disappeared into the era of the leveraged buyout, the new capitalism, and the entry of fundamentalist religious organizations into electoral politics."

Nies does end on a positive note when she states, "The women's movement that came out of the 1960s was the most successful and transformative social movement of the twentieth century."

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gives the lie to the "it just happened" theory of history. Changes in society never "just happen" and this shows how they happened particularly in the light of the women's movement. But the book covers so much more: class politics, the Vietnam War, the CIA, women's view of the world vs men and how that plays out in the diplomatic world. Can't recommend it enough! Thanks to my sister Nan for telling me about it. Stayed up half the night to read it in one sitting as I could not put it down.

[Ron Semerena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written. For those who lived through the 60’s this book will bring back memories. For those who didn’t it will give a good perspective on what it was like to be a woman living at that time.

[Dale Stonehouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my criteria for rating books is how much I learn from them. Here, the author shines light on details of the slow advance of women in American society, business, education and more. It is difficult now to conceive what a woman who wanted a career had to endure to achieve such simple goals 50 years ago. White male "elites" of that day could not understand why a woman would want to be anything but a mother and "the right kind of wife," which was a wife who would be good for her husband's career advancement. It was such a threat that the FBI maintained a file on her activities. Those interested in the grassroots of the women's movement in the US will find a goldmine here.

[Annie Carrott Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sisterhood is powerful! The rallying cry in the late 60’s - early 70’s. A historical read covering the women’s movement - when women got tired of not being hired for certain jobs, pay that was not equatable with men, lack of childcare - well, you know the story. Judith Nies shares her consciousness raising experience - a great read that addresses the nitty gritty back in the day.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

During the Vietnam War, Judith Nies and her husband were living in Washington and working for the government – Judith as the speechwriter and chief staffer to a group of antiwar congressmen, and “Mac”, her husband, as a Treasury department economist. She called her job “the most interesting job in Washington.” She had a masters’ degree from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies but the one factor that she couldn’t overcome in her search for success was that she was a woman. Her memoir recounts her efforts to further equality for women and “is a compelling and perceptive biography for our current political landscape that presents the underpinnings of the 60s era and the women's movement in a fresh and personal way.“ An interesting sidelight to me was that in 1975 she was appointed to the Lowell Park commission, charged with creating a national park out of the decrepit mill buildings of America’s first planned industrial city. Boott Mill, built in 1835, was to be restored. Was it to be a monument to the Lowells, Cabots and genius of the founders, or the story of the human cost of the mill workers? It was in part due to Nies’ influence that the story of the mill girls was told.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

People always tell me I was born in the wrong generation, I've always had such an attraction to the 60s. This book was no exception - in fact it taught me more about that decade than anything else I've read or watched, ever. And from a woman's perspective! Judith Nies had such a unique experience as a woman in politics during an era where there were almost none except secretaries and receptionists. I was captivated by this book and Ms. Nies' "insider account," and I highly recommend it for people who are curious about politics and history of the 60s. I think it would be a fascinating read for both experts and lay people.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clearly a woman who struggled and fought for her own and woman's rights, the author failed to contain the story and struggle. Poorly edited with extraneous stories that jump back and forth in time and often repeat, the book contains a wealth of information but attempts to give history on way too many peripheral people.
However, the marginalization and oppression of women throughout history can never be written and discussed enough. The book provides a blatant reminder of how far we have come as women, and how much more we still need to go.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome frontline account of being a woman in Washington power circles in the late 60s and early 70s. Beautifully written, and filled with stunning quotes.

A strong sense of being the outsider, both because of her gender, and because of her working class background in the corridors of power. Traces her growing awareness that it's odd that her husband is naturally accepted into those corridors, while she's expected to "help out", "volunteer" and "be a good sport" when it comes to sexism.

Enjoyed every minute of it.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book worth reading! Even though I grew up in the sixties and experienced much of what the author described, I still learned a lot about the struggles for equal rights. There are many heroes in this book.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last required reading for my US History course. I absolutely loved how it was Judith Nies’ story within the context of the 1960s and that the book provided a good balance of both history and personal stories.

[Ann Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I lived through the same Sixties that Judith Nies chronicles so compellingly in The Girl I Left Behind; enjoyed similar international adventures on my own; objected to the Vietnam War; embraced civil rights; and struggled to understand what women’s liberation meant for me. Reading her memoir was a shot of adrenalin distilled from the energy of the times, a walk down memory lane, and a reminder of how far we have come in the 50-plus years since.

For many young women and men, the Sixties was about far more than free love, Woodstock, burning bras, and smoking pot. It was about reinventing the world around us to accommodate our desires to live in a country where women had access to the same opportunities as men.

In addition to mapping out that life, Nies also documents how far we had to come to achieve our goals. Some juicy tidbits that might amaze younger generations:

• On equal treatment in the judicial system: “In 1962, women in America were still excluded from serving on juries, an exclusion the Supreme Court unanimously upheld so as not to interfere with women’s functions as wives, homemakers, and mothers.”
• On equal access to banking and credit: “Women were denied credit and mortgages by banks unless they had a male cosigner.”
• On obtaining the right to vote: “America’s collective memory had erased almost a hundred years of radical political activism on the part of five generations of women; no mention of millions of dollars raised in nickels and pennies to finance 56 campaigns for state referenda, 480 campaigns to urge state legislatures to put woman’s suffrage on the ballot, 47 campaigns for state constitutional conventions, 30 campaigns to urge presidential party platforms to include woman’s suffrage as a plank, and 19 lobbying efforts with 19 successive Congresses before the Nineteenth Amendment was proposed in Congress in 1919 (passed in the House by 1 vote), and ratified in 1920.”

I highly recommend this book to young women and men, as a rueful history of the many ways women have been “less than” in our history, and of how far we have come. I recommend it also to older readers who will assuredly enjoy a walk down memory lane and will celebrate how far we have come.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel an urge to pass this book out to many of my younger, women friends.
Those of us following in paths similar to Ms. Nies, and even a decade or so later, can still identify with the realities of American life we witnessed in our early years and experienced directly in our 20's.
I appreciated the review of those painful Vietnam war years and the legislative successes and failures that impacted all of us.
Smartly written, with a satisfying pace, sharing a fascinating early career. Good for her!!

[Karla LaZier · Rating 5 out of 5]

important overview of an era

Ms. Nies takes you on a voyage of what it meant to be a woman in the 60’s - as an intrepid young woman she has extraordinary experiences leading to true wisdom. At the center of change experiencing the woman’s movement at close range she realizes the limitations imposed by an entrenched system - that the movement wrought so much change is in some ways a miracle and in others a major disappointment- give it to your granddaughter to read and help revitalize the woman movement
In the 21st century.

[Melanie Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enlightening

I'm glad she wrote it. I'm glad I read it. It will help put into context the struggles of any woman who existed through the sixties until now. The work is far from done.

[Teri Heyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girl I Left Behind was recommended to me by Amazon/Kindle. I grew up in the sixties and could remember and identify with many of the things she wrote about. This was an interesting and great read.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It was only when I began to see myself as part of a larger community of women—and it was a movement that was growing every day—that I saw myself as someone who deserved to take up space and have a voice. And that was the moment I began to change; I saw that I could generate different choices.”

[Anne Sachs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, especially in the "Me Too" era

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting history of the women's fight for equality. It is a reminder of how things used to be. We have made progress

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for young and old women. Wonderful story of the progress of maturing and becoming an independent thinker.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too many snarky parentheticals that don’t add anything of value.

[BarbC]

Fascinating.

[Alexia Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me rethink the way that I go about doing life as a woman, so much to see and so much to accomplish, takes place in 60s when everything is still not set in stone, a changing of history

[Ciara · Rating 2 out of 5]

i obviously have a soft spot for the memoirs of people who came of age &/or had some fundamental political awakening during the 1960s, much as i will probably enjoy those types of memoirs when people start writing them about the 1990s eventually. & i get even more excited when those memoirs are written by women, about their feminist awakenings, just because i wish dudes would shut it a little more often & stop thinking that i give a rip what they think about stuff. so i was pretty interested to check this book out, thinking it would be a narrative of a young woman who enters the sixties all business casual, doing the hair flip/sweater set thing, & then discovers feminism & liberates herself from the tyranny of pantyhose & bossy boyfriends. & it kind of was, but with a whole lot more working-for-the-government involved. this judith nies character was all about washington DC. she was one of the first female aides in the capitol & garnered a lot of political power for herself thanks to her alliances with some pretty influential lefty senators. her husband also worked for the government, & the big climactic reveal that destroys their marriage is the fact that he works for the CIA. he thinks she's not a typically feminine enough wife for a high-ranking government official, because she wants to keep working even after having a child, & isn't as interested in the minutiae of entertaining as some of the other washington wives, & they end up getting divorced. judith seizes her opportunity to travel around in europe & northern africa, working for a writer, getting to know herself & her true callings in life when not feeling the pressure to attend good schools & be a good wife. it was a pretty interesting book, but all the government jobs & DC intrigue threw me for a loop. i don't really know much about that stuff, like, when it comes down to details, so i found it a little (or a lot) difficult to follow. hence the two stars. perhaps i was ungenerous. decide for yourself.

[Sheela Word · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, ambitious book that I found confusing and repetitive in parts. Nies describes the sexist culture of the Sixties and how her own life took on a new direction as she became part of the burgeoning feminist movement. She worked for the federal government, for non-profit organizations, in journalism, and in various other capacities. Her jobs took her all over the world, and her political activities made her an object of interest for the FBI/CIA. I loved Nies' insights about how feminism developed and prevailed. I didn't like how past conversations were presented seemingly verbatim, in quote marks; no one's memory is that good. The book is a hodgepodge of memoir, history, and fictional narrative that mostly, but not completely, works.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, although would probably give it a 3.5 really. Would get a 5 if the author was a bit more disciplined about not wandering off into long historical tangents. I liked how she wove the history of the women's movement, and other world/US politics into the story, really liked it, but at times she went on for too long and I really just wanted her to get back to the story.

Anyway, good book, very interesting story, and I learned a lot about the 1960s and 70s, that I didn't know am glad I do now. Also made me very glad I was born in the 80s.

[Steve Mayer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting but not compelling. Judith Nies came of age slightly before the 60's. This book chronicles the changes in her personal life made by the women's movement--also describes the effect of the Vietnam War on her political consciousness. In 1974, she left her marriage and, it seems, a career working for liberal democrats on Capitol Hill. While eminently readable and enjoyable, there is nothing particularly dramatic or unusual about her life to make this a "must-read."

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Judith Nies' memoir of the 60s-70s is remarkable. She lived through the birth of the modern feminist movement. It's difficult to remember (do younger people even know??) that college-educated women were expected to be secretaries or that doctors didn't admit women to medical school because they didn't think they (the entire species) was smart enough. Same goes for business schools. Who knows what havoc this systemic sexism has wrought on our lives?

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because I assigned it in my history class. Nies's narrative is helpful in understanding the broader historical context of the 60s from a personal perspective. She has an annoying habit of inserting asides in parentheses throughout the book. I read an uncorrected proof, so maybe publishers deleted these in the final version. I found the asides distracting.

[Jessica López-Barkl · Rating 5 out of 5]

For every woman out there...you should read this. Not only is it a well-written, but it is also a one-of-a-kind history book about us. Men should read it too because I don't think this history has ended. Anyway, I was humbled by this woman's journey and inspired. "Play to win" is a new piece of inspiration that I have walked away with after reading this book.