The Education of a Woman: The Life of Gloria Steinem

by Carolyn G. Heilbrun

From one of America's most respected critics comes an acclaimed biography of the controversial feminist. Here, Heilbrun illuminates the life and explores the many facets of Steinem's complex life, from her difficult childhood to the awakening that changed her into the most famous feminist in the world. Intimate and insightful, here is a biography that is as provocative as the woman who inspired it. Photos.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Feminism, History, Womens, Leadership, Historical

480 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1995

About the author

Carolyn Heilbrun was an American scholar, feminist critic, and novelist who wrote both influential academic works and popular mystery fiction. She built her career at Columbia University, becoming the first woman to receive tenure in its English department and eventually holding an endowed professorship. Trained in English literature, she focused on British modernism and feminist theory, publishing landmark works such as Writing a Woman's Life, which reshaped conversations about women's authorship and identity. Under the pseudonym Amanda Cross, she wrote a widely read series of Kate Fansler mystery novels that explored gender, power, and academic life with wit and insight. Her dual career allowed her to engage broad audiences while maintaining scholarly rigor, and her work was translated into numerous languages. Heilbrun was an outspoken advocate for women's intellectual and personal autonomy, addressing issues of aging, ambition, and independence. In addition to her scholarship and fiction, she helped shape feminist academic publishing through editorial work. Remembered for her candor, intelligence, and willingness to challenge institutional norms, she remains an important voice in feminist thought and modern American literature, leaving a lasting legacy through both scholarship and popular fiction for generations.

Reviews

[Lizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent if a bit rapturous biography of an enduringly important leader and social symbol. It's hard to disentangle what Gloria Steinem accomplished from who she was, how she embodied and represented feminism (or failed to represent feminism, because it's nuts to think any one person could), and how people reacted to her.

Heilbrun is obviously an admirer and does a good job of painting the dilemma of leadership within progressive circles- you are condemned for going too far and not far enough, you can never perfectly align the idiosyncrasies of your human life and failings with the demands of uncompromising ideology, and often the very idea of leadership is rejected as oppressive even when it is most needed to accomplish progressive goals. Call it 'trashing' as Heilbrun's subjects do or call-out culture, but progressive politics eats its own. What a mess.

That said, Heilbrun was reactive in how she constructed her subject, focusing inordinate amounts of time on Steinem's conventional looks and thinness, the lust she inspired in men (and women), and the details of her love affairs. In trying to portray critics (often rightly) as jealous, malicious, or sexist, she nevertheless lets these critics set the agenda. I would have appreciated more time on Steinem's leadership style, her relationships with fellow activists and staff at Ms, and more on her racial politics than 'she had lots of black friends.'

I'm a millennial and so Steinem the cultural icon has been handed down to me for better and for worse as representative of a second wave feminism that had been overtaken by an 80s backlash and then problematized by the rise of intersectional feminism. The book was published in 1995, definitely prematurely in terms of what Steinem meant and continues to mean as a symbol of a certain kind of feminist politics.

And indeed, my one significant adult exposure to her was watching her debate then-Melissa Harris-Lacewell in 2008 in advance of the Democratic primaries. I remember her coming off rather poorly, trotting out the same tired narrative of old-school white feminism- that black men always get to go first and it's not fair. (This is a gross simplification of the exchange, but is the impression rather that lingers in my mind until today.) Harris, in her defense of a younger and less rigid coalition of multiracial progressives, was infinitely more compelling.

The younger Steinem captured by Heilbrun is much more vibrant than that exchange would have led me to imagine; Steinem is portrayed as championing a range of progressive causes and working well in tandem with women of color as well as lesbian activists before LGBT rights became mainstream for the left. Heilbrun's only acknowledgment of this tension is a throw-away comment that Steinem's personality led her to cling to simple narratives about sexism aimed to the unconverted to the detriment of her own intellectual growth and evolution. That's a fascinating chapter right there, but it's nowhere else taken up by the author.

That said, it was a good reminder to sit and think of the life I would never be living now, a white single female middle class professional, had not many women fought the hard fights within my mother's lifetime to make my current choices seem normal. In that respect I am deeply grateful to this book.

[barbie :P · Rating 3 out of 5]

okay i did not finish this book but i was too close to the end to not count it as read...

anyway, this was a good read overall!! i learned some very insightful info on not only the feminist and women's movements of the time but also on gloria steinem and her revelations with feminism, which actually paralleled my own revelations!! only thing is, this book was given to me by my professor and i was expected to return it to him, and coupled with the fact that this was the first biography i've read, this book proved to be veryyy challenging to get thru. everything was tied together quite neatly, and it was easy to follow thru steinem's life; however, near the end it was more of a chore to read than anything. this may be due to the feeling of being on a time crunch or bc of the lack of content on steinem's activism (she felt very distant during a lot of the book, despite it being a book...abt her...) or maybe even my lack of experience with reading more nonfiction books or even the lack of ig "pretty" words and structure to keep me engaged, or all of the above! whatever it was, after a certain pt, i felt as tho i could simply get the same knowledge i was learning abt her and what she was involved in by reading articles and researching her a little more. it was good in the beginning, especially with the insights on steinem's potential feelings and thoughts, but it left me feeling frustrated and unsatisfied in the end.

[Lisa Nuss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding, thorough biography. From Carolyn Heilbrun, whose own book, "Writing a Woman's Life" is the definitive academic work on historical limitations on women's life stories, most often curtailed and twisted to fit bigoted social narratives against inherent female power and agency. Heilbrun gives a rich and full story showing how the parents and childhood cirumstances of Steinem lead her to become one of the country's greatest civil rights leaders.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh, how could a book about such an interesting person be so slow and boring? And it was really annoying how the author kept telling us over and over how beautiful she was but how that was both a blessing and a curse. she said something about this several times in - it seemed like - ever chapter.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A DETAILED AND INSIGHTFUL BIOGRAPHY OF THE FEMINIST LEADER

Author Carolyn Heilbrun wrote in the ‘Acknowledgements’ of this 1995 book, “Gloria Steinem, whom I met for the first time only two weeks before beginning work on the book, answered questions over many hours, gave me access to all her papers, urged those I wished to interview to talk to me, and was patience personified with all my endless requests and queries. She had no right of approval over the contents of the manuscript. Her cooperation was the more gracious in that, during the course of our many meetings, she frequently differed from me and my interpretations.”

She notes, “despite Steinem’s constant denial that she was unusually attractive, she must have known early that she was a ‘looker.’ In the early 1970s she would say that was considered glamorous compared with the media’s insulting picture of a feminist---butch, army-booted, hairy, fat. She is right about the media’s mistaken ideas… but wrong about denying the effect of her attractiveness… from her first childhood years, she had the confidence of a markedly appealing and attractive creature.” (Pg. 29)

She asserts, “What is most significant about Steinem is… the conjunction of likeable, loving men with enjoyable sex… Steinem fled rather than sought marriage, fearing to be left with a child and again to become a primary caregiver before she was able freely to pursue a profession… her ability to enjoy sex for its own sake, and for the companionship with thoughtful, gentle men, was unusual for her time… such a nonobsessive appetite for heterosexual sex apart from commitment was exceptional.” (Pg. 58)

She had an abortion “done at the last possible moment because of the difficulty [in India] of finding another doctor… Without question, the abortion, and the decision to take charge of her own life and to speak of the matter to no one, indicated a newfound self-sufficiency, a sense that her destiny could be in her own hands.” (Pg. 69)

She explains, “In the light of the 1975 accusations by the Redstockings of Steinem’s alleged connections with the CIA and assumptions about the nature of American participation at the Youth Festivals themselves, these events must be placed in their historical context… When Steinem was told by former National Student Association leaders that the CIA was funding foundations that in turn were supporting American attendance at the Youth Festivals, she remembers feeling relief that someone understood the importance of the noncommunist left in general, and students in particular… in this country, students were generally trivialized and ignored. Though she raised money from other foundations, none of it, as far as she knew, from CIA-funded sources, some young people feared the personal consequences of being seen at a Communist Youth Festival, and she told them that participation was CIA-backed and supported.” (Pg. 87-88)

She recounts, “Steinem’s going undercover in 1963 as a Playboy Bunny… came about … as spontaneous combustion… To read the dark article that Steinem wrote in 1963 is to wonder again why it took her until 1969 to understand and name as ‘feminist’ her recognition of this symbol of the condition of women in our society. The article’s surprising insights, particularly that ‘all women are Playboy Bunnies,’ so clearly echoes the declarations of the women’s movement then and in the years to follow… With the publication of the Bunny article, Steinem leapt into instant fame, not all of it welcome. She always claimed that the piece led not to serious assignments, only to more offers to go undercover as a sex object.” (Pg. 104-106)

She records, “NOW, under the direction of Friedan, had become notoriously antilesbian… in 1969 and 1970 Betty Friedan was trying to ‘purge’ NOW of what she called the ‘lavender menace.’ Although Friedan… would later try to defuse this split, the sense persisted that NOW was antilesbian… Friedan’s intransigence early made a reconciliation with the radical side of the women’s movement impossible.” (Pg. 165-166)

She summarizes, “The aura of frivolity would never leave [Steinem], no matter how fundamental her allegiance. But that same aura would reassure millions of women teetering on the edge of feminism that one did not have to eschew elegance or ‘femininity,’ or, above all, men, to be for ‘women’s lib.’… Steinem’s very existence, although she fought as ardently for gay rights as for the rights of any other oppressed group, still assuaged the fear of lesbianism when it threatened the wider movement. This was not her aim; quite the contrary. But it was the result… her appeal to the media… went a long way toward keeping the feminist cause in the forefront of the national consciousness. Steinem never deserted feminism, never betrayed it, never suggested it needed to backpedal, never let anyone in the media get away with jeering at it. She remained, as everyone noticed, full of allure. She also remained, through long, hard, slogging years, an outspoken, uncompromising, boundary-crossing feminist.” (Pg. 187-188)

She points out, “Betty Friedan was not yet taking overt swipes at Steinem, but her comments to the researchers were emblematic of the way she and her followers would characterize Steinem from then on. ‘Gloria has not advanced any new ideas in the women’s movement---but she’s an outstanding publicist.’ Decades later, Friedan’s friends still refer to Steinem as the ‘missionary’ of the movement, with Friedan as its ‘founder.’ This judgment is based on the fact that Friedan has written a highly influential book, while Steinem had later gone about speaking…. Steinem’s recognition of the necessity of unity with African-American women and lesbians in the movement was certainly a new idea to Friedan; also Steinem’s understanding of class … was not that of the ‘Feminine Mystique,’ learned in the suburbs.” (Pg. 192)

She documents the Friedan/Steinem feud: “Many in the media, delighted as always with the spectacle of women fighting each other, or appearing to, characterized the Steinem-Friedan conflict---which became marked after the founding of Ms.---as the expected catfight.” (Pg. 216) “Sensitivity toward blacks was not Friedan’s strong suit. The truth was… that Friedan’s influence in the movement has waned. It is quite regrettable---indeed sad---that Friedan could not learn to share the limelight.” (Pg. 240) “By 1972, Friedan’s hatred of Steinem had come to public attention, the legend of this one-sided feud between the two leaders of the women’s movement became a part of the lore of feminism.” (Pg. 242) “But every time Steinem, to her own dismay, was portrayed as the spokeswoman for the movement, Friedan suffered the reopening of a deep wound… [But] ‘The Feminine Mystique’ … DID entice millions of mainstream, suburban women into feminism. And with the creation of NOW. Friedan brought together a group of women who were able to exert pressure on federal regulatory agencies to enforce the laws against sex discrimination.” (Pg. 243)

She concludes, “An account of Steinem as an object of feminist hatred is important because it is part of the history of feminism, and must be taken note of. Steinem never attacked or spoke out against Friedan publicly… But even though Steinem did not attack Friedan, the perception of public battles between feminists defeats the cause both wish to serve.” (Pg. 304)

The 1971 founding of Ms. Magazine created both praise and criticism: “it is the critics who… present the greatest puzzle… the critics seemed to comprise ardent groups of feminists … who vehemently felt that Ms. was not the magazine it should be. NOW objected that its efforts and accomplishments were insufficiently reported. Those on the left scorned Ms. for many reasons, most of which resulted from the original determination to create a slick, widely distributed magazine, which looked quite unlike left-wing publications.” (Pg. 230)

This is a balanced book, which will be “must reading” for anyone studying the Feminist movement, as well as Gloria Steinem.

[Bauke Ter · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting portrait of a pioneering woman whose ideas are relevant even in this day and age. However also very dry and difficult to get through. The book stays completely away from crafting a story, and instead seems more a summary with some commentary here and there. It felt like reading an extremely elaborate Wikipedia page. Would not really recommend this book.

[Karen Diaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good biography. Dry at times.

I liked the book. It was well researched, but a bit dry for my liking. I prefer bios with a bit more explanation of the subject's motives and thought process.

[Lisa Gear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book club selection
One of my greatest idols

[Yenta Knows · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thorough, sympathetic biography that ends in 1994, and so doesn’t cover nearly 30 years.

I certainly learned a lot about Steinem. She is one of those people who is energized by contact with others. I am a natural introspect — just the opposite. I was enervated just reading about Steinem’s killer travel schedule — she was on an airplane to somewhere every single week for years. She would engage with an audience after a speech, listening for hours, long after her companions had gone to bed. Then she would sleep in the plane the next morning. It sounds as if, for years, she was living on coffee, adrenaline, and naps grabbed whenever she allowed herself a quiet moment.

Steinem and I are about as different as two people can be. But — I discerned this from a few of the photos — we both love cats. If given a fact to face moment with Steinem, I might gently remonstrate with her for leaving her cat so often.

Steinem is a fantastic prose stylist. Her biographer— isn’t. Her sentences are often too long and sometimes poorly constructed. It’s work to figure out just what she is saying.

The author also remarks FREQUENTLY about Steinem’s looks. She quotes, at some length, a Wall
Street Journal reporter who describes Steinem’s long legs and “flat abdomen.” You start to wonder if the biographer is not jealous of her subject.

Finally, although this is a biography, I expected a deeper and more cogent presentation of Steinem’s beliefs.

One last point: the author frequently remarks on Steinem’s “calmness.” It may be true that Steinem is preternaturally calm. But the author has lived most of her life in New York City — ground zero for high- strung, confrontational personalities. What she describes as Steinem’s “calmness” could well be that typically Midwestern even-temperedness, that Midwestern courtesy. Midwesterners aren’t confrontational, they don’t raise their voices over minor inconveniences. It’s behavior I noticed when I lived in Grinnell, Iowa. I suspect the author has confused this regional trait with personality.

[Brynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really adore Heilbrun's writing about women's biographies (see "Writing a Woman's Life") but her actual work in writing a biography was terrifically lacking. Although this book gives one a good sense of Steinem's personal life, most of her activist life is left out. That seems to me to defeat the purpose of reading an activist's biography.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Each year, I like to spend time reading about a heroine of mine. I wasn't thrilled with this biography-- I found it too riddled with the author's adoration of Gloria. I wish it was more impartial and contained more dialogue from Steinem herself. Either way, I admire Gloria Steinem and her life's trajectory and was glad to know a bit more about her upbringing and formative years.

[Gabrielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't get through this. It was boring..

[Rachael · Rating 1 out of 5]

I stopped.

[Ian Muil]

Interesting but should be regarded as a psychoanalysis of Steinem and the feminist movement rather than a biography of Steinem.