The Women of Colonial Latin America

The Book is rich with topics describing opportunities and challenges that shaped the lives of women in Latin America influenced by Spain and Portugal. Engagingly written by Socolow the book can be a in truth useful reference for teachers of Latin American Studies. The beak abounds with historical discipline covering effects of conquests, colonization, and firmness of purpose of colonial women. It looks into the various percentages played by women stressing on their responsibilities and duties as well as their limitations.It gives light as to how factors like race, social status, occupation and environment among others affect women in e real circumstance. I would say the piece is one whole powerful presentation. Socolow being a member of the gender in discussion gives weight down to the whole intellectual experience. The book might have a different feel if it was written by a man. Socolow made sure that she started her book with an attention grabbing Introduction. I think everyon e who has read would agree that it is very effective.It is very perceptive but not overly dramatic, it hands the reader all the needed information to the last detail but not to the point that it becomes dreary. The author can be likened to a nonrecreational cab driver expertly maneuvering a vehicle full of passengers to an intended destination. Chapter One, Iberian Women in the middle-aged World and the New is an interesting historical account of how key players in history changed womens role across meter.Chapter Two, Before Columbus Women in Indigenous America and Africa is an enlightening and at the same time intriguing description of history. Chapter Three, Conquest and Colonization documents the hardships and brutality experienced by women during war. All the other Chapters viz. Women, Marriage, and Family, Elite Women, The Brides of Christ and Other Religious Women, Women and Work, Women and Slavery, Women and Social Deviance Crime, Witchcraft, and Rebellion, Women and En lightenment Reform bear the same keen observation and consistency of purpose.The book seems just historical at first but it has more than than just historical information. I would say it is a must read for those who wants to understand how the role of women win from early Spanish conquest to what it is presently. The author use easy and simple language that her ideas just scarper from page to page. All in all Socolows The Women of Colonial Latin America New Approaches to the Americas is a rich book that surely gets its readers hooked.