Women and Self-Help Culture: Reading Between the Lines

Examines what the phenomenon of self-help reading reveals about gender relations in contemporary American culture. She interviews women readers & editors of self-help books, & looks at bestsellers since 1963 -- those offering advice about managing relationships, enhancing sexuality, developing self-esteem, becoming assertive, & improving spiritual life. Drawing on feminist theory & critical cultural studies, she explores the appeal of self-help books & asks what readers are making of them. She includes discussions of readers assessments of the meaning & effectiveness of self-help reading, & creators views of their work.