Wives without Husbands: Marriage, Desertion, and Welfare in New York, 1900-1935 (Gender and American Culture)
"Convincing analysis, delivered through engaging prose. . . . A significant contribution to the study of gender and the American welfare state."--Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare"Rich in provocative analysis and especially interesting for the look it gives into the lives of abandoned families, [and] the difficulties that they faced."--American Historical Review"Fresh and original scholarship. . . . Makes a valuable contribution to American immigrant history and to women's history. . . . Igra has told a significant story in the annals of Jewish immigrant history."--American Jewish History"A richly told tale."--Law and History Review"An outstanding contribution to the history of social welfare policy in the early twentieth century. The author tells a lively and complex story. . . . An impressive effort in constructing the history of the anti-desertion system in New York. . . . The results are rich indeed."--Register of the Kentucky Historical Society"[An] excellent glimpse into the social welfare debates of the early twentieth century and how Progressive Era rhetoric clashed with the daily realities of the working class. . . . A welcome addition to anyone in the fields of American Jewish history, legal history, and women's studies."--Journal of American Ethnic History"For social welfare policy pundits and historians of the Jewish family,Wives Without Husbandswill be fascinating."--Jewish Book World"Igra deftly combines a study of immigrant social patterns and assimilation with an investigation into the changing meaning of marriage. . . . A well-researched book that touches on many of the major social issues of the early twentieth century."--Journal of American History