Daring to Be Bad: Radical Feminism in America 1967-1975

Alice Echols presents the reader with an excellent overview of the second wave of American feminism. The author situates the rise of the second wave with women's realization that they were being squeezed out of the cutting edge of both SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee)and SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) and the further understanding that the only way women's issues were going to be addressed was by starting their own movement. Echols covers both the grand successes and weaknesses of the movement. This includes the fairly rapid splintering of the movement into a multitude of groups based in part on the politico-radical feminist and heterosexual-lesbian splits. The author really shines during the description of the period and is very precise in her explanation of when and why the splintering happens. Additionally, the author's endnotes and appendices are extremely helpful in keeping the information about the main participants and groups straight for the reader. Overall this is the best book for those wanting to get a handle on the second wave.

Daring To Be Bad is an essential history of the Women's Liberation Movement. Daring is nuanced in that it connects this movement to other protest movements of the 60's while remaining true to the Women's Movement's distinctive arc. If you want to understand the vexed racial politics of Women's Movement or the equality/difference divide, start with Daring. Echols has written an intellectually serious book that is also deliciously gossipy. This is THE book about 60s Radical Feminism and also a really FUN read!