The Little Pink Book: Quotations on Women

Lynne Hughes teaches communication arts at the University of Calgary.

The Little Pink Book is a delightful and intelligent collection of short
quotations about women by a variety of people during a variety of time
periods. Those quoted include politicians (Herbert Hoover, Golda Meir,
Bill Vander Zalm, for example), movie stars (among them are Mae West and
Zsa Zsa Gabor), authors (Jane Austen, Adrienne Rich), religious figures,
and philosophers throughout history. The topics range from women’s
rights to their relationships with men to their mental and physical
capabilities; some comments are feminist, while others are fiercely
chauvinistic.

Many selections are memorable for their uniqueness. There is Margaret
Hillis, director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, who cleverly
comments, “There’s only one woman I know who could never be a
symphony conductor, and that’s the Venus de Milo.” There is also
actor John Wayne’s outrageous remark: “[women] have a right to work
wherever they want to—as long as they have dinner ready when you get
home.” Peter Dueck, British Columbia’s health minister, perhaps
inadvertently created this hilarity: “I’ve gone through [pregnancy]
four times and it’s been a very enjoyable experience.” There is also
the well-remembered Ronald Reagan: “I’ve noticed that everybody that
is for abortion has already been born.”

Compiled, annotated, and introduced by Luinenberg and Osborne, The
Little Pink Book is sure to arouse laughter, pride, disbelief, anger,
and shock. It is difficult to put down once it is begun, and will
definitely bring much discussion of the nature and status of women
today.