Slacks and Calluses

Praise

“[A] rare contemporaneous account. . . . [Bowman and Allen] wandered into a mostly male world of wrenches and rivets, forever changing society’s view of what women could and should do. . . .Wide-eyed and witty.”—San Diego Union-Tribune

“An enjoyable book, a smooth read, a vibrant reminder of a time of near-unanimous citizen support for American political strategies and goals. It harkens from an era when the myth of ‘one America’ still held sway. It is also a tale of two women negotiating gender, identity, autonomy and cross-class insights. Fifty-six years later, readers are fortunate the authors put pencil to paper each night upon their return home from the bomber factory. Theirs is a story worth hearing and remembering.” —The Journal of San Diego History

“Bowman and Allen’s journal-like account offers valuable insights into the experiences of these two young, white women who engaged in decidedly unfeminine behavior, by the standards of 1943, on behalf of the war effort.”—The Historian

“Without being the least bit polemic, Bowman Reid teaches us about the war roles of men and women and how the changing costumes of women – from linen skirts to slacks – reflects socioeconomic change.”—San Jose Mercury News