Though often overlooked in conventional accounts, women with myriad backgrounds and countless talents have made an impact on Polish and Polish American history. John J. Bukowczyk gathers articles from the journals Polish Review and Polish American Studies to offer a fascinating cross-section of readings about the lives and experiences of these women. The first section examines queens and aristocrats during the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, but also looks at the life of the first Polish female doctor. In the second section, women of the diaspora take center stage in articles illuminating stories that range from immigrant workers in Europe and the United States to women’s part in Poland’s nationalist struggle. The final section concentrates on image, identity, and consciousness as contributors examine the stereotyping and othering of Polish women and their portrayal in ethnic and emigre fiction. A valuable and enlightening resource, Through Words and Deeds offers an introduction to the many facets of Polish and Polish American womanhood.

Contributors: Laura Anker, Robert Blobaum, Anna Brzezinska, John J. Bukowczyk, Halina Filipowicz, William J. Galush, Rita Gladsky, Thaddeus V. Gromada, Bozena Karwowska, Grazyna Kozaczka, Lynn Lubamersky, Karen Majewski, Nameeta Mathur, Lori A. Matten, Jan Molenda, James S. Pula, Wladyslaw Roczniak, and Robert Szymczak