"At first glance, the purse appears to be nothing more than a mundane accessory. However, The Things She Carried explores the social, cultural, and political roles purses have played in American history. Beginning in the nineteenth century, Americans marginalized by their gender, race, and sexuality used bags, pocketbooks and purses as instruments to help them insist on their autonomy. This book argues that purses have served as versatile toolkits, functioning as portable arsenals, offices, powder rooms, and a miniature version of the home for many Americans. Most importantly, it illuminates how the purse became feminized and argues that purses offered women control and privacy in public spaces that otherwise denied them these rights"--