In the 1930s, young anthropologist Ruth Landes crafted this startlingly intimate glimpse into the lives of Ojibwa women, a richly textured ethnography widely recognized as a classic study of gender relations in a native society. By collaborating closely with Maggie Wilson, a woman of Scots-Cree descent who grew up among the Ojibwas, Landes was able to explore the complexity of Ojibwa women's experiences in compelling and often uncompromising detail. Sexuality and violence, marital rights and responsibilities, and the constraints and opportunities afforded by traditional and modern aspects of Ojibwa culture are all thoroughly and thoughtfully examined in this study. Landes's pioneering work continues to inspire lively debate today, her study having thrown into relief essential questions about the nature of gender relations among native peoples and how to best interpret them.

First published in 1947, the second edition of 'The City of Women' was published in 1994 with a new Introduction by anthropologist Sally Cole. That second edition is now available again after being out of print for several years. The book works on many levels: it is a study of 'candomble,' the Afro-Brazilian religion of Bahia, of the role of women in 'candomble,' and of race relations in Brazil. It has much to offer anyone interested in Brazilian history, comparative race and gender relations, the history of anthropology, and the relationships between researcher and subject in anthropology and oral history.

In the 1930s, young anthropologist Ruth Landes crafted this startlingly intimate glimpse into the lives of Ojibwa women, a richly textured ethnography widely recognized as a classic study of gender relations in a native society. By collaborating closely with Maggie Wilson, a woman of Scots-Cree descent who grew up among the Ojibwas, Landes was able to explore the complexity of Ojibwa women's experiences in compelling and often uncompromising detail. Sexuality and violence, marital rights and responsibilities, and the constraints and opportunities afforded by traditional and modern aspects of Ojibwa culture are all thoroughly and thoughtfully examined in this study. Landes's pioneering work continues to inspire lively debate today, her study having thrown into relief essential questions about the nature of gender relations among native peoples and how to best interpret them.