The stories in this collection cover the last 20 years of Soviet experience. They portray Soviet women of different ages and educational backgrounds at home and at work, in villages and in cities. Their thematic preoccupations and perceptions reflect changes in Soviet society, and are designed to stimulate inquiry into social and feminist issues such as emancipation and the difference between male and female consciousness and rhetoric.;The authors, both male and female, include some of the Soviet Union's major literary figures. Biographical sketches about the authors introduce each story, along with references to any other English publications they may have written. The text also contains a glossary which aims to help readers familiarize themselves with idiosyncratic facts about Soviet society.