The Employments of Women: A Cyclopædia of Woman's Work

"The Employments of Women: A Cyclopædia of Woman's Work" by Virginia Penny is a handbook from the 1800's that looks closely at the different jobs women could do, because it was becoming more important for them to make their own money. Penny wanted to give helpful advice about jobs women could find outside of their usual home life. She starts the book by talking about why this information was necessary at the time, with many men at war and women needing to support themselves. She points out that many people had the wrong ideas about women working. Her goal was to make a guide that described the work women did, discussed how much they were paid compared to men, what kind of education they needed, and how important having a job was for a woman's self-respect and happiness.