Beauty and appearance play a pervasive role in our culture, argues Nancy Friday. Here, the author of the groundbreaking and controversial bestseller My Secret Garden delves into beauty's influence on popular media and the psyche of modern women.

Combining in-depth cultural analysis with personal anecdotes, sexology, and individual case studies, Nancy Friday explores the dissatisfaction women feel about their bodies--and how it affects their sexual freedom. Her analysis is broad-reaching, examining how popular culture, advertising, stereotypes of women in the workplace, the sexual liberation of the 1960's, and the interdynamics of family relationships put pressure on women to live up to an impossible feminine ideal

First published in 1973, My Secret Garden ignited a firestorm of reactions across the nation--from outrage to enthusiastic support. Collected from detailed personal interviews with hundreds of women from diverse backgrounds, this book presents a bracingly honest account of women's inner sexual fantasy lives. In its time, this book shattered taboos and opened up a conversation about the landscape of feminine desire in a way that was unprecedented.

Today, My Secret Garden remains one of the most iconic works of feminist literature of our time--and is still relevant to millions of women throughout the world.

What is jealousy, and how does it undermine our closest relationships? Renowned journalist and author Nancy Friday tackles this difficult topic with compelling honesty and depth of insight. Here, Friday explores the feeling of fear and its connection to jealousy--specifically the fear of losing love and power. Informed by close readings of psychological treatises on jealousy as well as anecdotal interviews, she offers new insights into jealousy at every stage of life--from childhood to old age.

The author of the iconic bestseller My Secret Garden, Nancy Friday's strength as a writer is her courage in tackling incredibly intimate, personal topics head-on and with astonishing honesty. Here, she turns her focus toward an emotional issue that often cripples loving relationships--and shows new pathways toward healing.