When Gossips Meet Women, Family, and Neighbourhood in Early Modern England [Hardcover]

This book explores how women of the poorer and middling sorts in early modern England sought to make the best of their lives in a society that excluded or marginalized them in almost every sphere. It argues that networks of close friends ('gossips') provided invaluable moral and practical support, helping them to shape their own lives and to play an active role in the affairs of the local community.

1. Introduction
2. Patriarchy and the World of Gossips
3. Families and Gossips: The Experience of Marriage
4. Maidservants and the Politics of the Household
5. Women and Neighbours: Female Disputes
6. Women and Neighbours: Disputes with Men
7. Women as Citizens: Public and Political Life
8. Recreation, Religion, and Female Culture
9. Conclusion
Bibliography of Unpublished Sources
Index