cover image A Women's Place

A Women's Place

Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky, Marjorie M. Mezvinsky, Margorie Margolies-Mezvinsky. Crown Publishers, $22.5 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-517-59713-2

In an exciting, instructive group portrait, Margolies-Mezvinsky ( They Came to Stay ), a Democratic representative from Pennsylvania, assisted by researcher-writer Feinman, here shows the challenges confronting 24 congressional female ``freshmen'' (including herself) elected in 1992--a year touted by the Democratic Party as the ``Year of the Woman.'' The new members--a granddaughter of slaves among them--many of whom were inspired by Anita Hill and by the model afforded by veteran congresswoman Pat Schroeder of Colorado, candidly recount their struggles for recognition in a ``good-old-boys club'' and their efforts to secure assignment to powerful committees. The group has succeeded in winning funds for breast and cervical cancer research but has also weathered defeat of Medicaid abortion funding. As Arizona freshman Karan English concludes, ``mastering the Capitol Hill game'' is essential to ``breaking through the glass ceiling.'' Photos not seen by PW. (Apr.)