Women. The Family of Woman, edited by Jerry Mason.

Ridge Press/Grosset & Dunlap, 1979.  A world-wide collection of black-and-white photographs in the tradition of The Family of Man. Wraps, very good minus in wraps with two crimps on back cover. which has some light stains near edges. Gift inscription on preliminary title page, otherwise interior fine. Photographers include: Abigail Heyman; Alex Webb; Eve Arnold; Eugene Richards; Leonard Freed; Roswell Angier; Leon Levinstein; Sheila Metzner; Mary Ellen Mark; Mario Giacomelli; Walker Evans;  Ken Heyman; Brian Lanker; Bryn Campbell; Philippe Charbonnier; Sherry Suris; Mike Disfarmer; Bruce Gilden; Andre Kertesz; Hiroji Kubota; Joanne Leonard; Constantine Manos, and many others. Summary:

Published in 1979 by Ridge Press/Grosset & Dunlap, The Family of Woman is an ambitious photographic anthology edited by Jerry Mason. It was created as a spiritual and thematic successor to Edward Steichen’s legendary 1955 exhibition and book, The Family of Man.

Core Concept & Vision

The book aims to document the universal experience of womanhood across the globe. Through a curated collection of hundreds of photographs—selected from thousands of submissions by both world-renowned professionals and anonymous amateurs—it seeks to capture the "common threads" that bind women regardless of culture, race, or economic status.

Thematic Structure

The book is organized chronologically and transitionally, following the stages of a woman's life:

• Childhood and Adolescence: The discovery of self and the world.

• Love and Marriage: Explorations of intimacy, partnership, and ritual.

• Motherhood: The physical and emotional complexities of birth and child-rearing.

• Work and Struggle: Women’s roles in labor, political movements, and survival.

• Aging and Wisdom: The dignity and reflection found in the later years of life.

Style and Impact

• Visual Language: Unlike its predecessor, which was almost entirely black-and-white, The Family of Woman makes significant use of color photography, reflecting the technical and aesthetic shifts of the late 1970s.

• The "Everywoman" Narrative: The book was published at the height of Second-Wave Feminism. While it avoids being a political manifesto, its emphasis on women's strength, autonomy, and shared global struggles resonated deeply with the era's changing social landscape.

• Contributors: It features work from iconic photographers such as Imogen Cunningham, Ruth Orkin, and Eve Arnold, interspersed with candid, "snapshot" style imagery.

Legacy

While it never quite reached the monolithic status of The Family of Man, the book is remembered as a landmark publication in humanist photography. It remains a poignant, visual record of the 20th-century female experience, celebrated for its emotional breadth and its attempt to find a collective identity in a diverse world.