Description: The life histories and testimonies of nine Salvadoran women from different generations shape this intimate portrayal of contemporary El Salvador. The authors interviewed a grandmother, mother, and granddaughter from three Salvadoran families: la familia Nunez, members of the upper class; la familia Rivas, from El Salvador's growing middle class; and la familia Garcia, from the campo, the Salvadoran peasantry. The voices we hear convey a deep sense of the world of Salvadoran women and how life is lived in that Central American country today.

Each woman tells her own life story, and interspersed with recollections of childhood, marriage, and childrearing are revealing accounts of El Salvador's turbulent political past and present. Reflected in the stories are the vast changes in educational and occupational opportunities for women and the shifts in male-female relationships. While machismo continues to have a strong influence at all levels of society, increasing numbers of women are challenging the prevailing sexual double-standards and male authority. Class differences are still a fundamental part of Salvadoran life, but changes are occurring here as well.

The authors discuss the nature of oral history and some of the problems inherent in such a format, particularly if there are gender and nationality differences between interviewers and interviewees. They also provide a general introduction to Salvadoran history, particularly the events of the past few decades. All of the women were profoundly affected El Salvador's recent civil war, and each has her own perspective on its causes and outcome.

From Grandmother to Granddaughter is a vivid and authentic portrait of El Salvador todayand convincingly illustrates how individual lives can reflect the larger changes within a society.

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