Rising to the Challenge in Los Angeles: The Letters of Agnes Edwards Partin, 1926-1956

There’s a lot to like about this book; firstly, it’s a clear labor of love, and many people have worked to make it what it is. It also gives great and personal insight into Agnes, who was unmistakably way ahead of her time in terms of her thoughts and actions; and many of Agnes’s thoughts and still relevant today. Maybe even more so!

~ ScriptAcuity Studios, Dog Ear editors

Some people are defined by their times, and others redefine them. Agnes Edwards Partin was among the latter. Through Agnes’s letters spanning the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, World War II, and beyond, readers will discover firsthand accounts of the changing face of Los Angeles, from its modest roots to its postwar expansion. During her years in California, Agnes stepped away from the home, defying the traditions of her day, to seek employment and education—ever eyeing her goal of earning a doctorate. Alongside her husband, Leo, whose ideas were as progressive as Agnes’s, the Partin family faced numerous challenges and heartbreaks during the changing eras, but also many joys and accomplishments.

Rising to the Challenge in Los Angeles: The Letters of Agnes Edwards Partin, 1926–1956 is the chronicle of a woman far ahead of her time, standing up against the societal expectations of gender. Her views, her thoughts, and her lessons are still as relevant today as when they were written decades ago.