A collection of essays on women, politics, international events, etc. by the long time dean at Barnard College, Gildersleeve had an impressive career in women's organizations, played a significant role in preparing WAVES and other WWII training programs, and had an interesting role in post-World War Two international politics when she was the only woman appointed to represent the USA at the 1945 San Francisco conference, the prelude to the formation of the United Nations. In her preface she writes, and "How can the aged occupy themselves when they must perforce withdraw from their active work in the world; especially if they are so crippled as to make physical pastimes impossible, even weeding the lawn or knitting? and " She responds by asserting that through the and "summer and " you must gather together a hoard to be used later in life.