Introduction and Forward by Kessler-Harris

"When Sara Smolinsky declared her independence by selling herring at two cents a piece, the act penetrated my flesh. I read this book as an immigrant, a woman, a Jew, and a 'person'" ( Kessler-Harris, viii). I like this quote that Kessler-Harris made in the forward of the book. This made me realize that so many other immigrants probably read it in a similar way--as sort of an inspirational piece, whereas I did not appreciate it in the same way. I am not, nor have I eer been in the same situations of immigrant women in the early 1900's, so I cannot relate as well. I also like that Kessler-Harris compares Sara to Anzia, and then Anzia to herself because it gave me a differnet perspective to look at than the one that I had when I just read the book.