The author preface to the reissue is compelling. She clearly knew her subjects. She captures the life of those living invisibly and those few who connected with them. This would no longer be possible in usa today. ( )

Noted during my 1980's attempt to read every book in my small town library.
ETA: Sorting thru my books I decided to read this again since I couldn't remember anything about it. I gave up after the 1st third. Vida is so much in her head, as a guerilla between 'projects' she obsesses about being secretive and misses her last lover. She moves between 'safe houses' and contacts her sister and her organization via code words etc. Yet it is obvious to me she is putting herself at risk by opening up to a young man (a 'kid' who's been on the run for ~a decade as conscientious objector) she's vaguely familiar with. I'm so sure he's sold out and going to betray her. I suppose I could jump ahead to read the ending to see if I'm right. But I guess my life has changed so much in the last 40 years that the tale no longer interests me. There are so many ways to change the world for the better without being destructive (altho the story hasn't yet given me a specific terrorist act she's committed).
Should I save this as a piece of history? No, time to let go and begin to empty my cluttered house. Let some other library decide to commemorate the '60's. ( )

Wow...

Just after I read this, I read this: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/magazine/judith-clarks-radical-transformation.... ( )

This novel gave a lot of insight into the inner struggles of the political underground of the late 1960s and 1970, without being too preachy. It demonstrated the violently sexist environment of the anti-war movement from which second wave feminism evolved ( )

Marge Piercy is one of my favourite authors and Vida is a great read. ( )