Celebrates the defining connections among women and honors their differences. Each chapter reveals the actions through which a woman connects with herself, with her family, with members of her community, and with other women--from quinceañera parties commemorating a Hispanic girl turning 15, to pre-wedding henna ceremonies in the Middle East, where the hands and feet of the bride and her party are lavishly painted for her special day. Readers also will learn about such American traditions as the debutante ball, as well as the coming of age rituals of Mende girls in Sierra Leone. Photographs from the National Geographic archive portray these women and their customs across time and around the world; stories and anecdotes from anthropologist Joanne Eicher complement profiles written by Lisa Ling, observing and documenting rituals both ancient and emerging.--From publisher description.