This is another bellwether book for women in the spirit of recent works by Naomi Wolf, Gloria Steinem, Germaine Greer, and Clarissa Pinkola Estes. Poet and publisher Judy Grahn uses history, anthropology, archaeology, myth, and personal vignettes to illustrate the startling impact of menstrual ritual upon human culture and consciousness. The seclusion and taboo associated with female blood in ancient times led to the genesis of agriculture, adornment, the science of measurement, cooking, and much more. "Blood, Bread, and Roses" offers convincing and salutary antidotes to the deep shame many women have felt about menstruation. In addition, Grahn presents imaginative suggestions on how the matrix of the menstrual mind can contribute to a beneficial future for humankind.