"Courtship Customs attempts to place woman's situation and gender relationships within the context of the rigid sociopolitical atmosphere of the early years after the Spanish Civil War. To accomplish this Martin Gaite combed periodical libraries for examples of official policy and rhetoric to show how they shaped generational attitudes. Drawing on her own experiences and excepts from periodical literature of the time, she documents the repressive atmosphere in which she grew up and in particular, how it affected the young women of her age group.

She calls attention to the hypocrisy of the system, to the image versus the reality, and to how certain watchwords like "rationing" and "restriction" went beyond their economic applications to touch on personal behavior and attitudes." "Themes she touches on in the nine chapters (and epilogue) include proper dress and behavior for women; a young woman's limited future; the influence of the Falange (Fascist) party on society and on individual behaviour; the "rebel" girl; family life; sex; cinema and the Spaniard; and courtship and the stages of relationship."

"The book is an important document that explains much of the hidden agenda in the literature of the period and in particular, women's literature. In addition, its sociological dimension will help others to understand how and why the regime's rhetoric and practice managed to be so pervasive - and thus offer deeper understanding of the conditioning of an entire generation."--Jacket.