Now out of print but still sought after, and available from various online sources, this is regarded as a pioneering work. It takes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of women and gender issues in the Caribbean.

'...invaluable sourcebook not only for women's studies courses but for anyone who seeks to understand the background to Caribbean literature, politics and society.'
- Robin Cohen, Professor of Sociology, University of Warwick

Working Miracles evolved out of a large project funded by the Carnegie Foundation covering Women in the Caribbean intended to gather "data relevant to policy-making for women". To reach a broader audience Olive Senior translated the project's findings into clear prose along with her own observations. It has been years since I have read a book in an area of sociology with as much interest and pleasure. The various forms of marriages, households and other arrangements by which Caribbean women survive and raise children are explained with clarity. It is possible to feel that you already know this material, have yourself used the sociological categories and yet you have never really understood it before.
CRNLE REVIEWS JOURNAL

Working Miracles is one of the first publications to fully explore the contradictions between ideology, behaviour and reality faced by women, a task which represents an integral part of understanding the nature of women's lives in the Caribbean... . the author's infusion of formal research findings and academic thought with examples from literature, popular culture, poetry and art, combine to produce an inspiring and pioneering text... . Its multidisciplinary approach should make Working Miracles one of the key texts for anyone seeking a greater understanding of the Caribbean region.
THE JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT STUDIES