Simply an imaginative reading of dime novels?

Enstad's purpose of the book, namely to raise analytical concern regarding past historians' neglect of the role of cultural studies within social history, is an interesting point and a helpful exhortation for further consideration on the issues--especially regarding working-class women and their rise to political activism during the late 19th century (p.12). Specifically, I appreciated the unique interpretation she brought to the reasons why initial efforts made by working women to advocate improved conditions through labor unions. For Enstad, these were the contradictions they underwent because of their exclusions from such categories as "worker", "lady" and "American (p.5)." One issue I'd like to bring up though, is the effectiveness of Enstad's method. Much (if not, most) of her discussion surrounds the quite imaginative reading of dime novel romances, past historians' work and primary source newspaper and labor literature. While she openly admits that there is a shortage of material that allows historians to see such labor events through the eyes of the working-women, the effectiveness of this work seems to be limited through what Enstad admits is a reading of the existing sources creatively or "against the grain. (p.123)"