"The Feminine Mystique" is a groundbreaking book written by Betty Friedan and published in 1963. It explores the dissatisfaction of many American women in the post-World War II era, highlighting how societal expectations confined them to roles as homemakers and mothers. Friedan argues that this limited identity stifled women's potential and contributed to widespread unhappiness. The book is credited with sparking the second wave of feminism in the United States, encouraging women to seek fulfillment beyond traditional domestic roles. It challenges the notion that women find complete satisfaction solely through marriage and motherhood, advocating for greater opportunities in education and the workforce.