"Eleanor Dare must have been either extraordinarily adventurous or easily led. In 1587, when she was pregnant with her first child, she set sail across the Atlantic, headed for a continent where no woman of her kind had ever lived, let alone given birth."I remember learning about Virginia Dare in school. She was the first English baby born in America, so I figured the pregnaant Eleanor Dare must be her mother. I knew from the back cover that Gail Collins "tells the story of how women shaped the nation and our vision of what it means to be female in America." And I'm interested. The history lessons I was taught were all about men and wars and politics; but this book is about "how women lived, what they cared about, and how they felt about marriage, sex, and work." I've finished the first chapter, so far, and look forward to the rest, including the last chapter — "The Sixties: The Pendulum Swings Back with a Vengeance" — which covers the time when I was a young mother. I've already read Gail Collins's 2009 book, When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present, which I reviewed here. Now I need to catch up with what came before.
Gilion at Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Fridays. Click here for today's Mister Linky.
7 comments:
Like your pick, Bonnie! Gail Collins is a favorite author of mine. I've heard her speak (when she was promoting her previous book) and I read her op-ed columns in The New York Times somewhat religiously.
Didn't realize she had a new book out.
Here's my Friday post:
http://www.bookclublibrarian.com/2013/08/friday-focus-friday-56-book-beginnings_30.html
I am definitely intrigued by books that spotlight women in history. Thanks for sharing.
Here's MY FRIDAY MEMES POST
Catherine, it isn't a new book. America's Women was published in 2003, and When Everything Changed was published in 2009.
I read Gail's columns, too. Last week, I not only read "Where Credit Is Due," but also every one of the 403 comments people left. She got folks remembering how banks insisted on a husband's "permission" or a signature by any male -- even one young woman's even younger brother who didn't even have a job.
Gail Collins has such a great set of books to her credit, all of which teach us about "our" history. Thank goodness since kids really aren't learning much about women in their high school history classes, even today.
I should comment more often than I do, Bonnie ... but I always look forward to your recommendations and this one looks like a winner.
Ginnie, how interesting that while you were commenting here, I was at your blog reading about entertaining British sailors in New England.
Helen, as a history teacher, you would know. (Your comment didn't show up for moderation until just now. I have no idea where it's been.)
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