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This monograph explores the biographical and autobiographical works of seven 20th-century Spanish women writers: Josefina Aldecoa, Mercedes Formica, Dolores Ibarruri, Pilar Jaraiz Franco, Federica Montseny, Constancia de la Mora, and Isabel Oyarzabal de Palencia. Literary and political figures, these women contest traditional versions of Spanish history through their published works, and offer different perspectives on the role of women within that history. They address the past from diverse ideological standpoints - communism, republicanism, socialism, anarchism and fascism. The text examines the construction of the identity of the female historical subject within a specific sociopolitical context, drawing on relevant critical work from the fields of historicism, feminism and cultural studies. ... Read more

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In fascist Italy between the wars, a woman was generally an exemplary wife and mother or else. The "or else," mostly forgotten or overlooked in accounts of femininity under fascism, is what concerns Robin Pickering-Iazzi. Reading works by women of the period, Pickering-Iazzi shows how they refuted stereotypes that were imposed on them by the fascist regime and continue to be accepted and perpetuated into our day. The writers Pickering-Iazzi considers comprise both the popular and the critically acclaimed. She situates their work - short stories, romance novels, autobiographies, neorealist novels, poetry, and avant-garde writings - not only within the context of fascist discourse but also within that of intellectuals and artists who did not keep to the fascist line. In each case, Pickering-Iazzi examines specific issues of gender and genre - notions of women and the nation, rural life, the metropolis, technology, consumer culture, and modern forms of femininity and masculinity. ... Read more

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While most people know that Harriet Beecher Stowe's famous book Uncle Tom's Cabin spurred on abolotionist sentiments in the North, not many are aware of the vast abolitionist literature of children's books, poems, short stories, and essays. Many of these volumes were not written by seasoned authors, but by women whose primary roles were as mothers who functioned as domestic abolitionists, and have been lost to the ages. Here, De Rosa recovers a collection of these writings, illustrating the domestic abolitionists' efforts

While most people know that Harriet Beecher Stowe's famous book Uncle Tom's Cabin spurred on abolitionist sentiments in the North, not many are aware of the fast abolitionist literature of children's books, poems, short stories, and essays. Many of these volumes were written by domestic women, not seasoned authors, and have been lost to the ages. Here, De Rosa recovers a collection of these writings, illustrating the domestic abolitionists' efforts when cultural imperatives demanded women's silence. These women asserted their anti-slavery sentiments through the voices of victims (slave children and mothers), white mother-historians, and abolitionist children in juvenile literature, one of the few genres available to female authors of the period. This collection restores the voices of these little known authors and shows how their voices helped to influence children and adults of the period.

For women struggling to find a voice in the abolitionist movement while maintaining the codes of gender and respectability, writing children's literature was an acceptable strategy to counteract the opposition. By seizing the opportunity to write abolitionist juvenile literature, domestic abolitionists maintained their identities as exemplary mother-educators, preserved their claims to femininity,and simultaneously entered the public arena. By adapting literary strategies popular in nineteenth-century juvenile narratives, domestic novels, and slave narratives to document slavery's violation of religious, economic, and political principles, these women spoke out against and institution that stood in marked contrast to the beliefs they held so dear. This anthology aims to fill the important gap in our understanding of women's literary productions about race and gender and illustrates the limitations of a canon that excludes such voices.

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The women arrive here from everywhere -- Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe. They come from diverse traditions, cultures and histories. They speak a world of languages. This collection features the writing of women who have come to North America in search of a new life. Through fiction or memoir, they remember their lives back home, the journey here and the challenges of being an immigrant. Their stories resonate with joy and despair, sadness and strength. These women loook to the future with hope and determination. They live here now, and they want the rest of us to know it. ... Read more

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The narrative of capture by Native Americans is arguably the first American literary form dominated by the experience of women. For this collection, Kathryn Derounian-Stodola has selected ten narratives that span 200 years (1682-1892) and show geographical as well as literary diversity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Indian Captivity
I really recommend this book.It is well researced.Fascinating stories of captivities. Many whites had harrowing experiences, not for the faint of heart.

Perils of Pauline
Although I am in no particular agreement with the Editor's perspective, this particular anthology of tales is fascinating.Surely fear of capture and/or destruction by American-Natives was a peril that most settlers on the frontiers of the Americas had to deal with.Men were more likely to be killed immediately or tortured to death shortly thereafter. Women and children were also sometimes killed in horrific fashions but some of these, because they had assimilation potential, survived, so many of our captive stories come from these people.

In a very real sense, we are dealing with a collision between two very different cultures.Many of the early accounts in this book are related to 'White Man' issues such as the French-English War, and later the War for American Independence.In both cases the various protagonists sought--and got--Indian allies who were turned loose against largely helpless frontier families.I'm sure the philosophy was that if troops had to be drawn off to protect the frontier, there were fewer regular troops to fight against your regulars.Therefore both the French and English freqently enlisted Indian allies.

The problem was that Native traditions and practices were very different from European.Torture and mutilation were customary and, to the Indians, 'another day at the office.'To European settlers, however, this style of warfare was both horrific and illogical.The fact, as so many captives relate, that there was a terrible arbitrariness to Indian practices made them all the more weird.One woman recounts a practice that seemed to make little sense then or now.If a Native family had lost a family member, perhaps in combat, they would try to purchase a white captive.The fate of the captive depended entirely on mood and whim.If the loss of the family member was recent and emotions raw, the purchased captive would be subjected to death in the most torturous manner possible--the Indians would later boast of the originality of their slow tortures and the dying captive's agonies.On the other hand, if the emotions were less raw, the captive would be adopted as a sister or brother and given all the love and privileges of a close relative.No middle ground.

Some of the first stories are more difficult to read because of archaic English, interspersed with abundant religious declarations.The story I found most interesting was that of Mary Jemison, who told her tale as an old woman.She had been captured as a child and her family murdered.She was sold off to a family who had sustained a recent loss.Fortunately for her, she was adopted rather than tortured to death.Over time, she completely aculturated to the point that she hid in the woods rather than be 'rescued' by white relatives.She was married to two Indian men, both of whom she greatly respected.One died after only two years but one supposedly lived to age 103.Mary's description of this second husband and of his exploits give voice to her aculturation.Her fading memory is reinvigorated by the fact that this man must have told his warlike tales over and over and over during his life.He had devoted himself to war and destruction of the Cherokee peoples.He gloried in combat and torturing people to death and apparently sent many people--white and Indian--to their deaths in the most horrific manners possible.Mary seems quite proud to have been the husband of such a man.She never admits to having attended a celebration in which people were tortured to death but it's a fair bet that she did.

Mary, like most women, was concerned about her children.She had three sons, one of whom killed--at different times--the two others.The third himself was killed by two drunken Indians.Mary believed that alcohol would result in the utter destruction of the Red Man.

Another story is interesting but definitely odd.That is the story of Sarah Wakefield who, along with two of her children, was taken captive by the Santee Sioux during their Minnesota revolt of 1862.Much of her story is vacillating, as she goes back and forth to defend Dakota generosity while berating others as murderers and beasts.She claims to have been saved many times by one paricular Lakota with whom [she claims] to have made a false marriage with her [sex is the word we would now use] to protect her from others.Nevertheless she seems to have been later incapable of saving this man from the gallows.As a matter of fact she says that her hystrionics in court may actually have made things worse!!!She endlessly tries to defend herself from apparent accusations [heard throughout the States] that she collaborated with the Sioux.

But then she turns around and openly tells us that, to save herself and her children, she told them that she would help them kill other white prisoners!!!She justifies this by saying she has a nervous, cowardly nature which, I dare say, was true.I'm in definite disagreement with the editor who implies that the woman was an early radical egalanitarian because of her defense of the Indians.I think she was entirely of a different mold.

absolutely amazing eye-opening look at a forgotten chapter of american history
This collection is brilliantly put together, with very informative introductions by the editor that explain each story's historical and personal context. The stories themselves are pure women's voices from different eras of american history and incredibly valuable. they're also just great reads... one woman taken captive as a teenager becomes an active member of her new native american community and tells the fascinating story of her life in an interview at the age of 80. I'd say based on the other customer review, that its not for kids(!) who are going to be thrown off by the early american grammer, but for people seriously interested in womens role in early america and for an unfiltered look at a contemporary white settler perspective on white and native american relationships in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Only BUY if you like Indian Narratives
This isn't actually a book you would want to read if you were not required to. These stories are interesting but not a book for a rainy day. Purchase this book only if you are interested in Indian narratives. I had a miserable time reading this- then again it could have been because the book was assigned. The grammar in some of the stories are hard to follow. ... Read more

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From the 6th century onward, Athens and a number of city-states introduced legislation that restricted mourning, and women's laments became the particular target of this crackdown. Dangerous Voices investigates why this distinctly female brand of mourning posed such a threat to Athenian society and describes how the state attempted to subdue this ritual. ... Read more

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Women's Laments and Power
In this study, Holst-Warhaft discusses the power and politics of women's laments, examining their appropriation by male, literary tragedians; the reasons behind their suppression in ancient (and modern) Greece; and whatthey can tell us about literature and society. A fascinating study. ... Read more

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A ground-breaking anthology of essays, memoir, letters, diary entries, fiction and poetry by women prisoners from around the world and throughout history -- from Ethel Rosenberg to Ericka Huggins to Nawal El Saadawi.Reprinted in a revised, expanded edition, this award-winning collection explores the emotional experience of prison life through the eyes of a wide variety of women imprisoned for political and social crimes. ... Read more

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Wall Tappings:Women's Prison Writings, 200 A.D. to the Present
This is an excellent anthology.I highly recommended it.Great text for any liberal arts major, especially women's studies and criminology majors.

Riveting
Undoubtedly one of the most riveting journals of inmates I have ever read. Its excerpts still haunt me - this book truly exemplifies the gender differences and social ties women have as opposed to men. The heart-rendering stories of women writing to their mothers before execution kept me awake many nights....a must read! ... Read more

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First a serious poet and novelist, then a cause celebre, Radclyffe Hall was also a sometime feminist and a Catholic convert who believed in spiritualism. Sally Cline uses new material to explore the connections between Hall's writings, life, and milieu, creating a biography that is both a signal contribution to women's studies and a marvelous read. 16 illustrations Author publicity .Amazon.com Review
She's best known as the author of The Well of Loneliness,"the one lesbian novel everyone has heard of," feminist scholarSally Cline wittily remarks. But in her lifetime (1880-1943), RadclyffeHall was a popular writer who deliberately courted controversy withher fifth novel, banned as obscene in 1928 after one of the20th century's most notorious literary trials. Cline devotes valuablecritical attention to Hall's other books, and to a flamboyantpersonal life (a virtual who's who of homosexual Britain) that was atodds with her political and religious conservatism. ... Read more

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the deconstruction of radclyffe hall
the major players in this book were so thougoughly unlikeable that it flavored [negatively] nearly every page. Author goes into exhaustive detail about the minutea of these womens' lives. The greater part of the book was taken up with Hall's youth, Una Lady troubridge and a russian nurse; , of whom she was embarrasingly enamoured. If prospective readers enjoy tortured prose,a woman of some talent but a larger ego,and a great deal of egomaniacal self justification you are going to love this book! ... Read more

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In the teens and twenties, New York was home to a rich variety of literary subcultures. Within these intermingled worlds, gender lines and other boundaries were crossed in ways hardly imaginable in previous decades.Among the bohemians of Greenwich Village, the sophisticates of the Algonquin Round Table and the literati of the Harlem Renaissance, certain women found fresh, powerful voices through which to speak and write. Edna St. Vincent Millay and Dorothy Parker are now best remembered for their colorful lives; Genevieve Taggard, Gwendolyn Bennett and Helene Johnson are hardly remembered at all.Yet each made a serious literary contribution to the meaning of modern femininity, relationship, and selfhood. Making Love Modern uncovers the deep historical sensitivity and interest of these women's love poetry. Placing their work in the context of subcultures nested within national culture, Nina Miller explores the tensions that make this literature so rewarding for contemporary readers. A poetry of intimate expression, it also functioned powerfully as public assertion.The writers themselves were high-profile embodiments of femininity, the local representatives of New Womanhood within their male-centered subcultural worlds. Making Love Modern captures the literary lives of these women as well as the complex subcultures they inhabited---Harlem, the Village, and glamorous Midtown. In the end, the book is a much a study of modernist New York as of women's love poetry during modernism. ... Read more

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In the early twentieth century, three women of color helped shape a new world of ethnographic discovery. Ella Cara Deloria, a Sioux woman from South Dakota, Zora Neale Hurston, an African American woman from Florida, and Jovita González, a Mexican American woman from the Texas borderlands, achieved renown in the fields of folklore studies, anthropology, and ethnolinguistics during the 1920s and 1930s. While all three collaborated with leading male intellectuals in these disciplines to produce innovative ethnographic accounts of their own communities, they also turned away from ethnographic meaning making at key points in their careers and explored the realm of storytelling through vivid mixed-genre novels centered on the lives of women. In this book, Cotera offers an intellectual history situated in the "borderlands" between conventional accounts of anthropology, women's history, and African American, Mexican American and Native American intellectual genealogies. At its core is also a meditation on what it means to draw three women--from disparate though nevertheless interconnected histories of marginalization--into conversation with one another. Can such a conversation reveal a shared history that has been erased due to institutional racism, sexism, and simple neglect? Is there a mode of comparative reading that can explore their points of connection even as it remains attentive to their differences? These are the questions at the core of this book, which offers not only a corrective history centered on the lives of women of color intellectuals, but also a methodology for comparative analysis shaped by their visions of the world. ... Read more

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Women's Film and Female Experience takes a fresh look at a wide range of popular "women's films" in order to discover what American female consciousness in the 1940s was really about. Arguing that popular culture reflects society--throught the mediation of myth and symbol--Andrea Walsh traces the main currents and undercurrents within the female psyche of the period by interpreting such film favorites as Mrs. Miniver, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Woman of the Year, and more. The author traces the evolution and development of the Hollywood women's film, and describes the social history of American women in the 1940s. She then analyzes domiant narrative patterns within popular women's films of the decade: the maternal drama, the career women comedy, and the films of suspicion and distrust. ... Read more

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