Clavin really knows his material, and he writes so engagingly that I sometimes forgot I was reading a historical account, as he evokes the various outClavin really knows his material, and he writes so engagingly that I sometimes forgot I was reading a historical account, as he evokes the various outlaws he follows, most to their unsavory ends. I really enjoy his style.
Framing this look at the waning of the "Old West" in particular the outlaws who preyed on banks, railroads, ranchers, and everyone else. was the tale of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I've never had any interest in those two, as I found the film dull when I saw it at twenty years old (hearing yet another maundering tweedle of "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" used to drive me right out of a room) so I was surprised to find out that as outlaws go, these two were not all that bad. There were far worse ones, some of them with whom the two joined up now and then.
Mostly I found the scant facts about "Ethel"--the woman of many names with whom the Sundance Kid partnered for a time, till she'd had enough--was surprisingly interesting. I'd found the actor in the film so dull that it had never occurred to me that this person was even more interesting than the two guys, who were mainly famous for being somewhat stylish in how they took others' belongings.
The frame mostly worked--except that it turns out that really there is nothing for certain known about what happened to the two, down in South America. If they were actually there. Another small problem in the last third was that Clavin sometimes told us the ends of some of the outlaws and the lawmen who chased them, then picked up their stories from another angle--and they were suddenly alive again, confusing me a bit as the cast was so large.
But those are small quibbles. I learned a lot, and thoroughly enjoyed the process....more
A terrific tracing of how legends of the Wild West grew--some deliberately, others just by going from mouth to ear. James is clearly an expert in the A terrific tracing of how legends of the Wild West grew--some deliberately, others just by going from mouth to ear. James is clearly an expert in the field, tracking down various tall tales, especially related to mining and miners, and how those spread: the Gold Rush was a galvanizing influence.
There are references here to silver mining, which was of especial interest to me as my spouse inherited a box of letters from an ancestor of his who wrote home about the perils of silver mining in Colorado and then life in California, and much of the way he spoke of what he heard about resonates with the way that James discusses the evolution of those tall tales....more
While this book focused on the Dalton Gang and their exploits through what became known as the "Wild West," Clavin--who appears to be well versed in tWhile this book focused on the Dalton Gang and their exploits through what became known as the "Wild West," Clavin--who appears to be well versed in this area of North American history--delves not just into the rather sad background of the Dalton family, but he gives us glimpses of other outlaws of the time, famous and not so famous. And then (if these outlaws survived the sudden death common to outlaws) where they ended up.
The style is a real pleasure to read, gleaming with humor. Though I don't usually listen to audio books, it occurred to me that this one would make great listening on a cross-country trip along Route 66, or through the areas once considered the Wild West.
Clavin gives us a wry look at the various non-Robin Hood robberies of these outlaws. These guys were no friends to the people--they were outright thieves. Trains as well as banks, including ordinary farmhouses, resulting in shoot-outs and cross country posse hunts. The climax occurs on October 5, 1892 when the gang decided to rob two banks at once in the small town of Coffeyville, Kansas, when many of the gang ended up dead. Only one Dalton survived. Others ended up in rodeos, and as actors in early movies, when all the stunt riding was done by the actors themselves. One or two even hopped the fence and became lawmen.
There are all kinds of side histories that I found interesting as well. I really enjoyed this book....more
A pair of middle-aged sisters solve crimes, mostly against women.
The research is solid--only one thing pinged me (unfortunately, given the violence inA pair of middle-aged sisters solve crimes, mostly against women.
The research is solid--only one thing pinged me (unfortunately, given the violence in the novel, it cropped up often) which was the use of the word "gun" for pistol, in a time when guns were specifically artillery pieces, that is, cannon. Other than that, wow, a deep dive into the underbelly of Regency-era life and crimes.
My problem with it lies not at all with the book, or the story Goodman wanted to tell. She did an admirable job not only with the research, but in crafting Gus, our narrator, in particular, who reminds me a great deal of Mary Wollstonecraft. My problem is that the covert art, and the title, as well as the ad language, caused me to expect a comedy of manners.
Nope. Murder, breast cancer, slavery, human trafficking, etc etc are vital subjects, but not ones I want to read fiction about. I read enough real history about the dark side of human nature, and of course there is the news and daily life to provide plenty of misery and anxiety, which is why I want my fiction to make me smile. I lauded the sisters' good work, but I didn't smile much while reading this, which is a fault with me as a reader, and not with the writer....more
This is a fun, sprightly mystery set in a quasi Victorian setting; I think of this particular subgenre as the Bridgertons subgenre: basically modern pThis is a fun, sprightly mystery set in a quasi Victorian setting; I think of this particular subgenre as the Bridgertons subgenre: basically modern people set in the vaguely sketched past, speaking and thinking like modern people, but getting to wear gorgeous clothes and ride around in carriages, etc.
Amelia is a countess, who, to fill her time, answers dilemmas as an Agony Aunt. (The book has a note explaining the concept at the back). She has the charge of a child, possesses the estate of her dead husband with no male heir in sight, and decides to solve crimes when one of the people writing to her for advice begs to meet her in secret, and turns up dead.
The plot is slow to develop, but once it gets going, it's a real page turner. I really liked Amelia and her made-family. I suspect that this is the setup for a series, for there was a hint of romance toward the end. I think it could be very successful for the readers who want modern people in Victorian clothes, unfettered by the many customs and restraints of that era. Including legal ones....more
I grabbed this from NetGalley hoping to read a historical novel set in Vienna's heyday, during the ball season. I think if I'd been about to read a feI grabbed this from NetGalley hoping to read a historical novel set in Vienna's heyday, during the ball season. I think if I'd been about to read a few pages I would have passed, not because it's a bad book, but because it is firmly set in the "Bridgertons" subgenre: modern people with modern thinking more or less set into a briefly sketched semblance of the past, so we can have the sumptuous trappings and the social dangers but with contemporary language and thinking.
My only real disappointment was that there was very little of Vienna in evidence. However, the author does her best to give us venturesome women running a failing hotel as the ball season comes (Faschingzeit; the copyeditor obviously does not know German, as there were a number of small errors). We get glimpses of the Wallner women's diaries as the plot weaves around them and their desperate need to save their hotel.
Structurally this is very much a romance novel, with the stage set broad at first, hinting at mysteries and espionage, but gradually closing in as the couple find one another and then dance their way onto the mattress. The mystery takes second seat to the romance, which no doubt will please romance readers!
In short, if you like modern characters set in historical times, behaving mostly like modern people, and a hot and heavy romance with a dash of mystery and espionage, this might be the read for you!...more
The cover is totally ridiculous, and I hope it doesn't drive away readers. I don't usually read western romance, but the mail order bride trope has beThe cover is totally ridiculous, and I hope it doesn't drive away readers. I don't usually read western romance, but the mail order bride trope has been a draw ever since I read a collection of actual memoirs of mail order brides some fifty years ago.
I'm so glad I opted for this one, which is set in Denver City, the Territory of Kansas in 1859. It's an important date to note, because of the political ructions Kansas was going through with respect to statehood, and what it meant to the rest of the young nation.
Our heroine is Marigold, whose sister Pearl actually was the mail order bride. Marigold, divorced and flat broke and totally disgraced, needs a fresh start. She comes to a town that seems to be made mainly of mud and mess, to marry grumpy Virgil Gardner, who needs a wife to take over his household and deal with his three kids while he tries desperately to get his new mining company going.
Of course you know they are going to have the hots for each other, but are fighting it. This is a romance. But given that predictable substrate, what you get here is a range of delightful characters, and a sure touch with period detail, after what seems to be impressive research. The book just kept getting better when Pearl shows up...
I loved the vivid descriptions, the characters, the brisk pacing, and above all the humor.
This is an immensely readable, though academic, work on the evolution of German army structure. Military buffs ought to be aware that this work doesn'This is an immensely readable, though academic, work on the evolution of German army structure. Military buffs ought to be aware that this work doesn't focus on battles, operational details, or military nuts and bolts. Instead, Wilson gives reasons why modern English-written works especially comb over well-trodden ground with respect to the history of military Prussia, while giving scarce attention to the leviathan that was the Holy Roman Empire during the 1500s-1700s.
Wilson's focus examines the development of weapons, and the logistical evolution that supports the growth of standing armies through this period. That's not to say that there is no coverage of important aspects of military history--we get an excellent section on the design of warships, for example--but while battles are referred to, they are not detailed as in purely military histories.
I found it especially worthwhile in tracing the path from the mass levies of medieval times through the hiring of mercenary armies to the idea of a standing army. And as I said above, there is at last equal attention given to Austrian development: I've only found good looks at equivalent developing of the Holy Roman Empire's military in books written in German. This goes for the Swiss military evolution as well--their soldiers once admired as the epitome of the warrior.
The writing is smooth and interesting, and the background research formidable. This is a book well worth having for anyone looking for reasons for military evolution through the middle of Europe before and during the Early Modern Period, which informs the shape of European interaction in the 20th Century.
The publicity touts Bridgerton as a comparison, I guess because of the TV show, and its diversity. I think the comparison to Poldark is closer to the The publicity touts Bridgerton as a comparison, I guess because of the TV show, and its diversity. I think the comparison to Poldark is closer to the mark. K.J. Charles seems to be working more in the well-loved path of the likes of Jeffrey Farnol than the silver fork tradition of Georgette Heyer in this m/m mystery romance. Only of course there is far more on-page sex.
I really enjoyed Charles' evocation of the smuggling coast of England at that time. I loved the smuggling family, and I even came to like the isolated, alienated Sir Gareth, abandoned early in life, even before he discovered that he was again an outsider in preferring men.
The villains are despicable, the mystery intriguing, the action quick-paced and the atmosphere, especially the descriptions of the marshes, pulling me right into that insular world. I hope the author comes back to this setting!...more
This somewhat breathless but engaging biography asks why Reynolds, supposedly England's best selling author (a claim I've seen about various writers fThis somewhat breathless but engaging biography asks why Reynolds, supposedly England's best selling author (a claim I've seen about various writers from Jane Austen to Max Beerbohm) is no longer known? The text surmises that it might be due to Reynolds' haphazard financial affairs and his lack of papers, and also his lack of "originality" in his fiction.
Going by the passages quoted, and by a quick look through some online sources, I would say that this lack of originality is due not just to cliche sensationalistic plot tropes, but to the purple prose popular among sensationalist writers of the period.
That aside, the biography is a slim book--and it was somewhat dismaying to discover that actual biographical data takes up half the pages. Less than half the pages when you take into account the long quotations, followed by the authors telling us how great these passages are. It occurred to me while reading that the authors thoroughly dug in on Reynolds' writings, but didn't, or perhaps couldn't, do the detective work to track down the details of Reynolds' life. There is a lot of guesswork in the transitions, also some surprising acceptance of praise at face value, for example, the fulsome review praising Reynolds' earliest work, while he was in Paris, reads exactly like "friend of the author" reviews to be found all over the internet. The biggest clue being praise of the author more than of the text.
Still, though this is pretty short on academic cred as far as Reynolds' life is concerned, the book makes up for it for any reader interested in progressive movements during Victorian times, including Chartism. Here, the authorial knowledge and enthusiasm shines....more
Desolation is a town in the Wild West remote enough that gunslingers and others who want to escape their pasts and settle down can actually do that. TDesolation is a town in the Wild West remote enough that gunslingers and others who want to escape their pasts and settle down can actually do that. The only problem is, enough gunslingers have shown up, resorting to old habits, that the sheriff (who used to be a deadly gunslinger himself) and the mayor (a woman) passed a law that these men had a month to either get married and settle down, or find a job and stick to it. Otherwise, they'd get the boot.
Adam Brady rides into town, and finds a group of men standing around. He has no idea what's going on, and he's dismayed to recognize the sheriff, who he's been trying to avoid; he notices some women, especially a tall one who wears trousers. Too many things going on at once; he follows the crowd, including shouting "I do!" when they shout--and then discovers that he's married.
Sort of. Except that neither he nor Nora have signed the marriage certificate. Nora needs to be married, but she wants a husband only long enough to secure the deed on her property, then she wants him to ride off, so he can't claim it as his, as the law decrees.
Meanwhile, Adam doesn't want to leave, but he also doesn't want to be married. And so as he fails at one job after another, the two encounter one another, and sparks fly.
It's a light-hearted romance, so you know what's going to happen. It's a bit slow through the middle, as the two never communicate what's most important, and carry on the are we or aren't we, but once they get past that, the second half has a lot of emotional roller coaster and some nice action.
I love this town (I really enjoyed the first in the series) and I'm eager to find out the other men's pasts, especially the Preacher. The side characters are a ton of fun, the humor brisk and lively, making it a fun read. Looking forward to the next....more
When I was a kid in the fifties, the radio waves were full of ballads about the Old West, and many of them mentioned the Texas Rangers, who brought laWhen I was a kid in the fifties, the radio waves were full of ballads about the Old West, and many of them mentioned the Texas Rangers, who brought law and order to the chaos of the Old West. As time went on, the name cropped up from time to time in American History courses and reading, and not always with approbation, such as wholesale slaughters against people whose only crime seems to have been speaking Spanish.
This looked like a good book to get a sense of the history of the rangers, and in a sense, it is. The author clearly did mountains of research about individual rangers, and the people they encountered, and so delves not only into the Rangers' exploits but into vital aspects of Texas history, such as cattle rustling, fencing vs free range, barb wire cutting, law, politics--and politics means not only politicians, but the community's attitudes, such as those who willingly or for money served as snitches.
That makes for a mosaic of a book, bouncing from historical figure to situation, sometimes ranging back and forth in time. Central seems to be F Company's battle against the Conner family, who appear to have lived on the margins, hot tempered and ready to shoot anything and anyone. Many of them died young, and took neighbors and rivals with them.
At best, one gets a sense of the painfully evolving control of chaos in those times, when waves of white people pushed westward, claiming vast tracts of land from those who had lived there for centuries, and building towns to serve themselves. Where it falls down is on the Rangers' treatment of people other than those white settlers; it also fails to take a hard look at the character of the Rangers, and of men who like to pick up guns and shoot other people. Sort of a timely topic....more
This novel is a great example of how important voice is. We learn in the first few pages that Junebug, a young teen who is tired of being the workhorsThis novel is a great example of how important voice is. We learn in the first few pages that Junebug, a young teen who is tired of being the workhorse for four brothers, because "that's women's work," lost her mother and three little sisters, and later we find out our heroine, Maddy Mooney, also lost her mother, and her siblings were separated, some sent to the workhouse, never to see one another again. (This is established early on, so I wouldn't call it a spoiler)
But Junebug is blithe about it--she's sure her little sisters dance about with the angels, and Maddy keeps her eyes forward. Meanwhile, being inside Junebug's head was fun, often laugh out loud funny for me--but I don't mind cussin' a blue streak along with the exaggerated language and colorful dialogue that comes with some stories about the frontier.
The novel could so easily have been grim and gritty all the way through, which would have lost me. As it was, the pacing is sometimes a bit slow, but I gave that a pass because it seemed pretty clear that we are being set up for a series of romances about these characters--and I am there for it. I loved them all.
The romance is slow burn, and those looking for on page sex might be disappointed, but I really enjoyed this story, I fell in love with Junebug, and I want to read the rest of the series!
The subject is women who inherited buckets of money, how they were treated, and how they lived.
Though the structure begins with the seventeenth centurThe subject is women who inherited buckets of money, how they were treated, and how they lived.
Though the structure begins with the seventeenth century in England, and moves up to the twentieth century, occasionally Thompson jumps around, sometimes for comparison, and sometimes because of connections across generations. After all, the world of the English upper classes is pret-ty insular, and a goodly number of the early heiresses especially were daughters of titled families.
I almost bailed early on when we get a highly fictionalized account of the life of Mary Davies, whose tragic life gets an arch, sarcastic summary by Thompson, full of innuendo without much academic backup. But once Thompson got that out of her system (and it might have been punched up to draw in the reader) there is a lot more reference to primary sources as she settles in to describe the jaw-droppingly awful state of women's rights during those centuries, and how heiress kidnapping and forced marriages was next thing to an established market. So very many of these heiresses were thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, too. Yuk. Not that certain super-rich widows faired much better.
Gradually she brings us up through the Victorian period when, at last, the beginnings of laws to protect women slowly began to trickle through Parliament. (Prodded by the cases of rich women--the plights of ordinary women are acknowledged, but lie outside the scope of this book.)
At the far end of the nineteenth century are the famous cases of the Buccaneers--wealthy American women who came over wanting titles. Thompson outlines the very well known ones, of course, including a look at Edith Wharton's world, but includes the not-famous, underscoring Wharton's theme that money and titles did not buy happiness: the women who lucked out were more often than not educated, with goals of their own besides being married.
Which sets us up for the Coco Chanel era--fin de siecle and early twentieth century, specifically rich women who lived for themselves, many of them outside wedlock, or not being married at all. A lot of these women became salonistes, or patrons of the arts, and lead the sorts of lives depicted in books and films, hobnobbing with artists and intellectuals, politicians and diplomats, or career adventurers of both sexes.
These women benefitted not only from a gradual push toward more equality before the law--and from being raised to be self-sufficient.
The book ends at the end of the twentieth century, with a grim look at Patty Hearst and Barbara Mackle, with a brief glance at the recent con artist who convinced New York she was an heiress, and bilked a lot of savvy business people of millions before she landed in jail (and with a boffo Netflix deal).
It's an engaging read, though with so broad a scope it's not surprising that it lacks depth.
If I did stars, this set of essays would get all the stars.
These well-written, well-researched essays by a variety of academics and writers examine thIf I did stars, this set of essays would get all the stars.
These well-written, well-researched essays by a variety of academics and writers examine the serious dearth of romance for people of color--while not overlooking the pioneers who published in spite of the hard push of accepted wisdom that only white people read. All through this book shout-outs for early romances aimed for the Black reader get air time. In fact, the list of books at the end, and the bibliography for further reading, are worth the price alone.
But first, enjoy the essays.
We all know that publishing has been, and is, all about book as "product" and what got published was what publishers assumed everyone wanted, everyone being the white book buyer. This generally accepted factoid, and how it is at last crumbling, is examined from all angles in the essays.
The selection is smartly chosen, ranging from academic to enthusiastic writers who talk about fan fiction as well as romance. Queer and trans perspectives are not overlooked, which furnishes a deeply appreciated window into how much Black readers in particular (many with reading tastes much like mine) had to go through to find even a modicum of representation.
I believe I read A Woman of Substance back in the late seventies. I got this from NetGalley hoping for a revisit to a story I remember enjoying. I do I believe I read A Woman of Substance back in the late seventies. I got this from NetGalley hoping for a revisit to a story I remember enjoying. I do think that the author's fans will fall into this blast from the past, but unfortunately I found it really hard going.
Part of the problem was the narrative voice stopping the story repeatedly to tell the reader, in flat, journalistic prose, the history of a character--including after the gist of it had already been shown through scene, creating a sense of repetition, and slowing the pacing to snail speed.
Then there were the scenes in which characters told each other things they already knew, in order to impart yet more information to the reader--and that too often in a kind of Irish dialect that bordered on caricature. I make no claim to being well versed in Irish speech patterns, especially those of a century ago, but in no novel written by an Irish person, about Irish people, have I ever seen quite so much "Faith, and [. . .]."
Then there was the fact that Blackie never sounded like any thirteen year old boy I've ever heard. I think the author wanted the reader to see that he had a good heart from the time he was small, but he was so fulsome that he came off priggish, reminding me of Eddie Haskell in the old Leave it to Beaver show.
I began skimming in search of story, finding the pacing to be more disjointed, with a lot more narrative voice instructing the reader carefully exactly what to think about the characters--with a heavy emphasis on slut-shaming in places, and so forth. Meanwhile Blackie's diction as he approached manhood, remained that same strange, robotic simulacrum of "I'm a good boy, I am," of his thirteen year old self, which made me skim the faster.
I hope that the book finds its audience and pleases them. I'm sorry I wasn't one of them. Maybe I ought to find another copy of that first book and reread it instead.
I hadn't heard of this series, pairing authors with classics for a "remix" but if the rest are like this one, sign me up.
My heart sank when I saw thatI hadn't heard of this series, pairing authors with classics for a "remix" but if the rest are like this one, sign me up.
My heart sank when I saw that it was written in present tense, but that seems to be the fashion in YA these days. It was far less awkward here than in many books I've read of late; after the initial jolt it became invisible, I was so immersed in the vivid depiction of southeast Asia in the early decades of the 1800s, the era of Zhen Yi Sao, the most successful pirates who ever lived--who happened to be a woman.
This is supposed to be a retelling of Treasure Island; Lee's take was so fresh that I forgot completely about the origin story as we get to know Xiang, who is eager to break away from the stifling village where she was sequestered, and test her abilities by running the tea house her mother owns.
Xiang misses the obvious clues that her mother is far more than she seems, she is so determined to prove herself--in spite of her mother's insistence she stay at home with her books and studies. One day she takes off to wander Canton, and meets a girl her own age, who turns out to be a thief. Xiang is hurt doubly, not just to find her father's precious pendant gone from around her neck, but that the first friend she had ever made turned out not to be one.
However, she meets Ahn again, and discovers that Ahn's mother runs a small fishing boat, but she is after a famous (infamous) treasure. Xiang runs away with them, and so the adventure begins
Lee has a sure hand with the details of the time. I was totally immersed in the wild life of the southeast sea coast at a volatile period of history. The characters were vivid, the pacing swift, and I loved the tentative, sometimes spiky friendship between Xiang and Ahn that gradually developed into something closer.
The climax is a real roller coaster of action and emotional highs and lows. I loved Xiang's arc--and Ahn's. I think Lee did a terrific job making these queer Asian heroines girls very much of their time, but accessible to the modern teen reader.
Gray Woodson is a super-fast gunslinger who wants to retire to someplace he can nap in the sun. He rides into Desolation, a town in the middle of nowhGray Woodson is a super-fast gunslinger who wants to retire to someplace he can nap in the sun. He rides into Desolation, a town in the middle of nowhere. Mercy lives alone, trying to keep her property from the local grabby nogoodnik, the Western version of the Evil Corporation. When Gray’s ornery horse leads him into the middle of a confrontation between Mercy and the nogoodnik, in desperation Mercy claims that Gray is her fiancé, which means she is not alone.
They find themselves hitched, though he just wants to snooze, and she is a terrible cook. As for Mercy, she just wants her supposed fiancé to take a bath.
I really got a kick out of this Old West romance. It’s got plenty of colorful side characters, funny scenes, and above all banter between the hero and heroine before and after they hit the sheets and discover the fun side of married life. There’s just enough action to keep the pace zipping along, without ever descending into Tombstone blood and guts. The romance is steamy, the exchanges witty, but most of all I really enjoyed watching Gray and Mercy become their best selves. A winner in these anxious times.
These selections from the four million words of coded diary Lister wrote over the course of her life reinforce the notion that gay and lesbian life waThese selections from the four million words of coded diary Lister wrote over the course of her life reinforce the notion that gay and lesbian life was very much a thing all along, but people dared not talk about it other than to their journal, or to a very trusted few.
Anne Lister had coded words within coded words. Such as 'kiss' meant sex or orgasm. None of the terms people used then got handed down because everyone had to live two lives, and the secret life was seldom detailed the way Lister does here.
She was born to the upper level of the gentry, though the family was running out of money. Through the diaries I gained the impression of a woman very proud of her class, and who thought of herself as a woman--but at the same time she thought nothing of getting out there with the men to do hard labor around the estate. And she ordered, and wore, masculine garments, such as a leather waistcoat, etc. She liked to dress male, and she also loved her femme finery.
She was also a staunch member of her church, and some entries indicate her inner struggle to reconcile to societal expectations, but she finally resolved that God made her that way, so it had to be okay, and anyway, most of the biblical references against same sex were aimed at men, not women. Because she was upfront to the aunt and uncle she lived with: she would never marry, and she "liked the ladies."
What's more, she had no trouble finding ladies who liked her, and who were willing to experiment, at least a little. She carried on an affair with a married woman--the woman having to marry because however else would she live? The choices were so few, and most of them pretty bleak if you did not have family money.
Anne Lister also struggles with crushing on women of a lower class. She is conservative, proud of her rank in life--a snob, in our terms, but at the same time she was gender-fluid in a way that many assume reserved for the 21st century. There are plenty of other Anne Listers through history, their voices just aren't heard for various reasons.
The rest of the diary is about her daily doings. She was not famous for anything, she created no great things, but she was clear-eyed about her own life, and how she wanted to live it. She also records how local men reacted to her, sometimes following her to offer themselves as a husband, and once, a man asked if she had a male member. So we get glimpses of how she was viewed in the community (she was known as "Gentleman Jack"), which again makes it clear that at the local level, gender fluidity was shrugged off in her particular community. This particular woman lived an otherwise ordinary life, suggesting that many others did as well. They just had to do it in secret....more
An engaging social history that, perhaps wisely, avoids reflecting the ever-evolving history of marriage, which was running in a not-always-parallel tAn engaging social history that, perhaps wisely, avoids reflecting the ever-evolving history of marriage, which was running in a not-always-parallel track to the presentation of eligible young woman through English history in particular.
It's a fun read, but I caution anyone serious about history to delve further, as I caught a number of errors. Besides naming the wrong king George (a mistake easily made) at the turn of the twentieth century, the farther back in history the more errors that I suspect arise out of the author not having made a study of these earlier periods of European history. Like the statement that conduct books (or courtesy books, manuals of etiquette and manners) appeared in England in the 1700s. Actually, no, they go back for centuries, an important one being various translations of Castiglione's The Courtier in the late 1500s--and the many, many fictional manuals of court and salon etiquette published in France all through the 1600s, which were read eagerly by the English upper classes, who learned French along with their drawing room polish. There were also reams of religious tracts whose purpose was to caution girls to be meek and modest
This goes for fictional reference as well; the single nod to Pride and Prejudice is completely wrong, a fact that five minutes' checking the text would have corrected. (Richardson writes, Mary belabors her time at the piano by playing religious tunes off-key--how did she get that from "Mary, at the end of a long concerto, was glad to purchase praise and gratitude by Scott and Irish airs"--which songs were not religious at all, but played so that her sisters could dance?)
Then there were the occasional textual errors ("He was bored of the endless banquets given in his honor . . ." should have been bored with), but these are all things a more diligent copy editor ought to have caught.
The bulk of the book makes an absorbing read, tracing the evolution of presentation/coming out/debut/debutante through the centuries, with tantalizing quotations from the letters and diaries of young women over the centuries. Richardson does a good job tracing how in New York society in particular, as the increasingly wealthy middle class caught on, presentation of debutantes became a business, keeping a number of side industries afloat, from the Keepers of Lists to flower sellers and orchestras.
Social histories such as these bring the focus to women's lives. Richardson brings the evolving view of debutantes to the twenty-first century, including very brief overviews of the burgeoning debutante business among China's new rich, and among women of color, for so long shut out of white class rituals.
I would really have liked seeing more pictures, especially of the gowns and locations mentioned in the book. But like I said, overall it was quite absorbing, in particular when the author got to more modern times, and could draw on more sources of material in addition to her own experiences. ...more
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