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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
Overall I really enjoyed this book!!
It’s sort of a biography of the incredible and iconic lesbian of the 19th century Anne Lister. She kept a diary for most of her life so much of this book is excerpts of her own writing with added explanation / shortened history to make it an easier read.
Although at times I was a bit bored I found the life of Anne a very interesting read overall. She was a unique woman who wore all black and loved women - what’s not to love? Although her politics and liking for the upper class lifestyle is different to that of myself as a lesbian I could relate to much of her story and the emotions she felt. Also her intellect and love of books is relatable. She was a smart woman who liked to woo women and reading about her love affairs was so interesting to me. When you think about it - It’s amazing to read about a lesbian who was so openly herself, managed land, tenants, legal documents, had the luxury of studying anatomy and even marrying her companion Ann Walker when lesbians were mostly not spoken about or referred to as ‘very good friends’. The ability of Anne to write in code and keep such an extensive diary is fascinating and we are lucky they were found and her history is preserved for future generations.
Even though some of this book was boring I truly felt validated reading about Anne and Ann. I also felt inspired by her story (and her finding her wife at 40 gives me so much hope for the future). I also just loved the HBO series starring Suranne Jones (who is so hot ma’am I love your work) and is on the cover of this book - which I’d usually find annoying but I don’t mind since she’s hot.
Overall, wonderful piece of gay history and literature and I’m so glad Anne Lister is able to be remembered as the butch lesbian girlboss she was.
It’s sort of a biography of the incredible and iconic lesbian of the 19th century Anne Lister. She kept a diary for most of her life so much of this book is excerpts of her own writing with added explanation / shortened history to make it an easier read.
Although at times I was a bit bored I found the life of Anne a very interesting read overall. She was a unique woman who wore all black and loved women - what’s not to love? Although her politics and liking for the upper class lifestyle is different to that of myself as a lesbian I could relate to much of her story and the emotions she felt. Also her intellect and love of books is relatable. She was a smart woman who liked to woo women and reading about her love affairs was so interesting to me. When you think about it - It’s amazing to read about a lesbian who was so openly herself, managed land, tenants, legal documents, had the luxury of studying anatomy and even marrying her companion Ann Walker when lesbians were mostly not spoken about or referred to as ‘very good friends’. The ability of Anne to write in code and keep such an extensive diary is fascinating and we are lucky they were found and her history is preserved for future generations.
Even though some of this book was boring I truly felt validated reading about Anne and Ann. I also felt inspired by her story (and her finding her wife at 40 gives me so much hope for the future). I also just loved the HBO series starring Suranne Jones (who is so hot ma’am I love your work) and is on the cover of this book - which I’d usually find annoying but I don’t mind since she’s hot.
Overall, wonderful piece of gay history and literature and I’m so glad Anne Lister is able to be remembered as the butch lesbian girlboss she was.
Happy Pride Month! A very interesting and important story for both queer and feminist history. Really shows the need for intersectional feminism though —yeesh her social/economic conservatism! Her family though was SHOCKINGLY open to her lifestyle and even Christian gay marriage. She really was lucky with respect to finances, family, and situation. The large amount of primary text sources in her voice was surprising and much appreciated. The author’s writing was repetitive and I didn’t necessarily like a lot of her contributions, and I’m not sure about the pacing and choice of what to include or not. However, a decent read with good historical document inclusion. Also sad how little acceptance has changed in some circles— as someone who doesn’t always dress the most feminine, I can definitely attest to worse treatment for ugly/less feminine women even in more liberal areas, as well as continued harmful generalizations and stereotyping. But still, interesting to see how lesbianism was hidden and somewhat accepted in this time, and how different it was for queer women than for queer men. Secret perk of sexism I guess? The ending is kind of sad, but it’s a remarkable story nonetheless, and a lot less traumatic (in terms of homophobia) than so much modern queer media.
Also loved learning about her early work in anatomy and human dissection!! Sadly seemed to believe in phrenology and who knows the ethics of the bodies sourced for her work, but still, her ability to be so tough around gore was remarkable. The story about her employee’s partial autopsy was a little weird though, wonder if it was something he would’ve been OK with? It was interesting to think about her learning about her own sexuality without the language for it, and it in its own way being a scientific exploration of self and others. Also cool how she was just so darn charismatic that even if everyone thought she was “an oddity,” she was still able to social climb and be part of her society.
She was so much more than her love story though, and I wish the parts about her travels and business practices (though a bit yikes sometimes) were expanded on (and to be honest, better written). A more complete biography would be better.
Also the controversy about terminology for her presentation is a bit ridiculous, because we have so much of her writing and can see how she presents herself. She has her own words and thoughts and fighting about her seems a bit ridiculous. Our constant need to label everything I guess.I think people can enjoy her story and resonate with it without having to fight about terminology she didn’t know or identify with.
Also loved learning about her early work in anatomy and human dissection!! Sadly seemed to believe in phrenology and who knows the ethics of the bodies sourced for her work, but still, her ability to be so tough around gore was remarkable. The story about her employee’s partial autopsy was a little weird though, wonder if it was something he would’ve been OK with? It was interesting to think about her learning about her own sexuality without the language for it, and it in its own way being a scientific exploration of self and others. Also cool how she was just so darn charismatic that even if everyone thought she was “an oddity,” she was still able to social climb and be part of her society.
She was so much more than her love story though, and I wish the parts about her travels and business practices (though a bit yikes sometimes) were expanded on (and to be honest, better written). A more complete biography would be better.
Also the controversy about terminology for her presentation is a bit ridiculous, because we have so much of her writing and can see how she presents herself. She has her own words and thoughts and fighting about her seems a bit ridiculous. Our constant need to label everything I guess.I think people can enjoy her story and resonate with it without having to fight about terminology she didn’t know or identify with.
informative
medium-paced
Absolutely brilliant book to follow-on having watched the awesome BBC/HBO TV series of the same name.
As a companion book, I would strongly recommend watching the full show first before delving into this book. I did find that having done that myself, this book added so many little intricacies that a TV show just couldn't - and reading Anne Lister's descriptions of events (and even just the minutiae of her amazing life) in own words taken straight from her diaries was just so awe-inspiring. Her use of language was truly beautiful - even if the grammar and vocabulary of Regency Britain seems just a little verbose to the average 21st century reader.
Just loved this...will probably re-read after my next rewatch of the show...
As a companion book, I would strongly recommend watching the full show first before delving into this book. I did find that having done that myself, this book added so many little intricacies that a TV show just couldn't - and reading Anne Lister's descriptions of events (and even just the minutiae of her amazing life) in own words taken straight from her diaries was just so awe-inspiring. Her use of language was truly beautiful - even if the grammar and vocabulary of Regency Britain seems just a little verbose to the average 21st century reader.
Just loved this...will probably re-read after my next rewatch of the show...
This is a very literal companion book for the first season of Gentleman Jack, covering essentially the period of time covered in the show. This threw me off at first as I was hoping for a more traditional biography of Anne Lister, with more information about the first 40 years of her life. It also seems odd because there’s going to be a second season - so will they write another companion book for season 2?
That said, it was fascinating to compare the book to the show. Although almost everything about Anne’s tenants and servants appear to be made up out of whole cloth, the relationship between Walker and Lister appear to be almost completely accurate, including events I had assumed were created in the show for the sake of drama.
Since the book also quotes liberally from Anne’s diary, we also get a sense of day-to-day life for upper-middle class landowners that I find really interesting.
4 stars.
That said, it was fascinating to compare the book to the show. Although almost everything about Anne’s tenants and servants appear to be made up out of whole cloth, the relationship between Walker and Lister appear to be almost completely accurate, including events I had assumed were created in the show for the sake of drama.
Since the book also quotes liberally from Anne’s diary, we also get a sense of day-to-day life for upper-middle class landowners that I find really interesting.
4 stars.
Another of the Anne Lister biographies that were released this year to coincide with the release of the TV series Gentleman Jack. And this one, published by BBC and with Suranne Jones on the cover, most definately was released to coincide.
Not just a tv handbook though, this is a very well written and readable account with plenty of excerpts from Anne's diaries, but not too much. I can imagine it must be a herculean task to wade through all that material from the original diaries and pull out the essentials for a biography. For the definitive biography, this may not be it, and I only say this because this book focuses on a few years of Anne's life, when she's first meeting and wooing Ann Walker. Basically the time period as the first series covers. But this isn't an account of the fictionalised script for tv (and you can find out from reading this that some things have been changed as per poetic licence), but instead an historical account of that time. It's informative but easy reading. If you're looking for the uber detailed cradle to death account try Angela Steidele's recent biography.
Anne Lister lived in the first half of the 1800s, from West Yorkshire and most famous resident and later owner of Shibden Hall (well worth a visit) just outside of Halifax. She was an obsessional diary writer, which is why there is so much information about her available today - albeit all from her perspective - and an eccentric of the time, who had a more traditionally male outlook on life and behaviour, was desperate to learn and study, travel as much as she could, and was a lesbian who was comfortable with who she was, and just wanted to settle down with a wife. Tough aspirations for such a repressive time! Not that she was perfect. Forward thinking when it affected her, yet she was fine with employing kids in her mines, and was an old-school hierarchical society snob. But you've got to take it all, and she's upfront with it all and doesn't pretend to be anyone she's not - which you wouldn't with your diaries, would you?
Not just a tv handbook though, this is a very well written and readable account with plenty of excerpts from Anne's diaries, but not too much. I can imagine it must be a herculean task to wade through all that material from the original diaries and pull out the essentials for a biography. For the definitive biography, this may not be it, and I only say this because this book focuses on a few years of Anne's life, when she's first meeting and wooing Ann Walker. Basically the time period as the first series covers. But this isn't an account of the fictionalised script for tv (and you can find out from reading this that some things have been changed as per poetic licence), but instead an historical account of that time. It's informative but easy reading. If you're looking for the uber detailed cradle to death account try Angela Steidele's recent biography.
Anne Lister lived in the first half of the 1800s, from West Yorkshire and most famous resident and later owner of Shibden Hall (well worth a visit) just outside of Halifax. She was an obsessional diary writer, which is why there is so much information about her available today - albeit all from her perspective - and an eccentric of the time, who had a more traditionally male outlook on life and behaviour, was desperate to learn and study, travel as much as she could, and was a lesbian who was comfortable with who she was, and just wanted to settle down with a wife. Tough aspirations for such a repressive time! Not that she was perfect. Forward thinking when it affected her, yet she was fine with employing kids in her mines, and was an old-school hierarchical society snob. But you've got to take it all, and she's upfront with it all and doesn't pretend to be anyone she's not - which you wouldn't with your diaries, would you?
Great companion read to Gentleman Jack and my need to learn more about Anne Lister! What a remarkable individual. I appreciate the authors summary of this snippet of her life and found it to be concise, engaging and informative.