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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
fast-paced
I LOVE a non-fiction book that reads like fiction! To hear these 4 women's stories in their own words or the words of their contemporaries was fascinating. I was never that interested in the Civil War when I was in school - the names of myriad battles just wasn't that interesting but put in the context of the lives of every day people made them much more interesting and impactful.
I started this book with extreme dislike for the confederate charters and the rawness in how the author told their tales, but I continued to read for the Union characters, particularly Emma, and soon I was fascinated by them all.
The author does a great job of blending narratives and resources to keep these women’s stories in context while also identifying the major events of the U.S. Civil War.
The author does a great job of blending narratives and resources to keep these women’s stories in context while also identifying the major events of the U.S. Civil War.
Solid 3.5.
Seeing the civil war through the eyes of four women, two Union, two Confederate, the book gives a rare glimpse of four women who chose not to simply sit tat home and wait for the soldiers to return.Their spying and influence had quite an impact on some pretty important battles.
Only complaint is a touch too much emphasis of the words of the women themselves. Two of the four wrote books for profit after the war, their tendency to exaggerate is not subtle.
But you do get a sense for what these women accomplished for their respective side during the war.
7 secret maps hidden in corsets out of 10.
Seeing the civil war through the eyes of four women, two Union, two Confederate, the book gives a rare glimpse of four women who chose not to simply sit tat home and wait for the soldiers to return.Their spying and influence had quite an impact on some pretty important battles.
Only complaint is a touch too much emphasis of the words of the women themselves. Two of the four wrote books for profit after the war, their tendency to exaggerate is not subtle.
But you do get a sense for what these women accomplished for their respective side during the war.
7 secret maps hidden in corsets out of 10.
It is refreshing to read about the contributions and the role of women in history! This book offers the history of four unusual and completely interesting women who clearly affected in significant ways the progress of the Civil War. Moreover, the author provides the personal side of each woman's personality, motivations, and eccentricities. Rose, Emma, Belle, and Elizabeth would be proud.
This book had been on my to-read list so long I'd forgotten what it was about, and when I arrived right before closing at the library my desire to leave with something to read overcame by lack of interest in the subject matter. Fortunately this book is well written so I enjoyed reading it.
Nonfiction that reads like fiction --- currently top on my list of choices to read. Abbott's writing brings to life 4 incredibly brave audacious women, passionate for their cause. History and people portrayed to put the reader walking with the characters and dressed in period costume. Of all the women, Elizabeth Van Lew, intrigues me the most and now I must search out a biography. Would be interested to read Emma Edmonds/Frank Thompson's memoir. Belle Boyd and Rose Greenhow were interesting people, but since I'm not in sympathy for their cause, I'm not motivated to read more. Which speaks volumes for Abbott to be able to write eloquently of people on both sides of the conflict. Finally the other person most profoundly present who intrigues me is Mary Jane Bowser. To be a spy in Jeff Davis' home required the highest level of courage, discretion and intelligence. Now there's another person to had to my reading list.
We have middle school students who read "Gods and Generals" by Jeff Shaara and "Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara. This is equally worthy and accessible tome for them. I'll be adding it to the collection and to my book talks.
This book is a fantastic choice by Centre County Reads. Can't wait for the events and discussions!
We have middle school students who read "Gods and Generals" by Jeff Shaara and "Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara. This is equally worthy and accessible tome for them. I'll be adding it to the collection and to my book talks.
This book is a fantastic choice by Centre County Reads. Can't wait for the events and discussions!
Well researched and written! Hard to believe what these women did, what they felt compelled to do, in the Civil War.
The women selected were interesting, but I really disliked the structure of the narrative. The jumping around from woman to woman made it hard to fall into a rhythm.
Felt sensationalized, though did make me want to read more about these four women. Amazing to read about their lives during the Civil War--their prowess, intelligence, connections, and skills.
And some of the descriptive phrases made me cringe--either didn't fit the event or seemed too modern to be apt for stories about the 1860s. Hated that author, throughout the book when she was talking about the Union forces, called them Yankees. Certainly needed to be used when in a quotations, but author should have used terms more as an historian. Also her endnotes often did not fully support the way in which she framed the story--some of the books sounded similar to a romance novel, instead of nonfiction account of the women's lives.
I wanted more research by the author to expand on the diaries and memoirs. There were also times when the author did not choose to explain some terms that I thought she should have (some terms I knew, but felt many readers would not understand the term's meaning in 1860s).
And some of the descriptive phrases made me cringe--either didn't fit the event or seemed too modern to be apt for stories about the 1860s. Hated that author, throughout the book when she was talking about the Union forces, called them Yankees. Certainly needed to be used when in a quotations, but author should have used terms more as an historian. Also her endnotes often did not fully support the way in which she framed the story--some of the books sounded similar to a romance novel, instead of nonfiction account of the women's lives.
I wanted more research by the author to expand on the diaries and memoirs. There were also times when the author did not choose to explain some terms that I thought she should have (some terms I knew, but felt many readers would not understand the term's meaning in 1860s).