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A review by laurieb755
The Civil Wars of Julia Ward Howe: A Biography by Elaine Showalter
4.0
A highly readable and interesting biography of Julia Ward Howe. Also the first biography I can recall where the biographer (Elaine Showalter) injects herself into the story. Showalter, an emeritus professor of English at Princeton (according to the author's blurb on the inside back cover), gives her opinion on some of Julia's writings, and for brief moments it felt as if I was reading a literary critique, though this did not detract from the book as a whole.
Indeed, I found Showalter's approach enjoyable and easy to read, despite occasional moments when it felt like Julia's story was jumping around in time. I was almost curious enough to consider reading some of the other biographies mentioned, and may yet one day do so.
As for Julia Ward Howe's story, it was a vivid reminder of how far women have come in 200 years, and how far we still have to go in terms of true, fair equality. (Think paychecks, control over our own bodies, politics…) Howe is best known for the writing of The Battle Hymn of the Republic.
And what attracted me to this book in the first place? My husband borrowed it from the library because his grandmother had told him a story of meeting Julia Ward Howe and getting to ride with her in a carriage. His grandmother would have been a young girl at the time, and Julia would have been somewhere in her 70s, 8s or 90s.
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Post Script December 29, 2016 - My husband has been reading the book (almost finished) and we have been discussing it. The more we discuss it, the more I find myself negating some of what I wrote in this review. My irritation at Showalter's insertion into the book has grown between when I finished the book and now. We did watch the beginning of a book talk that Showalter gave at the Politics & Prose Bookstore in Washington, D.C. and I may eventually watch the entire talk. Showalter was interesting to listen to, but it was later in the evening and I was getting tired.
Indeed, I found Showalter's approach enjoyable and easy to read, despite occasional moments when it felt like Julia's story was jumping around in time. I was almost curious enough to consider reading some of the other biographies mentioned, and may yet one day do so.
As for Julia Ward Howe's story, it was a vivid reminder of how far women have come in 200 years, and how far we still have to go in terms of true, fair equality. (Think paychecks, control over our own bodies, politics…) Howe is best known for the writing of The Battle Hymn of the Republic.
And what attracted me to this book in the first place? My husband borrowed it from the library because his grandmother had told him a story of meeting Julia Ward Howe and getting to ride with her in a carriage. His grandmother would have been a young girl at the time, and Julia would have been somewhere in her 70s, 8s or 90s.
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Post Script December 29, 2016 - My husband has been reading the book (almost finished) and we have been discussing it. The more we discuss it, the more I find myself negating some of what I wrote in this review. My irritation at Showalter's insertion into the book has grown between when I finished the book and now. We did watch the beginning of a book talk that Showalter gave at the Politics & Prose Bookstore in Washington, D.C. and I may eventually watch the entire talk. Showalter was interesting to listen to, but it was later in the evening and I was getting tired.