A fine biography, both enlightening and entertaining, on a critical topic.
Susan B. Anthony was among the earliest proponents of women’s rights and devoted most of her life to the cause.
In an in-depth biography of this important historical figure, Kanefield relies heavily on primary-source materials, especially Anthony’s own revealing words. Born to a Quaker father and a mother who refused to join the religion, Anthony was encouraged in childhood to be strong-willed. Once she became involved in furthering women’s very limited rights, she’d need every bit of that will, often speaking before hostile crowds at a time when women were expected to remain within their own sphere, managing a household and raising children. Gaining women the right to vote was always the ultimate goal, but Anthony also campaigned for married women to be able to own property and to leave abusive husbands. In her lifetime she saw remarkable advances in women’s rights although she died before the movement achieved its final goal. Anthony presciently predicted that one day women would be unaware that they hadn’t always had freedom and rights. “They have no idea of how every single inch of ground that she stands upon today has been gained by the hard work of some little handful of women of the past,” an unfortunate ignorance that this biography helps correct. The excellent backmatter includes notes, a timeline, excerpts from Anthony’s writing, a bibliography, and an index (the last not seen).
A fine biography, both enlightening and entertaining, on a critical topic. (Biography. 11-16)Pub Date: March 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3401-4
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2019
Hopping wraps her cogent account of how the Nee-mee-pu (Nez Perce) were rooted out of their homeland and only subdued after a long and heroic pursuit around twin character portraits of the group and of its most renowned member. While presenting Joseph as one chief among several—and not a war chief, as sometimes depicted, but “a peace chief, a civil leader” whose greatest skill was the ability to “sway others with well-chosen words”—she places him in a peaceable, prosperous and steady society that enjoyed good relations with encroaching “So-ya-pu” until broken promises, profound misunderstanding and outright aggression escalated into violence. Joseph argued for peace before and during the tragic “War of 1877” and in later years too as he became a nationally known figure. His tale has been told plenty of times to young audiences, but this iteration comes in an appealingly compact format, with plenty of contemporary photos and maps, plus a generous selection of backmatter. (glossary, bibliography, source notes, index) (Biography. 11-13)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4027-6842-2
Page Count: 124
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2010
This mixed-format profile of the Great Soul sandwiches a concise narrative account of his life—enhanced by plenty of photos and sketched illustrations, plus side boxes and a spread on Hindu theology and customs—between a look at formative experiences in his early career presented in graphic panels and closing spreads of short passages from his works arranged by major themes (“Civil Disobedience,” “Love”). Urging readers to “listen to his words and consider whether some of his goals are also our own,” de Lambilly follows Gandhi from birth to assassination, focusing especially on the development of his philosophy, his methods of nonviolent protest and the relentless courage with which he took on the forces of racial, national and religious prejudice. Though the author’s fact checking could have been better—Pakistan was not “the world’s first Muslim country,” nor was her subject the “first person to use non-violence in politics”—Gandhi’s inspiring example and message is conveyed here with eloquence and simplicity in an appealingly designed package. The resource list includes works for both adults and younger audiences. (index) (Biography. 11-13)
Pub Date: Nov. 10, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59270-094-3
Page Count: 72
Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2010
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