Book Review
Basic Details:
Book Title: One Woman's
Voice
Subtitle: Biography of
Elizabeth Mansfield Irving (1852-1939), elocutionist, patriot, women's rights
pioneer
Author:
Thomas Leverett
Genre: Biography & True
Accounts
Part of a series? No
Order in series:
Best read after earlier
books in series?
Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60820534-one-woman-s-voice
Overall
score:
I
scored this book 4/5
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Short
Summary of the book:
I’m not really one for reading biographies,
but this one was recommended to me by some friends. It tells the story of a
woman who was not willing to conform to the rules of the time and set out to
have a career; a successful one at that. The book was entertaining to read.
What
I liked about the book:
I liked how Elizabeth went against the grain
of the time and became successful, young woman, wife, young mother, then widow
and single parent to young children.
What
I didn’t like about the book:
There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about the
book.
My
favourite bits in the book:
The book was an enjoyable read.
My
least favourite bits in the book:
I enjoyed the entire book.
Any
further books in the series? Any more planned by this author?
This is the first book I’ve read by this
author. I understand he has written more biographies.
What
books could this be compared to and why?
This is a biography.
Recommendation:
In
summary, I would recommend this book to the following readers:
|
Children |
No |
|
Young
Adult |
Yes |
|
Adult |
Yes |
If
you like biographies, this book may be
the book for you.
Book
Description by Author:
Elizabeth Mansfield Irving was born in New
York State just before the Civil War, when elocution (speaking well and
effectively) was a national pastime, and she loved to recite poems and speak.
As a woman, she was somewhat limited in what she could do, but she was
successful at reciting poetry at veterans' reunions and encampments, and made a
national reputation as reader, particularly the poetry of her friend Kate
Brownslee Sherwood. She also ran her husband's insurance business and taught
elocution in Toledo over many decades. Through her life we can learn about the
age of elocutionists (influenced by Delsarte) and the era when women found
their voice, not only through suffrage but also through studying and learning
elocution.
About
the Author:
