Sunday, July 27, 2008

Founding Mothers - Cokie Roberts

Author: Cokie Roberts
Year: 2004
Country: USA
Pages: 348 pgs.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

First sentence: When you hear of a family with two brothers who fought heroically in the Revolutionary War, served their state in high office, and emerged as key figures in the new American nation, don't you immediately think, "They must have had a remarkable mother"?

I remember very little about my schooling on the Revolutionary War, other than an awarness that my old history books were filled with dates of battles, and the heroics of soldiers, and not much else. Therefore, when I first picked up this book, I met quite a few people I should have heard of...but didn't.

I never knew that one of the most influential writers of the Revolutionary area was a woman, Mery Otis Warren. That a British writer and feminist--Catherine McCauley played a large part in influencing the minds of the American federalists. That a woman was the money (and a good part of the intellect) behind Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin--Eliza Lucas Pinckney. There are many more stories in Founding Mothers of women who helped to shape the newly created American nation.

You can tell that Roberts was meticulous in her research into the women who provided a vast amount of courage, patriotism, and dedication to a fledgling nation that afforded them hardly any rights. It is also very obvious that this is a book that she truly enjoyed writing, the author's passion for the topic shines through. One of the only downsides is that the reader is often bounced from topic to topic, which, for someone without a solid knowledge about the Revolutionary Era, can become a bit confusing. Especially when so many people shared similar names!

If you have reviewed this book and would like your review listed here, let me know!

7 comments:

Tash said...

This sounds like a very interesting book, I have always been fascinated by pioneering people, whether early Americans or Australian migrants. But so many of the women were not considered important, it was always the men that were written about!

I shall have to dig up this book when I have a moment!

An ICLW visitor!

Literary Feline said...

So much of the focus during school when I was studying this subject was not about the women--except for that one month out of the year. And usually we were way past the Revolution by that time. This sounds like an interesting book. One worth taking the time to read. Great review.

Wendy said...

Hi Alisia :) Just wanted to let you know I sent you another email about the book you won (Yummy Mummy)...I don't know if you got the first one I sent or not! If you respond to that with your snail mail, I'll mail your book right out to you! Congratulations again on winning!

alicia said...

wow how do you pronouce your name, mine is Alicia!

I am not sure this book would be my style, but it does sound interesting!

Love your reading partner pic, my cat is also my baby!

Here from ICLW

Anne said...

Thanks for your comment. We are reading children's books at my place. Snuggle Puppy is in heavy rotation!

Anonymous said...

Just to let you know that you've been tagged for 'six quirky things' - not sure if you're already in there...

Antonette said...

Putting this one on my TBR list.

ICLW

http://1crazymomma.typepad.com