Elizabeth Campbell Denlinger

Where I got the book: purchased from Amazon.

I found this little gem because it was referenced in a wiki on a historical character I wanted to research. It is an account of the lives of, as the subtitle says, extraordinary women in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. It consists of topical chapters with a short introduction, followed by accounts of the lives of women whose biographies illustrate the writer's theme.

This is an excellent primer for anyone who is unfamiliar with the pre-Victorian era and would like a place to start. The book is a nicely put together, quality printing, illustrated by fascinating images of the women and their work where appropriate. I noticed one duplicate paragraph, but otherwise the presentation was flawless.

I learned a great deal about the individual women from Denlinger's beautifully clear summaries. I also got an impression of life growing harder and more restrictive for women as the nineteenth century drew on with its notions of propriety and submissive womanhood.

And what a cast of characters: mistresses, courtesans, writers, poets, artists, scientists, lesbians, princesses and travelers. If you're a writer looking for an interesting historical main character, grab a copy of this book.… (meer)