When I visited the Harold C. Deutsch World War II History Round Table in the Twin Cites back in March, one of the members introduced me to a women’s military auxiliary unit. I had never heard of the Women’s Air Raid Defense of the Hawaiian Islands (WARD). It was rabbit hole time! WARD was formed…
Those of you who also read my newsletter may remember that for the last few months I have been exploring the question of Japanese pop culture and the United States. It has been fascinating and frustrating. I know a lot more than I did when I began my quest in early February, but I still…
Here is my annual Public Service Announcement: Today is Independent Bookstore Day in the United States, assuming you are reading this on the day it comes out. It’s a nationwide party for book lovers. Here in Chicago, local independent bookstores are once again hosting their bookstore crawl in celebration. I’m lucky enough to have three…
Dear Marginalia: As some of you may remember, ten years ago I wrote a book on Civil War Nurses called Heroines of Mercy Street: Real Nurses of the Civil War. Right now I have Civil War nurses on my mind again as I prepare to give talk on the subject at the historical museum in…
Several weeks ago, I was the guest of the Dr. Harold C. Deutsch World War II History Round Table in the Twin Cities. I was there to talk about Sigrid Schultz and The Dragon From Chicago,[1] but the members of the Round Table[2] kept me entertained throughout my visit, introducing me to history-adjacent sites I…
I am reminded a little after the fact that April 12 was the anniversary of the fall of Fort Sumter, which further reminded me of our spectacular visit to the fort in January, 2017. Enjoy! *** My Own True Love and I are spending a long weekend in Charleston, South Carolina. For me, it’s a…
Returning to the idea of women who were inventors and/or entrepreneurs, allow me to introduce you to Bette Nesmith Graham, a struggling single mother who founded what became a multi-million dollar business in her kitchen[1].
In 1954, Bette Nesmith Graham was a divorced single mother who supported herself and her son, Michael,[2] by working as the executive secretary for the chairman of the Texas …
A post form 2022 for your amusement while I catch up on the things that piled up during Women’s History Month. New posts soon, I promise!
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I was recently digging about in the history of women’s magazines in the early twentieth century when I came across a familiar name: Bessie Beatty. I knew Beatty’s work from her reporting on Russia’s Women’s Battalion of Death, which I wrote about in Women W…
As always, I have mixed feeling about the end of Women’s History Month.
As always, I’ve loved running this series of mini-interviews with people doing interesting work in the field of women’s history. I hope you’ve enjoyed it, too.
Over the last few months[1] I’ve had a chance to interact with some of my history-writing heroes, and find some new ones. I’ve added books to my TBR list. I’ve promote…
I am delighted to wrap up this year’s Women’s History Month Q & A series with Della Leavitt. She and I have been following each other around the writing world, on-line and in real life, for a long time.
After careers in tech and math education, Della began an intensive DIY study of writing fiction within the vibrant Midwestern writing community including coursework and a fellowship at the Newberr…
Every year I gather up my courage to invite at least one writer whom I do not know and whose work is extraordinary. This year that writer was Dava Sobel. I fan-girled all over the house when she said yes.
Dava Sobel is the author of Longitude (Walker 1995, Bloomsbury 2005), Galileo’s Daughter (Walker 1999 and 2011), The Planets (Viking 2005, Penguin 2006), A More Perfect Heaven (Walker/Bloomsbury…
This one dates from 2021. I was glad to pull it out and read it again.
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I’ve been waiting to read Paige Bowers’s Overnight Code, the story of groundbreaking computer engineer and ship designer Raye Montague, ever since Paige announced the deal more than a year ago. When I finally got my hands on it, the book more than lived up to my expectations. Overnight Code is an important addition to the …
Like all historians, I enjoy a dip into the archives!
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Lydia Moland is the author of Lydia Maria Child: A Radical American Life, a biography of one of 19th-century America’s fiercest abolitionists. She is the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Professor of Philosophy at Colby College in Maine and the author of books and articles on 19th-century German philosophy. Her work on Lydia Maria Child …
Another post from the past!
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Sara Catterall and I have been following each other around the internet since we met as reviewers for Shelf Awareness, a shockingly long time ago. I’ve been looking forward to her biography of Amelia Bloomer ever since she began posting about it. As you’ll see below, bloomers were only a small part of Bloomer’s life.
Sara is a writer with a Drama degree from NYU, a…
Ericka Verba is Professor of Latin American Studies at California State University, Los Angeles. Her research interests include the cultural Cold War, the role of music in social movements, and the intersection of gender and class politics in twentieth-century Latin America. She has received grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, the Social Science Research …
One of the delights of a road trip is seeing a sign advertising an unexpected attraction. The kind that makes you go “What??!!” and immediately pull out your phone because you can’t believe you read it correctly.
One of the frustrations of a road trip is missing something you would like to see because the timing does not work.
The Anne Frank Pen Pal Museum in Danville, Iowa, fits both categories.…
