How did Texas become the amazing state that it is today you may wonder? More than Petticoats: Remarkable Texas Women recognizes the women who shaped the Lone State State. Female teachers, writers, entrepreneurs, and artists from across the state are illuminated through short biographies.
Greta Anderson is the author of More Than Petticoats: Remarkable Texas Women and More Than Petticoats: Remarkable Wisconsin Women (both Globe Pequot Press). She is a reporter, editor and producer of community radio programs in central Iowa, and lives with her husband on a small acreage where she practices vegetable farming and other arts. She lives in Nevada, Iowa.
Focusing on Texas history we get to read about prominent women that may have been misplaced in general school text. We even get pictures of the women outlined in the book. See how many you know before reading and then after
Contents: Sarah Bowman Martha White McWhirter Cynthia Ann Parker Mary Ann "Molly" Dyer Goodnight Sofie Herzog Huntington Sara Estela Ramirez Ima Hogg Jessie Daniel Ames Mary Louise Cecilia "Texas" Guinan Bessie Colman
Ten brief biographies of women picked by a social studies textbook writer as "Remarkable Texas women" yet most were not Texan, spent most of their life out of the state or even had little, if any, allegience to Texas and the people of. With the exception of a couple, most of the figures are too odd, masculine, anti-feminine for my respect. Non-inspirational. Written with too many "would have" and "probably" assumptions and apparent bias, I am so disappointed in this. Can't recommend.
These mini bios make for good, light reading. I wish Anderson provided more dates for events, but she does include a bibliography for readers, like me, who need to know more. This second edition makes an effort to showcase a more diverse group of women but still includes only one black woman, no Native women (except for a white woman raised Comanche), and no (obviously) queer women.
Some of the stories were good, some just o.k. I liked Ima Hogg, Bessie Coleman, Sarah Bowman and Martha White McWhirter's the best as they were the most interesting to me. The Cynthia Ann Parker story is heart breaking. Recommended for those that love Texas History!
Interesting compilation of "Texas" women - some were not actually born in Texas but became part of Texas history by moving to Texas. Others were born in Texas but became famous elsewhere.