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Lucy Stone: An Unapologetic Life
In the rotunda of the nation's Capital a statue pays homage to three famous nineteenth-century American women Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucretia Mott. "Historically," the inscription beneath the marble statue notes, "these three stand unique and peerless." In fact, the statue has a glaring Lucy Stone. A pivotal leader in the fight for both abolition and gender equality, her achievements marked the beginning of the women's rights movement and helped to lay the groundwork for the eventual winning of women's suffrage. Yet, today most Americans have never heard of Lucy Stone.
Sally McMillen sets out to address this significant historical oversight in this engaging biography. Exploring her extraordinary life and the role she played in crafting a more just society, McMillen restores Lucy Stone to her rightful place at the center of the nineteenth-century women's rights movement. Raised in a middle-class Massachusetts farm family, Stone became convinced at an early age that education was key to women's independence and selfhood, and went on to attend the Oberlin Collegiate Institute. When she graduated in 1847 as one of the first women in the US to earn a college degree, she was drawn into the public sector as an activist and quickly became one of the most famous orators of her day. Lecturing on anti-slavery and women's rights, she was instrumental in organizing and speaking at several annual national woman's rights conventions throughout the 1850s. She played a critical role in the organization and leadership of the American Equal Rights Association during
the Civil War, and, in 1869, cofounded the American Woman Suffrage Association, one of two national women's rights organizations that fought for women's right to vote. Encompassing Stone's marriage to Henry Blackwell and the birth of their daughter Alice, as well as her significant friendships with Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and others, McMillen's biography paints a complete picture of Stone's influential and eminently important life and work.
Self-effacing until the end of her life, Stone did not relish the limelight the way Elizabeth Cady Stanton did, nor did she gain the many followers whom Susan B. Anthony attracted through her extensive travels and years of dedicated work. Yet her contributions to the woman's rights movement were no less significant or revolutionary than those of her more widely lauded peers. In this accessible, readable, and historically-grounded work, Lucy Stone is finally given the standing she deserves.
Sally McMillen sets out to address this significant historical oversight in this engaging biography. Exploring her extraordinary life and the role she played in crafting a more just society, McMillen restores Lucy Stone to her rightful place at the center of the nineteenth-century women's rights movement. Raised in a middle-class Massachusetts farm family, Stone became convinced at an early age that education was key to women's independence and selfhood, and went on to attend the Oberlin Collegiate Institute. When she graduated in 1847 as one of the first women in the US to earn a college degree, she was drawn into the public sector as an activist and quickly became one of the most famous orators of her day. Lecturing on anti-slavery and women's rights, she was instrumental in organizing and speaking at several annual national woman's rights conventions throughout the 1850s. She played a critical role in the organization and leadership of the American Equal Rights Association during
the Civil War, and, in 1869, cofounded the American Woman Suffrage Association, one of two national women's rights organizations that fought for women's right to vote. Encompassing Stone's marriage to Henry Blackwell and the birth of their daughter Alice, as well as her significant friendships with Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and others, McMillen's biography paints a complete picture of Stone's influential and eminently important life and work.
Self-effacing until the end of her life, Stone did not relish the limelight the way Elizabeth Cady Stanton did, nor did she gain the many followers whom Susan B. Anthony attracted through her extensive travels and years of dedicated work. Yet her contributions to the woman's rights movement were no less significant or revolutionary than those of her more widely lauded peers. In this accessible, readable, and historically-grounded work, Lucy Stone is finally given the standing she deserves.
360 pages, Hardcover
First published December 12, 2014
16 people are currently reading
338 people want to read
About the author
Sally G. McMillen
11 books4 followersSally G. McMillen is the Mary Reynolds Babcock Professor of History at Davidson College in North Carolina, where she has taught since 1988.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 13, 2021
We always hear about Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton when the American women’s suffrage movement of the 19th century comes up. We should also hear about Lucy Stone. Of course, one of the problems with history is WHO writes it. In this case, the early history of the American women’s rights movement was written largely by Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. But I find Lucy Stone’s story an inspiring one. She was far ahead of her time in many ways.
She became a lecturer for the anti-slavery movement and the women’s suffrage movement as a young single woman, deciding never to marry because the marriage laws of that time were so unjust. She became one of the most famous women in America by the mid-1800s. Then she was wooed by an unusual man who promised an equal marriage, even suggesting a pre-nup agreement of sorts so she would remain an independent woman. She finally accepted his proposal but kept her maiden name.
The book also details the rift in the women’s rights movement that developed because Stone eventually didn’t see eye to eye with Anthony and Stanton. The book is well written, bringing Stone to life and giving us a peek into what it was like traveling the country trying to awaken the conscience of America.
She became a lecturer for the anti-slavery movement and the women’s suffrage movement as a young single woman, deciding never to marry because the marriage laws of that time were so unjust. She became one of the most famous women in America by the mid-1800s. Then she was wooed by an unusual man who promised an equal marriage, even suggesting a pre-nup agreement of sorts so she would remain an independent woman. She finally accepted his proposal but kept her maiden name.
The book also details the rift in the women’s rights movement that developed because Stone eventually didn’t see eye to eye with Anthony and Stanton. The book is well written, bringing Stone to life and giving us a peek into what it was like traveling the country trying to awaken the conscience of America.
June 25, 2016
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book is really important to me. There are so many women from history's stories that have been forgotten or just not talked about in the general population. This is one of those women who had a huge impact on various movements that helped shape this country as it is now. Not only to helping women get more rights (suffragettes) and also the civil rights movement for African Americans.
This book was really informative but some might find it a little dry. I didn't but I'm sure this is a ymmv moment.
This book is really important to me. There are so many women from history's stories that have been forgotten or just not talked about in the general population. This is one of those women who had a huge impact on various movements that helped shape this country as it is now. Not only to helping women get more rights (suffragettes) and also the civil rights movement for African Americans.
This book was really informative but some might find it a little dry. I didn't but I'm sure this is a ymmv moment.
November 1, 2023
I’m not sure what I was expecting in this book. But I picked it up after listening to the author on a podcast. I thought it was a well written narrative that appeared balanced in the discussion of the schism in the women’s rights movement. It seemed to move very quickly, and really dealt with the lack of actual documented speeches in a comprehensive way
January 14, 2015
Book Review by: Sharon Powers.
Note: If you would like to see the post in its entirety, you may see it with all the graphics, References/Sources, etc. at http://sharonsloveofbooks.blogspot.com/
___________________________________
I came home from grade school so excited because our teacher had read to us today about a woman who had lived during the time of the Civil War. Her name was Elizabeth Blackwell, and she was the very first woman to become a doctor in the United States. What had so enthralled me as a grade school girl was just how much determination she had.
My teacher told us that Elizabeth Blackwell had to apply over and over again to get into medical school and even then her struggles didn't end. She steadfastly kept her goal in sight and determined nothing would stop her--including some men who didn't want to see a woman in the medical profession. It seems the men at that time thought that women belonged at home, taking care of the children. I thought that she was an extraordinary woman and came to admire her greatly.
Lucy Stone giving
a speech. [2]
As I began reading Lucy Stone's story, I began learning many things about her. Things, I thought, that seemed similar to what Elizabeth Blackwell had gone through. No. Lucy Stone didn't become a doctor, but she did struggle to become a public speaker at a time when women were just not seen speaking in public. The women of the time were suppose to be quiet and listen to speeches, not give them. One of Lucy Stone's struggles, then, was to get people to accept the notion that it was acceptable for women to speak in public.
Little did I know how inextricably Lucy Stone and Elizabeth Blackwell were linked. Before I delve into that, let's take a quick look at the synopsis of the book.
SYNOPSIS OF THE BOOK: LUCY STONE: AN UNAPOLOGETIC LIFE:
Absent from this marvelous marble monument
is Lucy Stone, frontline Suffrage Proponent and
abolitionist. Stone does not appear in the sculpture nor
is she mentioned on the inscription. [3]
McMillen's "Introduction," explains the very focus of the book. In the rotunda of our capitol is a famous statue, "The Memorial Sculpture," embody- ing the images of Suffragists, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Susan B. Anthony. Inscribed below the marble work is an inscription saying, "these three stand unique and peerless." No mention of Lucy Stone and no image in marble tells of her great achievements and work in the suffrage and abolition movements. McMillen argues that even though Stone is not famous, she was a "pivotal" part of the abolition and suffrage movements, and importantly, should have been included in the memorial sculpture.
Note: Under the section, "Speakers," the left column,
second name down, is Lucy Stone's name. She was
listed on this flyer as one of the speakers. [4]
McMillen lays the groundwork for her book and for Stone's life by relating how Stone's Massachusetts childhood formed Lucy into an unflagging proponent for women's rights. Early on in Stone's life she was attracted to education and women's independence. Believing education the key to independence Stone was one of the first women in all of the US to enroll in and earn a college degree. At the time, Oberlin College Institute was the only college open to women.
After earning her degree she began a career in public as an orator, speaking as an activist for women's rights and anti-slavery issues. It wasn't long until Lucy Stone was one of the most famous and leading orators of her day.
Working towards women's rights, Stone helped organize many yearly national women's rights conventions during the 1850s. During the Civil War, she also played a crucial role in the American Equal Rights Association as as one of its organizers and as one of its leaders. Additionally, Stone was one of the co-founders of the American Woman Suffrage Association (Later, the American Woman Suffrage Association and the National Woman Suffrage Association would merge into one association; the new association was then called the National American Woman Suffrage Association.[2]).
Alice Stone Blackwell, dau-
ghter of Lucy Stone and
Henry Browne Blackwell.[5]
Lucy Stone married Henry Blackwell and gave birth to Alice Stone Blackwell. Alice would become a well-known feminist, suffragist, journalist and continue the work of her mother advocating for human rights.
Lucy Stone knew and worked with other greats, like Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, William Lloyd Garrison, and many others. McMillen's biography of Lucy Stone reveals Stone's influential and important work. She shows why her extremely important work has been overlooked by historians and artists. McMillen points out that Stone's contributions to human and woman's rights "were no less significant or revolutionary" than those of Stanton, Anthony, and Mott. In this eminently readable and wonderfully researched work, McMillen sets out and proves that Lucy Stone deserves the credit and acclaim for her critical life's work.
WHAT I THINK ABOUT THIS BOOK:
First, the book is due to be released 01-29-15. Also, I loved that I discovered the connection between Elizabeth Black- well and Lucy Stone. Here it is: Lucy Stone married Henry Browne Blackwell. Henry Blackwell was only one of nine children; of those other eight children, one was a beloved sister by the name of Elizabeth Black- well. So, Elizabeth Black- well and Lucy Stone became sisters-in-law to each other when Henry married Lucy.
According to Sally G. McMillen, author of the book, Lucy Stone: An Unapologetic Life, Stone accomplished many, many things in her desire to make life better, especially for women. McMillen details those activities and achievements in her book. Those references and sources are well docu- mented.
McMillen's writing style is easy to read, not pedantic, but knowledgeable and obviously containing a great love for the subject. Moreover, when things like unattractive in-fighting among those in the suffrage movement occurs over different approaches, political strategy, or philosophy, McMillen is unflinching in her effort to honestly portray those incidents.
"On August 13, 1968, the 150th anni-
versary of her birth, the U.S.
Postal Service honored Stone with
a $.50 postage stamp in the
Prominent Americans Series." [6]
I very much enjoyed learning about Lucy Stone, so much so, that I agree with Sally McMillen, that Stone was given insufficient credit for her work. I think that Stone should be included in History classes along with the other suffragettes like Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Also, I think it highly unlikely that the statue will be changed in the rotunda of the Capitol. Something else, could be done to right the fact that Stone has been so overlooked, like creating a statue of her and placing it in the rotunda, as well.
I was so taken with Sally G. McMillen's book that I went to the internet to seek out more information about Lucy Stone. On YouTube, I found this wonderful, short (3min. 41 sec.) video about Lucy Stone. I enjoyed getting to see the pictures of the 1800's, and facts that reinforced my reading of McMillen's book. Take a quick look at the short video and see what you think. [7]
I gained a wonderful appreciation for Lucy Stone and other women working for women's rights in the 1800s. I gained appreciation for the hardships they had to endure, the daily lives of women, and the numerous legal injustices forced upon womankind. Appreciation also, for women when they gave birth to baby girls--they grieved the birth of a girl because they knew the hard road that lay ahead for her, amounting to almost servitude with no legal rights (property, divorce, etc.).
MY FAVORITE QUOTE:
[8]
I selected this quote because of my obvious love of books, reading and all things bookish. A love of reading is something many people had in the 1800s because of lack of other forms of intellectual and pleasurable pursuits that many of us take for granted in modern times--including the computer and internet. Here's my favorite quote (highlighting is not in the source material):
[9]
Lucy also was a voracious reader and read everything she could get her hands on, including newspapers the family subscribed to--The Massachusetts Spy, published in Worcester by Isaiah Thomas; William Lloyd Garrison's The Liberator; and the Anti-Slavery Standard, the paper of the American Anti-Slavery Society. 50 other papers the family was able to borrow, including Youth's Companion and the Advocate of Moral Reform. Lucy and Rhoda subscribed to the New England Spectator, which Lucy described as a "family paper" covering "the study of the Bible, family religion, active piety, the abolition of slavery, and the licentiousness and to promote the circulation of useful intelligence. Lucy devoured books though did not read her first novel until she was in her teens [because Puritan influence]...considered reading fiction a useless pastime. [Kindle Location 310-317.]
[10]
I love that Lucy Stone was a "voracious reader." I have a great love of reading, too; hence, the name of my blog: Sharon's Love of Books. My reading includes everything from classics to comics--from Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations,"to Guardians of the Galaxy. I read it all. I also like that it points out that we are blessed to live in the times we do. We can read fiction, non-fiction, classic, in fact, every genre in any format. People in the 1800s didn't know about the benefits of reading fiction. In fact, there are cognitive benefits to reading fiction.
BENEFITS OF READING FICTION
A "useless pastime." Well, I have never found reading fiction to be a useless pastime. In fact, Jordan Bates of "Refine the Mind," likes to promote reading of fiction, too. He reports that he found an article in the New York Times who had done an in-depth news reporting piece from the journal, Science. Bates synthesized the article to give us a few benefits of reading fiction.
Reading literary fiction has immediate effects in terms of influencing how well we can understand our peers;
Reading fiction exposes the reader to empathy (while non-fiction has a negative correlation);
People who read fiction (even short stories) have less need for "cognitive closure" than those who only read non-fiction;
Reading fiction affects our minds by giving us insight into human behavior, motivation, and even perception. We can better understand how societies operate,
how to maintain good relationships, and why people live in certain ways;
Reading fiction can help us relate emotionally with others--making us more sensitive and compassionate, and be kinder because "we realize the depth beyond the unfamiliar face";
Also, reading fiction helps us to deal with ambiguity...leading to creativity and sophisticated thinking. [12]
[11]
A big thank you to Mr. Bates for providing us all with these wonderful benefits of reading fiction. Second, the benefits of reading fiction are not limited to these six attributes. This is just a start for you to help you understand that reading fiction is not just a waste of time.
MY RECOMMENDATIONS AND RATING:
This book, if it were a movie, would get a "G" rating from me. Since it is not a movie, suffice to say that anyone of any age, capable of reading, would find the book acceptable in all respects.
[13]
Second, as to my rating of the book: For all the reasons I have stated above, I am pleased to rate this book at 4.0 stars out of 5.0 stars. Well done Ms. McMillen.
Please remember this new biography will be released 01-29-15--preorder your copy now! Thank you for joining me this week as we were privileged to look at the book, Lucy Stone: An Unapologetic Life by Sally G. McMillen--a NetGalley ARC book. Thank you to the publishers, as well for providing this Advance Reading Copy. Please join me, again, next week as we go back to fiction for our book review.
Until next time...
This flower is a double white Rose of Sharon. [14]
...many happy pages of reading!
Happy New Year! I send my best wishes to you for a joyous, safe, and abundant new year! All my love,
Sharon.
________________________________________________________
REFERENCES/SOURCES
[1] "Lucy Stone: An Unapologetic Life." [by Sally G. McMillen] amazon.com. Retrieved 01-02-15.
[2] "Beginning of Stone's Career." avhs-apush.wikispaces.com. Retrieved 01-12-15.
[3] "Portrait Monument to Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony." [artist: Adelaide Johnson, 1920, Rotunda, U.S. Capitol] aoc.gov. Retrieved 01-04-15.
[4] "Empowered Women." laurendukes.wordpress.com. Retrieved 01-12-15.
[5] "Alice Stone Blackwell (1857-1950)." nwhm.org. Retrieved 01-12-15.
[6] "50-cent United States Postal Service stamp Honoring Stone." wikipedia.org. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[7] "Lucy Stone." [Published 03-17-13. Text from "101Changemakers: Rebels and Radicals Who Changed US History," Edited by Michele Bollinger and Dao X. Tran, "#11: Lucy Stone," written by Sarah Grey; Music: "This Little Light of Mine" by Odetta (Google Play--AmazonMP3--eMusic--iTunes)] youtube.com. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[8] "Annie Dillard." pixshark.com. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[9] "General Fiction Book Blogs (A-H)." bookbloggerdirectory.wordpress.com. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[10] "How to Read 20 Books a Year." sanderssays.typepad.com. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[11] "Dealing With Ambiguity." newberrygroup.com. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[12] "Three Cognitive Benefits of Reading." refinethemind.com. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[13] "How We Rate the Providers." webhostingsearch.com. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[14] "Pictures From My Garden." sparkpeople.com. Retrieved 01-04-15.
Note: If you would like to see the post in its entirety, you may see it with all the graphics, References/Sources, etc. at http://sharonsloveofbooks.blogspot.com/
___________________________________
I came home from grade school so excited because our teacher had read to us today about a woman who had lived during the time of the Civil War. Her name was Elizabeth Blackwell, and she was the very first woman to become a doctor in the United States. What had so enthralled me as a grade school girl was just how much determination she had.
My teacher told us that Elizabeth Blackwell had to apply over and over again to get into medical school and even then her struggles didn't end. She steadfastly kept her goal in sight and determined nothing would stop her--including some men who didn't want to see a woman in the medical profession. It seems the men at that time thought that women belonged at home, taking care of the children. I thought that she was an extraordinary woman and came to admire her greatly.
Lucy Stone giving
a speech. [2]
As I began reading Lucy Stone's story, I began learning many things about her. Things, I thought, that seemed similar to what Elizabeth Blackwell had gone through. No. Lucy Stone didn't become a doctor, but she did struggle to become a public speaker at a time when women were just not seen speaking in public. The women of the time were suppose to be quiet and listen to speeches, not give them. One of Lucy Stone's struggles, then, was to get people to accept the notion that it was acceptable for women to speak in public.
Little did I know how inextricably Lucy Stone and Elizabeth Blackwell were linked. Before I delve into that, let's take a quick look at the synopsis of the book.
SYNOPSIS OF THE BOOK: LUCY STONE: AN UNAPOLOGETIC LIFE:
Absent from this marvelous marble monument
is Lucy Stone, frontline Suffrage Proponent and
abolitionist. Stone does not appear in the sculpture nor
is she mentioned on the inscription. [3]
McMillen's "Introduction," explains the very focus of the book. In the rotunda of our capitol is a famous statue, "The Memorial Sculpture," embody- ing the images of Suffragists, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Susan B. Anthony. Inscribed below the marble work is an inscription saying, "these three stand unique and peerless." No mention of Lucy Stone and no image in marble tells of her great achievements and work in the suffrage and abolition movements. McMillen argues that even though Stone is not famous, she was a "pivotal" part of the abolition and suffrage movements, and importantly, should have been included in the memorial sculpture.
Note: Under the section, "Speakers," the left column,
second name down, is Lucy Stone's name. She was
listed on this flyer as one of the speakers. [4]
McMillen lays the groundwork for her book and for Stone's life by relating how Stone's Massachusetts childhood formed Lucy into an unflagging proponent for women's rights. Early on in Stone's life she was attracted to education and women's independence. Believing education the key to independence Stone was one of the first women in all of the US to enroll in and earn a college degree. At the time, Oberlin College Institute was the only college open to women.
After earning her degree she began a career in public as an orator, speaking as an activist for women's rights and anti-slavery issues. It wasn't long until Lucy Stone was one of the most famous and leading orators of her day.
Working towards women's rights, Stone helped organize many yearly national women's rights conventions during the 1850s. During the Civil War, she also played a crucial role in the American Equal Rights Association as as one of its organizers and as one of its leaders. Additionally, Stone was one of the co-founders of the American Woman Suffrage Association (Later, the American Woman Suffrage Association and the National Woman Suffrage Association would merge into one association; the new association was then called the National American Woman Suffrage Association.[2]).
Alice Stone Blackwell, dau-
ghter of Lucy Stone and
Henry Browne Blackwell.[5]
Lucy Stone married Henry Blackwell and gave birth to Alice Stone Blackwell. Alice would become a well-known feminist, suffragist, journalist and continue the work of her mother advocating for human rights.
Lucy Stone knew and worked with other greats, like Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, William Lloyd Garrison, and many others. McMillen's biography of Lucy Stone reveals Stone's influential and important work. She shows why her extremely important work has been overlooked by historians and artists. McMillen points out that Stone's contributions to human and woman's rights "were no less significant or revolutionary" than those of Stanton, Anthony, and Mott. In this eminently readable and wonderfully researched work, McMillen sets out and proves that Lucy Stone deserves the credit and acclaim for her critical life's work.
WHAT I THINK ABOUT THIS BOOK:
First, the book is due to be released 01-29-15. Also, I loved that I discovered the connection between Elizabeth Black- well and Lucy Stone. Here it is: Lucy Stone married Henry Browne Blackwell. Henry Blackwell was only one of nine children; of those other eight children, one was a beloved sister by the name of Elizabeth Black- well. So, Elizabeth Black- well and Lucy Stone became sisters-in-law to each other when Henry married Lucy.
According to Sally G. McMillen, author of the book, Lucy Stone: An Unapologetic Life, Stone accomplished many, many things in her desire to make life better, especially for women. McMillen details those activities and achievements in her book. Those references and sources are well docu- mented.
McMillen's writing style is easy to read, not pedantic, but knowledgeable and obviously containing a great love for the subject. Moreover, when things like unattractive in-fighting among those in the suffrage movement occurs over different approaches, political strategy, or philosophy, McMillen is unflinching in her effort to honestly portray those incidents.
"On August 13, 1968, the 150th anni-
versary of her birth, the U.S.
Postal Service honored Stone with
a $.50 postage stamp in the
Prominent Americans Series." [6]
I very much enjoyed learning about Lucy Stone, so much so, that I agree with Sally McMillen, that Stone was given insufficient credit for her work. I think that Stone should be included in History classes along with the other suffragettes like Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Also, I think it highly unlikely that the statue will be changed in the rotunda of the Capitol. Something else, could be done to right the fact that Stone has been so overlooked, like creating a statue of her and placing it in the rotunda, as well.
I was so taken with Sally G. McMillen's book that I went to the internet to seek out more information about Lucy Stone. On YouTube, I found this wonderful, short (3min. 41 sec.) video about Lucy Stone. I enjoyed getting to see the pictures of the 1800's, and facts that reinforced my reading of McMillen's book. Take a quick look at the short video and see what you think. [7]
I gained a wonderful appreciation for Lucy Stone and other women working for women's rights in the 1800s. I gained appreciation for the hardships they had to endure, the daily lives of women, and the numerous legal injustices forced upon womankind. Appreciation also, for women when they gave birth to baby girls--they grieved the birth of a girl because they knew the hard road that lay ahead for her, amounting to almost servitude with no legal rights (property, divorce, etc.).
MY FAVORITE QUOTE:
[8]
I selected this quote because of my obvious love of books, reading and all things bookish. A love of reading is something many people had in the 1800s because of lack of other forms of intellectual and pleasurable pursuits that many of us take for granted in modern times--including the computer and internet. Here's my favorite quote (highlighting is not in the source material):
[9]
Lucy also was a voracious reader and read everything she could get her hands on, including newspapers the family subscribed to--The Massachusetts Spy, published in Worcester by Isaiah Thomas; William Lloyd Garrison's The Liberator; and the Anti-Slavery Standard, the paper of the American Anti-Slavery Society. 50 other papers the family was able to borrow, including Youth's Companion and the Advocate of Moral Reform. Lucy and Rhoda subscribed to the New England Spectator, which Lucy described as a "family paper" covering "the study of the Bible, family religion, active piety, the abolition of slavery, and the licentiousness and to promote the circulation of useful intelligence. Lucy devoured books though did not read her first novel until she was in her teens [because Puritan influence]...considered reading fiction a useless pastime. [Kindle Location 310-317.]
[10]
I love that Lucy Stone was a "voracious reader." I have a great love of reading, too; hence, the name of my blog: Sharon's Love of Books. My reading includes everything from classics to comics--from Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations,"to Guardians of the Galaxy. I read it all. I also like that it points out that we are blessed to live in the times we do. We can read fiction, non-fiction, classic, in fact, every genre in any format. People in the 1800s didn't know about the benefits of reading fiction. In fact, there are cognitive benefits to reading fiction.
BENEFITS OF READING FICTION
A "useless pastime." Well, I have never found reading fiction to be a useless pastime. In fact, Jordan Bates of "Refine the Mind," likes to promote reading of fiction, too. He reports that he found an article in the New York Times who had done an in-depth news reporting piece from the journal, Science. Bates synthesized the article to give us a few benefits of reading fiction.
Reading literary fiction has immediate effects in terms of influencing how well we can understand our peers;
Reading fiction exposes the reader to empathy (while non-fiction has a negative correlation);
People who read fiction (even short stories) have less need for "cognitive closure" than those who only read non-fiction;
Reading fiction affects our minds by giving us insight into human behavior, motivation, and even perception. We can better understand how societies operate,
how to maintain good relationships, and why people live in certain ways;
Reading fiction can help us relate emotionally with others--making us more sensitive and compassionate, and be kinder because "we realize the depth beyond the unfamiliar face";
Also, reading fiction helps us to deal with ambiguity...leading to creativity and sophisticated thinking. [12]
[11]
A big thank you to Mr. Bates for providing us all with these wonderful benefits of reading fiction. Second, the benefits of reading fiction are not limited to these six attributes. This is just a start for you to help you understand that reading fiction is not just a waste of time.
MY RECOMMENDATIONS AND RATING:
This book, if it were a movie, would get a "G" rating from me. Since it is not a movie, suffice to say that anyone of any age, capable of reading, would find the book acceptable in all respects.
[13]
Second, as to my rating of the book: For all the reasons I have stated above, I am pleased to rate this book at 4.0 stars out of 5.0 stars. Well done Ms. McMillen.
Please remember this new biography will be released 01-29-15--preorder your copy now! Thank you for joining me this week as we were privileged to look at the book, Lucy Stone: An Unapologetic Life by Sally G. McMillen--a NetGalley ARC book. Thank you to the publishers, as well for providing this Advance Reading Copy. Please join me, again, next week as we go back to fiction for our book review.
Until next time...
This flower is a double white Rose of Sharon. [14]
...many happy pages of reading!
Happy New Year! I send my best wishes to you for a joyous, safe, and abundant new year! All my love,
Sharon.
________________________________________________________
REFERENCES/SOURCES
[1] "Lucy Stone: An Unapologetic Life." [by Sally G. McMillen] amazon.com. Retrieved 01-02-15.
[2] "Beginning of Stone's Career." avhs-apush.wikispaces.com. Retrieved 01-12-15.
[3] "Portrait Monument to Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony." [artist: Adelaide Johnson, 1920, Rotunda, U.S. Capitol] aoc.gov. Retrieved 01-04-15.
[4] "Empowered Women." laurendukes.wordpress.com. Retrieved 01-12-15.
[5] "Alice Stone Blackwell (1857-1950)." nwhm.org. Retrieved 01-12-15.
[6] "50-cent United States Postal Service stamp Honoring Stone." wikipedia.org. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[7] "Lucy Stone." [Published 03-17-13. Text from "101Changemakers: Rebels and Radicals Who Changed US History," Edited by Michele Bollinger and Dao X. Tran, "#11: Lucy Stone," written by Sarah Grey; Music: "This Little Light of Mine" by Odetta (Google Play--AmazonMP3--eMusic--iTunes)] youtube.com. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[8] "Annie Dillard." pixshark.com. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[9] "General Fiction Book Blogs (A-H)." bookbloggerdirectory.wordpress.com. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[10] "How to Read 20 Books a Year." sanderssays.typepad.com. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[11] "Dealing With Ambiguity." newberrygroup.com. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[12] "Three Cognitive Benefits of Reading." refinethemind.com. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[13] "How We Rate the Providers." webhostingsearch.com. Retrieved 01-13-15.
[14] "Pictures From My Garden." sparkpeople.com. Retrieved 01-04-15.
July 27, 2017
Lucy Stone is a founding women's rights activist that you never heard of (at least I hadn't heard of her). She was a contemporary of Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony and did as much or more for abolition and women's rights as any of those women. Lucy Stone attended Oberlin College (the book has an excellent chapter on the founding and early history of Oberlin) and was the first female college graduate from Massachusetts. She chose the profession of public lecturer at a time (1840s) when people were scandalized by women speaking in public. She was, by all accounts, a superb speaker. She spoke without notes and without amplification and mesmerized audiences. She was tireless and dogged in the cause of abolition and women's suffrage. Unfortunately, she and Susan B. Anthony, once good friends, had a falling out that resulted in splitting the women's movement. Anthony wrote what became the definitive history of the women's movement and Lucy refused to submit any information to Anthony for the history, and so Lucy has been overlooked by many historians.
Lucy's life is about far more than women's suffrage, however. She understood and exemplified the work women needed to undertake to be truly independent and have an authentic self-hood. She saw education as critical to women's advancement and earned a college degree at the age of 29, paying the tuition almost entirely through her own work and ingenuity. She created and edited the most influential women's newspaper in the country (the Women's Journal, which endured for 50 years until women gained the right to vote). She believed that women could successfully fulfill many roles - mother, journalist, lecturer, wife, activist, etc. Lucy carved a path that women today continue to follow. For instance, she fought for women to receive equal pay for equal work, a cause that continues as an on-going battle today. We can indeed be grateful that Lucy Stone was willing to dedicate her entire adult life to the causes she felt passionate about. It is wonderful that Sally McMillen has brought Lucy Stone and her accomplishments out of the recesses of history so that we can appreciate all she did to enlarge women's lives.
Lucy's life is about far more than women's suffrage, however. She understood and exemplified the work women needed to undertake to be truly independent and have an authentic self-hood. She saw education as critical to women's advancement and earned a college degree at the age of 29, paying the tuition almost entirely through her own work and ingenuity. She created and edited the most influential women's newspaper in the country (the Women's Journal, which endured for 50 years until women gained the right to vote). She believed that women could successfully fulfill many roles - mother, journalist, lecturer, wife, activist, etc. Lucy carved a path that women today continue to follow. For instance, she fought for women to receive equal pay for equal work, a cause that continues as an on-going battle today. We can indeed be grateful that Lucy Stone was willing to dedicate her entire adult life to the causes she felt passionate about. It is wonderful that Sally McMillen has brought Lucy Stone and her accomplishments out of the recesses of history so that we can appreciate all she did to enlarge women's lives.
January 7, 2018
When I 1st heard about Lucy Stone, I felt like I owed it to her and her work to know more about her. One of the founding people of the women's suffrage movement. Her name should be known next to Anthony and Stanton. What an incredible woman. She has made it on my list of heroes. We forget the battles women before us waged for us to be were we are now (and sadly there's still a battle ahead). "I think with never-ending gratitude that the young women of today do not know, and can never know, at what price their right to free speech, and to speak at all in public has been earned." She was also a big fighter for abolition of slavery. She persisted.
July 16, 2020
Lucy Stone shows us what it is not to be denied, and what it takes to face adversity and overcome it. So much good information about her, and the movement for women to vote, in this book. To read this is to know the beginnings of the struggle for females in the US to vote. So glad I read this book. It should be require reading of US history for every soul growing in the US.
August 2, 2020
I really enjoyed this biography. I learned quite a bit about Stone, someone I knew was significant to the suffrage movement, but I new less about. I wish I had assigned this for my Suffrage class this fall--it would be useful for students to see the story of the movement from the perspective of a different leader.
July 7, 2020
This is a great biography of Lucy Stone, and tells the story of suffrage from the American woman Suffrage Association's perspective which was left out of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton's history.
November 9, 2016
Great textbook
One of the unsung heroes of feminism. It does read like a textbook but provides an excellent history lesson on women's suffrage.
One of the unsung heroes of feminism. It does read like a textbook but provides an excellent history lesson on women's suffrage.
September 13, 2018
I listened to all your video intro of Lucy Stone
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2019
Interesting. Very important book to read when studying the Women’s suffrage movement.
Want to read
April 16, 2021Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
August 6, 2015
This well-documented, balanced yet sympathetic biography advocates for the inclusion of Lucy Stone among the statues of great Americans at the Capitol rotunda in Washington DC. Currently there is a suffragist statue that includes Stanton, Cady, and Mott. McMillen makes a strong case that Stone should be there as well.
Thank you to Oxford and Net Galley for the ARC. The book will be publicly available at the end of January.
The history of the American feminist movement is a cause near and dear to this reviewer's heart. I have studied it, taught it, and lived it. I have marched on that Capitol numerous times in defense of the right of women's reproductive freedom, despite the fact that most of my life has been on the West Coast of the USA, and that is one long ride. And so, having recently veered out of my historical comfort zone, here I found myself right back in it. And most of the information in this book, while useful, is not new to me.
The reader should know that although there is extraneous material that ought to be edited out, it is all at the beginning of the book. If you are interested in the history of the suffrage movement and/or American feminist history in general, get a copy of this book, and don't be discouraged by the initial ten percent. It does get better. It probably won't change the statues in DC., but regardless, what McMillen imparts here is (for the last 90%)thorough, well documented, scholarly, and unflinching when less attractive issues arrive (such as the race-baiting, anti-immigrant speech-making, and the squabbling after the split in the organization occurred).
Stone was a remarkable woman, strong, charismatic, and imbued with many ideas that were well ahead of her time. Unlike most of the women who participated in and lead the women's movement of the nineteenth century, her own origins were not petit bourgeois, or middle class. She was born into a farm family that struggled financially, and she attended Oberlin College, the first in the nation to accept women and permit them to attend college with men. Though there were a number of restrictions on women there that seem ridiculous now and that Stone fought against and sometimes won then, her education was not a gift doled out from parental largesse; she taught school in order to pay her way. (Her father relented when she was a senior and paid for the last year). Her steely determination, keen intelligence, and personal magnetism led her to be the first woman to enter the then-popular public speaking circuit.
In these days before the American Civil War and after the Industrial Revolution, there was of course no media beyond the printed word. Many people were hungry for new information and ideas, but books were very expensive and newspapers, though plentiful, were often incorrect and for many, insufficient. (This paragraph is not in the book; this is me speaking.) So it isn't really surprising that those who had the time and the means would turn up to hear speakers on important issues of the day.
Many were shocked, McMillen tells us, to hear that a woman, a single, unescorted woman, had taken this path. Stone was considered a radical, but her musical, sweet-sounding voice and her petite countenance, which she deliberately dressed in black silk and lace to take off the edge, took many off guard, and newspaper reviews were often quite favorable. Over the course of time she became famous. She proposed things suggested by no one else, such as the advantage of a woman's remaining single so that she could keep her own money and property rather than to turn it all over to her husband, as the law required should she wed. Further, she suggested, the law ought to be changed so that such a choice need not be necessary.
Later she met Susan B Anthony, and the two were, for a time, close friends, addressing one another by their first names at a time when only the most intimate of acquaintances did so. And just as their political agreement formed the basis for what appeared to be an unshakeable friendship, so it would later cause a rift, not only personally, but in the movement itself.
For those interested in women's history, American history, contemporary history, or Stone herself, consider this a must-read. Skim through the extraneous bits at the beginning and once the narrative truly takes wing, it will keep your attention.
Thank you to Oxford and Net Galley for the ARC. The book will be publicly available at the end of January.
The history of the American feminist movement is a cause near and dear to this reviewer's heart. I have studied it, taught it, and lived it. I have marched on that Capitol numerous times in defense of the right of women's reproductive freedom, despite the fact that most of my life has been on the West Coast of the USA, and that is one long ride. And so, having recently veered out of my historical comfort zone, here I found myself right back in it. And most of the information in this book, while useful, is not new to me.
The reader should know that although there is extraneous material that ought to be edited out, it is all at the beginning of the book. If you are interested in the history of the suffrage movement and/or American feminist history in general, get a copy of this book, and don't be discouraged by the initial ten percent. It does get better. It probably won't change the statues in DC., but regardless, what McMillen imparts here is (for the last 90%)thorough, well documented, scholarly, and unflinching when less attractive issues arrive (such as the race-baiting, anti-immigrant speech-making, and the squabbling after the split in the organization occurred).
Stone was a remarkable woman, strong, charismatic, and imbued with many ideas that were well ahead of her time. Unlike most of the women who participated in and lead the women's movement of the nineteenth century, her own origins were not petit bourgeois, or middle class. She was born into a farm family that struggled financially, and she attended Oberlin College, the first in the nation to accept women and permit them to attend college with men. Though there were a number of restrictions on women there that seem ridiculous now and that Stone fought against and sometimes won then, her education was not a gift doled out from parental largesse; she taught school in order to pay her way. (Her father relented when she was a senior and paid for the last year). Her steely determination, keen intelligence, and personal magnetism led her to be the first woman to enter the then-popular public speaking circuit.
In these days before the American Civil War and after the Industrial Revolution, there was of course no media beyond the printed word. Many people were hungry for new information and ideas, but books were very expensive and newspapers, though plentiful, were often incorrect and for many, insufficient. (This paragraph is not in the book; this is me speaking.) So it isn't really surprising that those who had the time and the means would turn up to hear speakers on important issues of the day.
Many were shocked, McMillen tells us, to hear that a woman, a single, unescorted woman, had taken this path. Stone was considered a radical, but her musical, sweet-sounding voice and her petite countenance, which she deliberately dressed in black silk and lace to take off the edge, took many off guard, and newspaper reviews were often quite favorable. Over the course of time she became famous. She proposed things suggested by no one else, such as the advantage of a woman's remaining single so that she could keep her own money and property rather than to turn it all over to her husband, as the law required should she wed. Further, she suggested, the law ought to be changed so that such a choice need not be necessary.
Later she met Susan B Anthony, and the two were, for a time, close friends, addressing one another by their first names at a time when only the most intimate of acquaintances did so. And just as their political agreement formed the basis for what appeared to be an unshakeable friendship, so it would later cause a rift, not only personally, but in the movement itself.
For those interested in women's history, American history, contemporary history, or Stone herself, consider this a must-read. Skim through the extraneous bits at the beginning and once the narrative truly takes wing, it will keep your attention.
November 14, 2015
Lucy Stone was a juggernaut of the women's suffrage movement, but unlike Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton (who were aggressive self-promoters), Lucy Stone's name had been placed on a back shelf--that is until now. The suffrage movement splintered into two groups because Lucy could not tolerate her fellow suffragettes' lack of support for the black vote. Highly documented, McMillen's book puts the roles of these women into proper perspective and paints these women as very real and human, full of ego & self-righteousness as well as courage and steadfastness. Anthony's deification is tarnished somewhat by Lucy Stone's accusations. I found this book easy to read and full of intriguing facts--such as men feared that if women achieved the right to vote, they would outlaw booze, brothels and saloons; the black vote was instigated 40 years before the women vote; and New Zealand was the first country in modern times to allow the female vote. Truly an edifying read!
January 24, 2015
Lucy Stone was a pivotal figure in the American women’s rights movement but her name is today little known. Sally McMillen puts this to rights in her detailed and meticulously researched new biography, the first dedicated to this interesting and inspirational woman. Well-documented, clearly and succinctly written, and successful in making her subject come to life, I nevertheless found the book a little too detailed when talking about the suffrage movement and the background to it rather than when it concentrated on Lucy Stone herself, but that is a minor quibble and overall this is a book that I heartily recommend for opening up another slice of American feminist history and revealing to a modern readership such a fascinating woman.
March 9, 2015
I did receive this from Netgalley for a review and it was unproofed and without pictures. That did not keep me from enjoying this well-researched and fascinating look at one of our nation's unsung heroes. I have studied women's history and activism, yet I am sad to say I did not know anything about Lucy Stone. Her name was usually in a list of "other suffragists". That tells barely one percent of her story. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in American History, activism and/or human rights. Lucy Stone should be a household name in the 21st century, as much as she was in the 19th.
Read
June 16, 2016fascinating
April 25, 2017
This is a very interesting look at a woman's life and time in history - and she is someone who I think many more people should have heard of, as someone who worked hard for years to advance women's rights and abolish slavery.
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