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Stories from Suffragette City
One City. One Movement. A World of Stories.Stories from Suffragette City is a collection of short stories that all take place on a single October 23, 1915. It’s the day when tens of thousands of women marched up Fifth Avenue, demanding the right to vote in New York City. Thirteen of today's bestselling authors have taken this moment as inspiration to raise the voices of history and breathe fresh life into their struggles and triumphs.The characters depicted here, some well-known, others unfamiliar, each inspire and reinvigorate the power of democracy. We follow a young woman who is swept up in the protests when all she expected was to come sell her apples in the city. We see Alva Vanderbilt as her white-gloved sensibility is transformed over the course of the single fateful day. Ida B. Wells battles for racial justice in the women's suffrage movement so that every woman's voice can be heard. Each story stands on its own, but together Stories From Suffragette City becomes a symphony, painting a portrait of a country looking for a fight and ever restless for progress and equality.With an introduction by Kristin Hannah and stories Lisa WingateM.J. RoseSteve BerryPaula McLainKatherine J. ChenChristina Baker Kline Jamie FordDolen Perkins-ValdezMegan ChanceAlyson RichmanChris Bohjalianand Fiona Davis
254 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 27, 2020
267 people are currently reading
10617 people want to read
About the author
M.J. Rose
89 books2,291 followersNew York Times Bestseller, M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park and reading her mother's favorite books before she was allowed. She believes mystery and magic are all around us but we are too often too busy to notice... books that exaggerate mystery and magic draw attention to it and remind us to look for it and revel in it.
Her most recent novel, The Last Tiara, will be published Feb 2, 2021
Rose's work has appeared in many magazines including Oprah Magazine and she has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, WSJ, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com
The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Reincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and currently serves, with Lee Child, as the organization's co-president..
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 333 reviews
November 3, 2020
Today is Election Day in the United States so it was good timing these last couple of days to be reading this collection of short stories about the march for the women’s right to vote in New York City on October 23, 1915, when thousands of women stood up for the cause. It’s a wonderful way to commemorate that as well as celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment. Another reason to read these stories is that they are written by twelve writers who’s names represent a veritable roster of who’s who in fiction writing today. I have read and enjoyed novels by eight of these writers and I’m now compelled to see what else the four others have written.
On October 23, 1915, thousands of women marched in a parade in New York City to push for the vote. These twelve stories could each stand on their own, and reflect different experiences of different women of different walks of life. Yet, connected by the theme of the significant day, they together provide a moving depiction of the day, of the movement, of determined women who persisted in standing up for their rights, an ode to their tenacity. I love that there are young girls here as well, taking up the cause or falling into it by circumstances. I love how it reflects the diversity of the marchers, immigrants, a black woman who sadly was discriminated against by some in the movement and that it includes both real and imagined characters. I loved that a fearless, persistent, and wise young girl holds a presence in multiple stories. There are twelve stories in the collection and while I enjoyed all of them, I did have a several favorites:
In “Apple Season” by Lisa Wingate, 11 year old Ash stole my heart as she, her 7 year old twin siblings and her 14 year old stepmother meet the wonderful Reverend Octavia Rose on the road as they are selling apples . As fate would have it, they find themselves at the parade, bringing a moving level of understanding to Ash.
In “A First Step” by M.J Rose, Katrina Tiffany, daughter in law of Louis Comfort Tiffany is highlighted here, but the show is stolen by her young niece, Grace who plays an important role in these stories.
In “ Siobhan”, about an Irish immigrant, I was introduced to the lovely writing of Katherine Chen whose work I had not read until now.
“Just Politics” by Chris Bohjalian writes of an Armenian immigrant remembering the Armenian massacres, her lossses as she is about to join the march. Her story reminded me of my favorite Bohjalian book, The Sandcastle Girls . Ani is one of my favorite characters along with Ash and Grace.
The book is introduced by Kristin Hannah and besides those I mentioned above, there are stories by Steve Berry, Paula McLain, Christina Baker Kline, Jamie Ford, Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Megan Chance, Alyson Richman and Fiona Davis. A wonderful collection that I highly recommend.
There’s a virtual launch party for this sponsored by Bookmovement on 11/10/20 at 7 pm. A number of these terrific authors are participating. It’s free ! Can’t wait . Here’s the registration link :
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regis...
I received a copy of this book from Henry Holt and Co. through Edelweiss.
On October 23, 1915, thousands of women marched in a parade in New York City to push for the vote. These twelve stories could each stand on their own, and reflect different experiences of different women of different walks of life. Yet, connected by the theme of the significant day, they together provide a moving depiction of the day, of the movement, of determined women who persisted in standing up for their rights, an ode to their tenacity. I love that there are young girls here as well, taking up the cause or falling into it by circumstances. I love how it reflects the diversity of the marchers, immigrants, a black woman who sadly was discriminated against by some in the movement and that it includes both real and imagined characters. I loved that a fearless, persistent, and wise young girl holds a presence in multiple stories. There are twelve stories in the collection and while I enjoyed all of them, I did have a several favorites:
In “Apple Season” by Lisa Wingate, 11 year old Ash stole my heart as she, her 7 year old twin siblings and her 14 year old stepmother meet the wonderful Reverend Octavia Rose on the road as they are selling apples . As fate would have it, they find themselves at the parade, bringing a moving level of understanding to Ash.
In “A First Step” by M.J Rose, Katrina Tiffany, daughter in law of Louis Comfort Tiffany is highlighted here, but the show is stolen by her young niece, Grace who plays an important role in these stories.
In “ Siobhan”, about an Irish immigrant, I was introduced to the lovely writing of Katherine Chen whose work I had not read until now.
“Just Politics” by Chris Bohjalian writes of an Armenian immigrant remembering the Armenian massacres, her lossses as she is about to join the march. Her story reminded me of my favorite Bohjalian book, The Sandcastle Girls . Ani is one of my favorite characters along with Ash and Grace.
The book is introduced by Kristin Hannah and besides those I mentioned above, there are stories by Steve Berry, Paula McLain, Christina Baker Kline, Jamie Ford, Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Megan Chance, Alyson Richman and Fiona Davis. A wonderful collection that I highly recommend.
There’s a virtual launch party for this sponsored by Bookmovement on 11/10/20 at 7 pm. A number of these terrific authors are participating. It’s free ! Can’t wait . Here’s the registration link :
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regis...
I received a copy of this book from Henry Holt and Co. through Edelweiss.
April 7, 2021
Minority opinion alert!
I seem to be starting a lot of my reviews with questions lately, so here's the Q&A I had with myself while reading Stories from Suffragette City:
Q: Hey Regina, do you like to vote?
A: Heck yes I do!
Q: Are you grateful for the women's suffrage movement that gave you the right to do so?
A: 100%.
Q: How does a short story collection about it sound?
A: Meh, I don't read a lot of short stories.
Q: What if the stories are written by authors like Lisa Wingate, Paula McLain, Christina Baker Kline, Jamie Ford and Chris Bohjalian?
A: Sold!
Q: Hmm. Could this book be any more boring?
A: Nope.
So there you have it. There are many 5-star reviews for this 2.5-star book by 5-star writers about a 5-star topic. Odds are you'll enjoy it more than I did.
Blog: www.confettibookshelf.com
IG: @confettibookshelf
I seem to be starting a lot of my reviews with questions lately, so here's the Q&A I had with myself while reading Stories from Suffragette City:
Q: Hey Regina, do you like to vote?
A: Heck yes I do!
Q: Are you grateful for the women's suffrage movement that gave you the right to do so?
A: 100%.
Q: How does a short story collection about it sound?
A: Meh, I don't read a lot of short stories.
Q: What if the stories are written by authors like Lisa Wingate, Paula McLain, Christina Baker Kline, Jamie Ford and Chris Bohjalian?
A: Sold!
Q: Hmm. Could this book be any more boring?
A: Nope.
So there you have it. There are many 5-star reviews for this 2.5-star book by 5-star writers about a 5-star topic. Odds are you'll enjoy it more than I did.
Blog: www.confettibookshelf.com
IG: @confettibookshelf
December 2, 2020
I’m usually not a huge fan of short story collections and when it comes to books related to politics, I try to steer as far away as possible -- based on these two reasons alone, I most likely would not have picked up this book under normal circumstances. However, I ended up being drawn to this anthology mostly because of the 13 authors involved, as several of them are among my favorites in terms of previous works of theirs that I’ve read and adored – plus this one being historical fiction definitely helped, since it’s one of my favored genres to read. Also, this anthology is different from the typical short story collection in that there is a distinct connection between all the stories: the women’s march for the right to vote that took place in New York City on October 23, 1915. One of the things I loved about this collection was how each author was able to weave into each of their stories some of the themes from their own works, yet still have it tie so perfectly back to the theme of the collection and the specific events that took place. I thought the flow of the stories was wonderful as well and I absolutely loved seeing some of the same characters “show up” in each other’s stories, even if it was only for a small “blink and you’ll miss it” scene. I also loved the diversity of the women in the story and how they were from all different walks of life, with a variety of experiences and backgrounds, yet all were impacted by the suffrage movement in a meaningful way. Overall, what blew me away with this collection was how well it was put together (especially given the confines of the premise): the flow was seamless, the writing was stellar, the stories were compelling, and best of all, the characters were wonderfully drawn. Of course, this should come as no surprise given the 13 authors involved with this collection are all accomplished writers at the top of their craft. I went into this one with high expectations and it absolutely delivered!
As this book is meant to commemorate the 100thanniversary of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, I found this to be a fantastic tribute to all the women who played a role (whether directly or indirectly) in helping our voices be heard. With most short story collections, each reader will usually have certain stories that they enjoyed more than others, but for me, that wasn’t the case here – I can’t say which stories I liked more because, to be honest, all the stories stood out and I loved all of them equally. I definitely highly recommend this one, especially to historical fiction fans whom I’m sure will find much to enjoy with this collection, regardless of whether you’ve read these authors’ previous works or not. For me though, reading and loving this collection has inspired me to seek out the works of the other authors that I’m less familiar with and add those to my TBR list!
Received finished copy from publisher Henry Holt via BookBrowse First Impressions program.
As this book is meant to commemorate the 100thanniversary of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, I found this to be a fantastic tribute to all the women who played a role (whether directly or indirectly) in helping our voices be heard. With most short story collections, each reader will usually have certain stories that they enjoyed more than others, but for me, that wasn’t the case here – I can’t say which stories I liked more because, to be honest, all the stories stood out and I loved all of them equally. I definitely highly recommend this one, especially to historical fiction fans whom I’m sure will find much to enjoy with this collection, regardless of whether you’ve read these authors’ previous works or not. For me though, reading and loving this collection has inspired me to seek out the works of the other authors that I’m less familiar with and add those to my TBR list!
Received finished copy from publisher Henry Holt via BookBrowse First Impressions program.
May 12, 2020
This is a great collection of fictionalized stories about women's suffrage during one of the most famous marches in New York. Each story follows an individual woman's experience with the march. As a feminist and a former New Yorker, I could not have loved this book more.
All the stories are good but several struck me as particularly wonderful. "A First Step" by M.J. Rose is a beautiful story which has some wonderful New York history (including a fictionalization of the "family business," Tiffany and Co. The family business at Tiffany also serves as a lovely analogy for the way some men then treated (and still today, treat) women, as things to be admired and handled delicately. This story captured the way I always imagined/romanticized suffrage in New York to be and made me wish I was there. It is also the linchpin of a common thread that runs through most of the stories.
And then there were the important and painful stories of the less rich and privileged women. I also loved American Womanhood which is a great illustration of the exclusion of women of color in the suffrage movement that will make you angry. And "Just Politics," about an Armenian woman, taught me many things I did not know.
This book tells the story of suffrage in a way I've never read it before -- through fictional stories of individual women living a variety of different lives at the time -- and in that way it made me feel much closer to it than I have before. These were women who could have been me or my friends -- and somehow the fictionalization of this delivers that sentiment straight to your heart in a way that the historical documents cannot.
I loved this book. Read it! Thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt and the writers and editors for such a lovely and emotionally moving book about my history, in exchange for my honest review.
All the stories are good but several struck me as particularly wonderful. "A First Step" by M.J. Rose is a beautiful story which has some wonderful New York history (including a fictionalization of the "family business," Tiffany and Co. The family business at Tiffany also serves as a lovely analogy for the way some men then treated (and still today, treat) women, as things to be admired and handled delicately. This story captured the way I always imagined/romanticized suffrage in New York to be and made me wish I was there. It is also the linchpin of a common thread that runs through most of the stories.
And then there were the important and painful stories of the less rich and privileged women. I also loved American Womanhood which is a great illustration of the exclusion of women of color in the suffrage movement that will make you angry. And "Just Politics," about an Armenian woman, taught me many things I did not know.
This book tells the story of suffrage in a way I've never read it before -- through fictional stories of individual women living a variety of different lives at the time -- and in that way it made me feel much closer to it than I have before. These were women who could have been me or my friends -- and somehow the fictionalization of this delivers that sentiment straight to your heart in a way that the historical documents cannot.
I loved this book. Read it! Thanks to NetGalley, Henry Holt and the writers and editors for such a lovely and emotionally moving book about my history, in exchange for my honest review.
October 15, 2020
What a compelling anthology! These stories were written by some of the very best historical fiction authors in this country, and each of their voices and points of view comes through loud and clear. Each story was told from a different perspective, nationality, and socioeconomic status, so that each story was a fresh take on the same day. I loved that there was a thread that was woven through the stories, as well, to tie all of the unique stories together. Historical fiction that is timely and relevant adds another layer to this intriguing collection.
June 2, 2021
This was the first book I ever won on Instagram. I'm so glad I did. At first, I was not. When I found out about this book, I thought it would be stories of the suffrage movement. As I started reading, it was short stories. The first two chapters ended and I was, "WTF?!" And I felt duped again with another book of short stories that I have come to hate to read.
Then, the third chapter came and I loved it. After that, the stories started to intertwine with each other. The second chapter that just straight up ended with a missing child shows up in other stories. Things start happening in stories that show up in different stories. And I got to the end, completely into this book. I loved the stories and how it went and what an interesting way to tell the story of the biggest parade for Women's Suffrage in NYC. Since it was historical fiction, I learned things like the Armenian Massacre and how the black women were treated (even though I kind of knew some of this, just not to the extent of it). I learned about the labor Orphan Train...whoa. I learned more about the Vanderbilt's and the Tiffany's. It really was great.
My issues stem from some of the way the writers wrote is just not my cup of tea. The story called Siobhan was a prime example. I didn't really understand it's importance. I mean, I get it, but meh. I didn't like how the first two chapters ended and we never really circled back to that minister and those kids.
However, I would completely recommend this book. As a women who votes in almost ALL elections because I knew women went through hell to get that right (especially if you weren't extremely rich), I loved these stories. Yes, they were fiction, but it tells what women went through from very different perspectives during that time period.
Then, the third chapter came and I loved it. After that, the stories started to intertwine with each other. The second chapter that just straight up ended with a missing child shows up in other stories. Things start happening in stories that show up in different stories. And I got to the end, completely into this book. I loved the stories and how it went and what an interesting way to tell the story of the biggest parade for Women's Suffrage in NYC. Since it was historical fiction, I learned things like the Armenian Massacre and how the black women were treated (even though I kind of knew some of this, just not to the extent of it). I learned about the labor Orphan Train...whoa. I learned more about the Vanderbilt's and the Tiffany's. It really was great.
My issues stem from some of the way the writers wrote is just not my cup of tea. The story called Siobhan was a prime example. I didn't really understand it's importance. I mean, I get it, but meh. I didn't like how the first two chapters ended and we never really circled back to that minister and those kids.
However, I would completely recommend this book. As a women who votes in almost ALL elections because I knew women went through hell to get that right (especially if you weren't extremely rich), I loved these stories. Yes, they were fiction, but it tells what women went through from very different perspectives during that time period.
December 14, 2020
I loved this collection of suffragette stories that all center in some way around the women’s suffrage March in New York City in October of 1915. The authors clearly worked hard together to interconnect the stories beyond the theme, as multiple characters are found in more than one story with their day’s progress. These stories are not all told from one viewpoint, that of the white woman suffragette, but from viewpoints of women from varying walks of life. The women are of different races, religions, and ethnicities, which enlightened me as the how the fight for women’s right to vote even in America was very different depending on who you were. This volume is a great piece to chronicle the century of women’s suffrage in the USA. I also loved discovering the writing style of authors I’ve never read before and will definitely be checking out more of their works. Bonus: after the stories, the authors provided a small section to separate fact from fiction based on what happened in the stories and their characters identities and reality. Very thoughtful of the authors and editors as well as educational.
September 19, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley, Henry Holt and Company and the editors for an early copy of this book.
This book was so good. It is a collection of 13 short stories with all stories happening on Oct. 23, 1915. A huge march takes place in New York on this day as women are marching for the right to vote. These stories follow different women who are involved in the march in different ways. I really enjoyed the stories by all the authors but 2 really stood out for me...the ones by Lisa Wingate and Fiona Davis. Kristin Hannah wrote the introduction to this great book!!! Loved it!!
This book was so good. It is a collection of 13 short stories with all stories happening on Oct. 23, 1915. A huge march takes place in New York on this day as women are marching for the right to vote. These stories follow different women who are involved in the march in different ways. I really enjoyed the stories by all the authors but 2 really stood out for me...the ones by Lisa Wingate and Fiona Davis. Kristin Hannah wrote the introduction to this great book!!! Loved it!!
March 24, 2021
Stories from Suffragette City edited by M.J. Rose & Fiona Davis – To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment which afforded some women the right to vote, Davis and Rose decided to assemble an historical-fiction compilation of short stories that all take place on October 23, 1915, the day tens of thousands of women marched down Fifth Avenue in New York City for the right to vote. The collection contains an introduction by Kristin Hannah and stories by 12 bestselling authors including Lisa Wingate, Paula McLain, Chris Bohjalian, Steve Berry, Christina Baker Kline, Fiona and M.J., and more. While each story stands alone, they are tied together by a unifying thread that weaves throughout the tales. My favorites are “A First Step” by M.J. Rose, “Deeds Not Words” by Steve Berry, and “The Last Mile” by Fiona Davis, but I enjoyed each one and appreciated that the stories cover a range of socio-economic, cultural and racial perspectives.
Want to hear more from Fiona and M.J. about this book? Listen to my podcast interview here: https://www.thoughtsfromapage.com/43. For more of my reviews, check out my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfro....
Want to hear more from Fiona and M.J. about this book? Listen to my podcast interview here: https://www.thoughtsfromapage.com/43. For more of my reviews, check out my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtsfro....
December 18, 2020
As per usual with a short story collection, it's a mixed bag. I loved some of them, was rather "meh" on others. Some felt like prologues, some felt complete, some didn't seem like they went everywhere. I did love seeing people show up in different stories so you sometimes got to learn more about what happened with them, though.
December 21, 2020
3.5 stars
This book is a volume of stories set on the same day, October 23, 1915, when over a million women in New York City marched for the right to vote.
This collection is engaging and the stories well written but the authors could have done a LOT more research into the women's suffrage movement. In England the colors of the WSPU were violet, green and white. The U.S. never had one official color but Alice Paul's National Women's Party colors were gold and purple. The New York Women's Political Union (and NJ) colors were purple, white and green and some of the characters in these stories certainly would have belonged to that organization but not as many as were wearing the colors in these stories. I've done the research. http://womenatthecenter.nyhistory.org...
There may be a couple of other errors as well.
I also wish the stories had more cohesion. Throughout the stories a little girl named Grace is lost. The story of how she was found and where changes with every author's story and Grace's personality also seems to change. She seems older by the end of the book than she was in the beginning.
The first story by Lisa Wingate "Apple Season" features a poor Appalachian family and the determined female reverend who changes their lives. This story is heartbreaking and truly shows the need for EDUCATION more than suffrage. Suffrage wouldn't do Clarey any good. If she had had an education, her life would be very different. This story was a little slow and sad for my personal enjoyment.
"A First Step" by M.J. Rose centers around the Tiffany family. Mrs. Katrina Tiffany married her husband Charles, heir to the Tiffany fortune, knowing he lacked his father's appreciation for beauty and didn't feel strongly about women's rights. Katrina, an ardent supporter of women's suffrage, is planning to take their young niece Grace to the march. Charles disagrees. I like Katrina a lot. She's smart and determined. Charles is a nice man and isn't motivated out of misogyny. He cares for Katrina and Grace a lot. He's kind enough, just clueless. He's a businessman and worried about the reputation of the firm. What he does with the jeweler is underhanded and mean but at least he doesn't sack the man. Little Grace is cute, innocent and eager to have her aunt's attention. She can't really fully grasp what women's suffrage means but she likes the idea of marching. When her uncle forces her to stay behind, she's excited to be the official parade photographer instead. When Grace goes missing, it forces Charles to examine what he finds most important in life. I liked this story and was eager to know what happened to Grace. I skipped ahead to find out!
"Deeds, Not Words" by Steve Berry is a mystery. I got caught up in the plot of a suspected bomb plot. While I don't agree with the terrorist tactics of the British movement, I do agree with the peaceful American movement and think the suspected bomber is NOT one of them. I don't like the main character Randall Wilson. He's so old-fashioned and prudish. Men, stop victim blaming women. Short skirts and public speaking are NOT the problem. Men are. Until men can learn to respect women as equals, they will continue the disgusting and evil things the men in this story have done. I do think Randall is a good person at heart and hope he comes around to Florence's way of seeing things.
"Thylacine" by Paula McLain is kind of a sad story. A middle-aged woman trapped in a loveless marriage to a pompous boor dreams of a better life and suffrage is the key. Again, education would have been the ticket to a better life for her. This story is a little too slow for me.
Katherine J. Chen's story, 'Siobhán", about an Irish maid working for Alva Vanderbilt is a sad one. Far from home, Siobhán has her name changed and is made fun of by the other servants. Siobhán makes some really bad and selfish decisions that cost her her family. It's heartbreaking. I feel sorry for her for being so naïve and bullied but her decisions were of her own making. This story doesn't have much to do with the parade or suffrage.
"The Runaway" by Christina Baker Kline is a fun, short story about a plucky teenage girl determined to avoid being sent west on the orphan train. I know about the orphan train from other stories. It's not that unheard of. I really like the heroine and this story is fun and enjoyable for all ages.
"Boundless, We Ride" by Jamie Ford is one of two stories featuring women of color. I really liked this story about Mabel Lee, daughter of Chinese missionaries and champion of education for women. Woohoo! She's a heroine I can relate to. She went from scholarship student to doctoral candidate and suffragist. She was determined not to back down even when fellow Chinese student Paul Soong tried to encourage her to join him in the viewing stand with the mayor and other wealthy New Yorkers in order to put a public face on the Chinese-Americans of New York. I loved Mabel and how she refused to give in to what was easy. Even though she knew the elite white women didn't want to include her, she barged her way in on a horse like a knight, like Inez Milholland. I also enjoyed seeing how supportive her mother is and why. This is one of my favorite stories in the collection.
"American Womanhood" by Dolen Perkins-Valdez is the second story about a woman of color, Ida B. Wells-Barnett. In this story Ida reflects on the women's suffrage parade in Washington, DC in 1913 and how she was excluded from marching with the Illinois delegation. After that she devoted herself to local politics and championing Black lawyers and politicians with the belief they would help further then cause of Black Chicagoans. This story has little to do with the New York march and Ida's career can be found in the public record. It's not worthwhile to fictionalize her thoughts, which I suspect are not fictionalized and come from her own speeches and writings. This story doesn't really add anything to my knowledge or understanding of Ida B. Wells-Barnett.
Megan Chase's story, "We Shall Take Our Lives Into Our Own Keeping," is about another Irish woman, Eileen. She's from the tenements and works in a candy factory where her boss sexually harasses her and threatens her job if she doesn't comply. Eileen once dreamed of something better. At 13 she developed a massive crush on Maeve, a wild girl who led Eileen into danger with serious repercussions. Eileen feels enormous guilt but Maeve has transferred her boundless energy into fighting for women's suffrage. I'm not sure what the point of this story was. It didn't really go anywhere in the present day and was depressing. I felt bad for Eileen and again, this is a woman who needs an education to better her life.
I really like "A Woman in Movement" by Alyson Richman. Emma, an artist, is determined to pursue an arts education and career as an artist in New York City against her father's wishes. While he grudgingly gave his consent, he doesn't see art as a viable career. Emma must give up her identity to make a living and endure the humiliation of her boss getting credit for her work. Emma learns a lot about herself, the women's suffrage movement and her mother. I loved seeing how Emma got drawn into the movement first because of a contest and then because of her family history. This story is sweet and moving. I can easily see a girl like Emma being drawn to the women's suffrage movement and becoming a successful artist.
I also really liked "Just Politics" by Chris Bohjalian, who drew inspiration from his Armenian heritage to write about a young woman who escaped the Armenian genocide to a life of safety in New York. A teacher, Ani, is scarred by her experiences but drawn to the suffrage movement by her lively friend Catherine. Catherine is a great friend to Ani. She understands Ani's fears. Ani has PTSD from everything she experienced in Armenia. She's fretful, fearful and reluctant to march in public for fear of repercussions but Catherine insists and is quick to ease Ani's fears. Ani must overcome her trauma and fears to rescue her friend. I really liked Ani's character growth even though the story is only a few pages long. It felt natural. I can relate to being a loyal friend who can overcome natural timidity to fight for a friend. The author did an amazing job brining the Armenian massacre to life. I've heard of it and met the children and grandchildren of survivors, including my high school principal who had a ZERO tolerance policy for aggressive bullying because of how the Turks treated his parents and their people. I didn't really know much more than that and the scenes are remisicisint of the eastern European Jewish pogroms. Don't read this story if you are sensitive to violence.
"The Last Mile" by Fiona Davis finds Alva Vanderbilt Belmont, a leader of the 20th century women's suffrage movement, elderly, alone and lonely as she is forced to turn back from the march due to a health issue. When she discovers a little intruder in her home, she returns to the streets of New York to return the child to her family, sharing her story along the way. This story shows a more vulnerable side of Alva. I still don't feel any sympathy for her. I don't feel badly for people who "lost everything" in the Civil War because they were enslavers. Nope. Not one bit sorry for the Smiths in spite of their noble American blood and subsequent comparative poverty. There were plenty of people far worse off than Alva ... like the former slaves! Alva comes across as peevish and selfish. That I believe. She scares me. I don't believe William K. Vanderbilt flaunted mistresses in front of her. From the newspaper gossip column, their marriage was already over. However, she did believe he had an affair with her best friend and that is not OK. My sympathies lie with Mr. Vanderbilt though. Alva must have been tough to live with. I also don't believe O.H.P. Belmont loved her any more than she loved him! She loved his castle even though it was a glorified horse stable. I also don't have any sympathy for her because she forced her daughter into a loveless marriage yet led the charge for divorce and women's suffrage. Hypocrite. In this story we finally learn what happened to Grace and how she is reunited with her family. Grace seems must older than 5 or 6 and more stubborn and mischievous. How she's found is not consistent with the previous story of Grace in the police station. Charles Tiffany is a weak-willed man who cares more about his image and his business than any cause. He doesn't seem to support anything, let alone women's suffrage. Leave it to mannish Alva to explain it to him in terms he can understand!
Author's notes in the back explain the background behind the stories. I enjoyed learning more about which characters were real, which ones were inspired by real people.
I enjoyed this collection and I'm glad I read it but I don't feel inspired to seek out any of the authors and read their novels. I feel more inspired to tell my own story about the New York women's suffrage march!
This book is a volume of stories set on the same day, October 23, 1915, when over a million women in New York City marched for the right to vote.
This collection is engaging and the stories well written but the authors could have done a LOT more research into the women's suffrage movement. In England the colors of the WSPU were violet, green and white. The U.S. never had one official color but Alice Paul's National Women's Party colors were gold and purple. The New York Women's Political Union (and NJ) colors were purple, white and green and some of the characters in these stories certainly would have belonged to that organization but not as many as were wearing the colors in these stories. I've done the research. http://womenatthecenter.nyhistory.org...
There may be a couple of other errors as well.
I also wish the stories had more cohesion. Throughout the stories a little girl named Grace is lost. The story of how she was found and where changes with every author's story and Grace's personality also seems to change. She seems older by the end of the book than she was in the beginning.
The first story by Lisa Wingate "Apple Season" features a poor Appalachian family and the determined female reverend who changes their lives. This story is heartbreaking and truly shows the need for EDUCATION more than suffrage. Suffrage wouldn't do Clarey any good. If she had had an education, her life would be very different. This story was a little slow and sad for my personal enjoyment.
"A First Step" by M.J. Rose centers around the Tiffany family. Mrs. Katrina Tiffany married her husband Charles, heir to the Tiffany fortune, knowing he lacked his father's appreciation for beauty and didn't feel strongly about women's rights. Katrina, an ardent supporter of women's suffrage, is planning to take their young niece Grace to the march. Charles disagrees. I like Katrina a lot. She's smart and determined. Charles is a nice man and isn't motivated out of misogyny. He cares for Katrina and Grace a lot. He's kind enough, just clueless. He's a businessman and worried about the reputation of the firm. What he does with the jeweler is underhanded and mean but at least he doesn't sack the man. Little Grace is cute, innocent and eager to have her aunt's attention. She can't really fully grasp what women's suffrage means but she likes the idea of marching. When her uncle forces her to stay behind, she's excited to be the official parade photographer instead. When Grace goes missing, it forces Charles to examine what he finds most important in life. I liked this story and was eager to know what happened to Grace. I skipped ahead to find out!
"Deeds, Not Words" by Steve Berry is a mystery. I got caught up in the plot of a suspected bomb plot. While I don't agree with the terrorist tactics of the British movement, I do agree with the peaceful American movement and think the suspected bomber is NOT one of them. I don't like the main character Randall Wilson. He's so old-fashioned and prudish. Men, stop victim blaming women. Short skirts and public speaking are NOT the problem. Men are. Until men can learn to respect women as equals, they will continue the disgusting and evil things the men in this story have done. I do think Randall is a good person at heart and hope he comes around to Florence's way of seeing things.
"Thylacine" by Paula McLain is kind of a sad story. A middle-aged woman trapped in a loveless marriage to a pompous boor dreams of a better life and suffrage is the key. Again, education would have been the ticket to a better life for her. This story is a little too slow for me.
Katherine J. Chen's story, 'Siobhán", about an Irish maid working for Alva Vanderbilt is a sad one. Far from home, Siobhán has her name changed and is made fun of by the other servants. Siobhán makes some really bad and selfish decisions that cost her her family. It's heartbreaking. I feel sorry for her for being so naïve and bullied but her decisions were of her own making. This story doesn't have much to do with the parade or suffrage.
"The Runaway" by Christina Baker Kline is a fun, short story about a plucky teenage girl determined to avoid being sent west on the orphan train. I know about the orphan train from other stories. It's not that unheard of. I really like the heroine and this story is fun and enjoyable for all ages.
"Boundless, We Ride" by Jamie Ford is one of two stories featuring women of color. I really liked this story about Mabel Lee, daughter of Chinese missionaries and champion of education for women. Woohoo! She's a heroine I can relate to. She went from scholarship student to doctoral candidate and suffragist. She was determined not to back down even when fellow Chinese student Paul Soong tried to encourage her to join him in the viewing stand with the mayor and other wealthy New Yorkers in order to put a public face on the Chinese-Americans of New York. I loved Mabel and how she refused to give in to what was easy. Even though she knew the elite white women didn't want to include her, she barged her way in on a horse like a knight, like Inez Milholland. I also enjoyed seeing how supportive her mother is and why. This is one of my favorite stories in the collection.
"American Womanhood" by Dolen Perkins-Valdez is the second story about a woman of color, Ida B. Wells-Barnett. In this story Ida reflects on the women's suffrage parade in Washington, DC in 1913 and how she was excluded from marching with the Illinois delegation. After that she devoted herself to local politics and championing Black lawyers and politicians with the belief they would help further then cause of Black Chicagoans. This story has little to do with the New York march and Ida's career can be found in the public record. It's not worthwhile to fictionalize her thoughts, which I suspect are not fictionalized and come from her own speeches and writings. This story doesn't really add anything to my knowledge or understanding of Ida B. Wells-Barnett.
Megan Chase's story, "We Shall Take Our Lives Into Our Own Keeping," is about another Irish woman, Eileen. She's from the tenements and works in a candy factory where her boss sexually harasses her and threatens her job if she doesn't comply. Eileen once dreamed of something better. At 13 she developed a massive crush on Maeve, a wild girl who led Eileen into danger with serious repercussions. Eileen feels enormous guilt but Maeve has transferred her boundless energy into fighting for women's suffrage. I'm not sure what the point of this story was. It didn't really go anywhere in the present day and was depressing. I felt bad for Eileen and again, this is a woman who needs an education to better her life.
I really like "A Woman in Movement" by Alyson Richman. Emma, an artist, is determined to pursue an arts education and career as an artist in New York City against her father's wishes. While he grudgingly gave his consent, he doesn't see art as a viable career. Emma must give up her identity to make a living and endure the humiliation of her boss getting credit for her work. Emma learns a lot about herself, the women's suffrage movement and her mother. I loved seeing how Emma got drawn into the movement first because of a contest and then because of her family history. This story is sweet and moving. I can easily see a girl like Emma being drawn to the women's suffrage movement and becoming a successful artist.
I also really liked "Just Politics" by Chris Bohjalian, who drew inspiration from his Armenian heritage to write about a young woman who escaped the Armenian genocide to a life of safety in New York. A teacher, Ani, is scarred by her experiences but drawn to the suffrage movement by her lively friend Catherine. Catherine is a great friend to Ani. She understands Ani's fears. Ani has PTSD from everything she experienced in Armenia. She's fretful, fearful and reluctant to march in public for fear of repercussions but Catherine insists and is quick to ease Ani's fears. Ani must overcome her trauma and fears to rescue her friend. I really liked Ani's character growth even though the story is only a few pages long. It felt natural. I can relate to being a loyal friend who can overcome natural timidity to fight for a friend. The author did an amazing job brining the Armenian massacre to life. I've heard of it and met the children and grandchildren of survivors, including my high school principal who had a ZERO tolerance policy for aggressive bullying because of how the Turks treated his parents and their people. I didn't really know much more than that and the scenes are remisicisint of the eastern European Jewish pogroms. Don't read this story if you are sensitive to violence.
"The Last Mile" by Fiona Davis finds Alva Vanderbilt Belmont, a leader of the 20th century women's suffrage movement, elderly, alone and lonely as she is forced to turn back from the march due to a health issue. When she discovers a little intruder in her home, she returns to the streets of New York to return the child to her family, sharing her story along the way. This story shows a more vulnerable side of Alva. I still don't feel any sympathy for her. I don't feel badly for people who "lost everything" in the Civil War because they were enslavers. Nope. Not one bit sorry for the Smiths in spite of their noble American blood and subsequent comparative poverty. There were plenty of people far worse off than Alva ... like the former slaves! Alva comes across as peevish and selfish. That I believe. She scares me. I don't believe William K. Vanderbilt flaunted mistresses in front of her. From the newspaper gossip column, their marriage was already over. However, she did believe he had an affair with her best friend and that is not OK. My sympathies lie with Mr. Vanderbilt though. Alva must have been tough to live with. I also don't believe O.H.P. Belmont loved her any more than she loved him! She loved his castle even though it was a glorified horse stable. I also don't have any sympathy for her because she forced her daughter into a loveless marriage yet led the charge for divorce and women's suffrage. Hypocrite. In this story we finally learn what happened to Grace and how she is reunited with her family. Grace seems must older than 5 or 6 and more stubborn and mischievous. How she's found is not consistent with the previous story of Grace in the police station. Charles Tiffany is a weak-willed man who cares more about his image and his business than any cause. He doesn't seem to support anything, let alone women's suffrage. Leave it to mannish Alva to explain it to him in terms he can understand!
Author's notes in the back explain the background behind the stories. I enjoyed learning more about which characters were real, which ones were inspired by real people.
I enjoyed this collection and I'm glad I read it but I don't feel inspired to seek out any of the authors and read their novels. I feel more inspired to tell my own story about the New York women's suffrage march!
March 11, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up.
I liked this book but didn’t love it, probably because I’m not a big fan of short stories.
12 authors give their take on the women’s march in NYC in 1915. Each story is about a different woman who either marched or wanted to. There are society ladies and working women; white women and women of color; American women and immigrants; older women and young women. The March, or parade as some referred to it is the unifying thread between the stories, as well as a spunky young girl named Grace. The stories are insightful in their portrayal of women’s lives in 1915, and their yearning to have a say in their own destinies. It brings home how we now take for granted our ability to vote and have control over our own lives. All women should be forever grateful for these suffragettes who marched for us, endured humiliation and violence in their determination to make life better for all of us.
Thank you to Goodreads for providing this giveaway.
I liked this book but didn’t love it, probably because I’m not a big fan of short stories.
12 authors give their take on the women’s march in NYC in 1915. Each story is about a different woman who either marched or wanted to. There are society ladies and working women; white women and women of color; American women and immigrants; older women and young women. The March, or parade as some referred to it is the unifying thread between the stories, as well as a spunky young girl named Grace. The stories are insightful in their portrayal of women’s lives in 1915, and their yearning to have a say in their own destinies. It brings home how we now take for granted our ability to vote and have control over our own lives. All women should be forever grateful for these suffragettes who marched for us, endured humiliation and violence in their determination to make life better for all of us.
Thank you to Goodreads for providing this giveaway.
June 27, 2022
I found this to be an enjoyable of intertwined stories about the Women's Right to Vote March in New York City on October 23, 1915. Each author offers a different perspective many with characters they would include in their usual works. College students, immigrants, children, reporters, disenfranchised, adults, teachers, artists, and NYC elite are all featured characters. Some are real while others are based off real life people. I found this book to be informative and engaging.
How did I find this book? I was going though Fiona Davis' books and came across this book.
How did I find this book? I was going though Fiona Davis' books and came across this book.
July 30, 2020
I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.
I really love these short story collections set in different periods of history. You get a short stories from authors you're probably pining for their next books, and get to meet authors you haven't encountered before. And sometimes you get tie-ins to books you've read before. What's not to love?
The topic of this collection is very timely, being the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 20th Amendment, which gave some women the right to vote. The stories are centered mostly around parades, featuring women and girls from different classes and locations, and even features POCs! Each of the authors brough something different to the table, which I really appreciated. I was actually a bit surprised to find Steve Berry lumped in with some of my favorite historical fiction authors, and he definitely brought something different that the other stories. All of the authors did great work.
I was educated and I was entertained. What more could I ask for?
I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of a contributing author, anyone who likes historical fiction in general, and those interested in the struggle for women's rights to vote.
I really love these short story collections set in different periods of history. You get a short stories from authors you're probably pining for their next books, and get to meet authors you haven't encountered before. And sometimes you get tie-ins to books you've read before. What's not to love?
The topic of this collection is very timely, being the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 20th Amendment, which gave some women the right to vote. The stories are centered mostly around parades, featuring women and girls from different classes and locations, and even features POCs! Each of the authors brough something different to the table, which I really appreciated. I was actually a bit surprised to find Steve Berry lumped in with some of my favorite historical fiction authors, and he definitely brought something different that the other stories. All of the authors did great work.
I was educated and I was entertained. What more could I ask for?
I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of a contributing author, anyone who likes historical fiction in general, and those interested in the struggle for women's rights to vote.
June 1, 2020
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book.
I had high hopes for this book, with so many talented authors coming together in one collection, and it was even better than I expected. Some stories resonated with me slightly more than others, but I found myself drawn into most of them and wishing that they were full-length books instead of short stories. This is truly a moving and heartfelt set of stories. I learned even more about the movement than I knew previously and look forward to researching and reading more.
I had high hopes for this book, with so many talented authors coming together in one collection, and it was even better than I expected. Some stories resonated with me slightly more than others, but I found myself drawn into most of them and wishing that they were full-length books instead of short stories. This is truly a moving and heartfelt set of stories. I learned even more about the movement than I knew previously and look forward to researching and reading more.
August 22, 2020
Stories from Suffragette City is a collection of short stories that all take place on October 23, 1915 in New York City when over 25,000 women marched up Fifth Avenue demanding the right to vote. Thirteen well-known authors have written a short story about the march. The stories look at the experiences of the very rich, the very poor and everyone in between. Normally when I read an anthology, I like one of two of the stories better than the others - that wasn't the case with this book - I enjoyed all of the stories and I enjoyed the different characters they wrote about on this important day in the history of women's rights in this country.
I really enjoy a book that teaches me as I'm being entertained. I knew about the Suffrage movement but had no idea of the planning and work that went into it from all levels of society. Most of the women were ridiculed by both men and women who thought that women weren't smart enough to vote. But they persevered to get the vote for women!
This is a very timely and important anthology. Many women have become too complacent about voting and don't take advantage of their right to do so. This book reminds us of the hard work and sacrifices that the woman of the early 1900s did to give us the right to vote. We have a very important election in November, 2020, and I hope that all women take the time to VOTE!
I really enjoy a book that teaches me as I'm being entertained. I knew about the Suffrage movement but had no idea of the planning and work that went into it from all levels of society. Most of the women were ridiculed by both men and women who thought that women weren't smart enough to vote. But they persevered to get the vote for women!
This is a very timely and important anthology. Many women have become too complacent about voting and don't take advantage of their right to do so. This book reminds us of the hard work and sacrifices that the woman of the early 1900s did to give us the right to vote. We have a very important election in November, 2020, and I hope that all women take the time to VOTE!
June 26, 2020
This collection of stories from these brilliant authors is one of the best I have ever read. All I can say is "how neat" for those of us who grew up using the word "neat" as something really cool and amazing. I found myself wanting more stories. This book is chock full of superb writing as I found each story just as interesting as the last. I had never learned a lot about suffrage, even in school, so this book actually opened my eyes to issues and the way things were back then.
I couldn't have enjoyed it more and I will be recommending this to many people in my travels and to my future students.
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Company for the ARC. It is very much appreciated.
I couldn't have enjoyed it more and I will be recommending this to many people in my travels and to my future students.
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Company for the ARC. It is very much appreciated.
August 6, 2020
Stories from Suffragette City was a brilliant idea. Take twelve best-selling authors and have them create a short story about the same day in history. What day you ask? An incredibly important date for women around the world. It was the day that thousands of women marched the streets of New York to earn the right to vote.
With each story, a new tale is created with an individual author’s spin on it. I’m curious if I’d be able to guess which of the twelve authors wrote each story if their names were left off. I usually read one short story collection a year and I’m finding myself enjoying the craft more and more.
This book in particular allowed me to read a few at a time and feel satisfied. There were some I’d love to be expanded into a novel. You will too. Overall, an inspiring, entertaining, powerful and meaningful read.
With each story, a new tale is created with an individual author’s spin on it. I’m curious if I’d be able to guess which of the twelve authors wrote each story if their names were left off. I usually read one short story collection a year and I’m finding myself enjoying the craft more and more.
This book in particular allowed me to read a few at a time and feel satisfied. There were some I’d love to be expanded into a novel. You will too. Overall, an inspiring, entertaining, powerful and meaningful read.
October 24, 2020
Originally published at Reading Reality
Forget, if you can, the David Bowie classic song, Suffragette City, because the song wasn’t about these suffragettes, in spite of the title. And in spite of the song being the first thing that popped into my head when I read the title. To the point where I have an earworm.
But this book is something entirely different.
On October 23, 1915, 105 years ago today, between 25,000 and 60,000 women marched through the streets of New York, in front of at least 100,000 spectators lining the streets, blocking traffic and generally grinding the entire metropolis to a screeching and sometimes cheering halt.
New York State was just about to vote on a referendum that would allow women the right to vote. The parade was intended to draw concentrated attention to the referendum, to provide a clear and incontrovertible testament that women were political and should be granted the right to vote.
Not all women agreed. And certainly not all men, who would be the ones doing the actual voting, for or against. As it turned out, mostly against. The referendum failed in 1915. It succeeded in 1917. The Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, whose centenary occurred earlier this year, gave all women the right to vote, even if it didn’t – and still doesn’t – mean that all women are actually able to vote.
Nevertheless, the October 23, 1915 parade was a watershed moment. And this collection of short stories that all take place on that day, within and surrounding that parade, tells the story of that moment and the women who were a part of it, through fictional perspectives from all sides, from the rich and famous – and occasionally infamous – Alva Vanderbilt Belmont to NAACP co-founder Ida B. Wells to Irish and Armenian immigrants to a young niece of the storied Tiffany family.
These are not any of their stories in their entirety. Rather, they are the stories of actions on that one, singular day, the thoughts, feelings and struggles that brought them to the parade, and the joy and occasional heartbreak that surrounded both its triumphs and its failures.
Escape Rating A-: It’s time to talk about the stories themselves.
This is one of those times when ALL the stories in the collection are just terrific. And that feels rare in collections. After all, not every style agrees with every reader. But this time, with its emphasis on this one day and all of the thoughts and feelings surrounding it, works. (If the concept of stories around a significant historical event appeals to you, Fall of Poppies, focusing on the cessation of the hostilities of World War I on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month is also very lovely and well worth a read on this coming, or any other Veterans Day.)
Back to the stories. Although I will say that the differing perspectives that these stories focus on do lead the reader down plenty of mental and emotional byways. The day may have been singular, but the perspectives on it certainly were not. That’s what makes the collection as a whole so fascinating.
Many of the stories deal with women’s responses to the men in their lives who are either against the idea of women’s suffrage or just think that marching is unseemly and unsafe, and that women are delicate flowers that need protection from the dirty scrum that is politics.
Two of the particularly excellent stories on this topic are A First Step by M.J. Rose and Deeds Not Words by Steve Berry. A First Step also introduces the character of young Grace Tiffany, who flits through almost every story in the book. But in this first story about her, she and her aunt Katrina are planning to march in the parade, even though Grace’s uncle, Charles Tiffany, thinks it’s too dangerous and thinks he’s succeeded in convincing little Grace. He hasn’t. In the end, Grace convinces him.
There are also several stories that focus on the women who were, in one way or another, not welcome in this parade of mostly privileged white women. Ida B. Wells isn’t there. Rather, in Dolen Parkins-Valdez’ story, American Womanhood, Wells is in Chicago, speaking to a group of black women about the issues they face being subject to both racial prejudice and misogyny, expected to always do the most while receiving the least benefits. And as she speaks she remembers her own treatment at the Washington march in 1913, where the genteel southern ladies who had taken over control of the movement refused to let her or any other non-white women march with the main parade. And where Wells did it anyway.
The story that moved me the most was Just Politics by Chris Bohjalian. This story is an immigrant’s story, told from the point of view of Ani, an Armenian woman who has become a teacher in New York. But Ani came to New York during the years of the Armenian Genocide by the Turkish government just before World War I. Everyone around her tells her that the march is “just politics” but Ani has first hand experience of exactly how terrible and deadly “just politics” can become. Her perspective, that combination of hope with bitter, bitter experience, provides a leavening that makes her story just rise.
So, read this collection for its marvelous stories, and for its kaleidoscope of perspectives on what that day, the cause of women’s suffrage, and the cause of equal rights in general and not just the specific. And think about how many times that tide has risen and fallen and just how much is still left to fight for.
And then, if you have not already done so, go out and vote. It’s a right that was hard won, and it demands that we exercise it.
Forget, if you can, the David Bowie classic song, Suffragette City, because the song wasn’t about these suffragettes, in spite of the title. And in spite of the song being the first thing that popped into my head when I read the title. To the point where I have an earworm.
But this book is something entirely different.
On October 23, 1915, 105 years ago today, between 25,000 and 60,000 women marched through the streets of New York, in front of at least 100,000 spectators lining the streets, blocking traffic and generally grinding the entire metropolis to a screeching and sometimes cheering halt.
New York State was just about to vote on a referendum that would allow women the right to vote. The parade was intended to draw concentrated attention to the referendum, to provide a clear and incontrovertible testament that women were political and should be granted the right to vote.
Not all women agreed. And certainly not all men, who would be the ones doing the actual voting, for or against. As it turned out, mostly against. The referendum failed in 1915. It succeeded in 1917. The Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, whose centenary occurred earlier this year, gave all women the right to vote, even if it didn’t – and still doesn’t – mean that all women are actually able to vote.
Nevertheless, the October 23, 1915 parade was a watershed moment. And this collection of short stories that all take place on that day, within and surrounding that parade, tells the story of that moment and the women who were a part of it, through fictional perspectives from all sides, from the rich and famous – and occasionally infamous – Alva Vanderbilt Belmont to NAACP co-founder Ida B. Wells to Irish and Armenian immigrants to a young niece of the storied Tiffany family.
These are not any of their stories in their entirety. Rather, they are the stories of actions on that one, singular day, the thoughts, feelings and struggles that brought them to the parade, and the joy and occasional heartbreak that surrounded both its triumphs and its failures.
Escape Rating A-: It’s time to talk about the stories themselves.
This is one of those times when ALL the stories in the collection are just terrific. And that feels rare in collections. After all, not every style agrees with every reader. But this time, with its emphasis on this one day and all of the thoughts and feelings surrounding it, works. (If the concept of stories around a significant historical event appeals to you, Fall of Poppies, focusing on the cessation of the hostilities of World War I on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month is also very lovely and well worth a read on this coming, or any other Veterans Day.)
Back to the stories. Although I will say that the differing perspectives that these stories focus on do lead the reader down plenty of mental and emotional byways. The day may have been singular, but the perspectives on it certainly were not. That’s what makes the collection as a whole so fascinating.
Many of the stories deal with women’s responses to the men in their lives who are either against the idea of women’s suffrage or just think that marching is unseemly and unsafe, and that women are delicate flowers that need protection from the dirty scrum that is politics.
Two of the particularly excellent stories on this topic are A First Step by M.J. Rose and Deeds Not Words by Steve Berry. A First Step also introduces the character of young Grace Tiffany, who flits through almost every story in the book. But in this first story about her, she and her aunt Katrina are planning to march in the parade, even though Grace’s uncle, Charles Tiffany, thinks it’s too dangerous and thinks he’s succeeded in convincing little Grace. He hasn’t. In the end, Grace convinces him.
There are also several stories that focus on the women who were, in one way or another, not welcome in this parade of mostly privileged white women. Ida B. Wells isn’t there. Rather, in Dolen Parkins-Valdez’ story, American Womanhood, Wells is in Chicago, speaking to a group of black women about the issues they face being subject to both racial prejudice and misogyny, expected to always do the most while receiving the least benefits. And as she speaks she remembers her own treatment at the Washington march in 1913, where the genteel southern ladies who had taken over control of the movement refused to let her or any other non-white women march with the main parade. And where Wells did it anyway.
The story that moved me the most was Just Politics by Chris Bohjalian. This story is an immigrant’s story, told from the point of view of Ani, an Armenian woman who has become a teacher in New York. But Ani came to New York during the years of the Armenian Genocide by the Turkish government just before World War I. Everyone around her tells her that the march is “just politics” but Ani has first hand experience of exactly how terrible and deadly “just politics” can become. Her perspective, that combination of hope with bitter, bitter experience, provides a leavening that makes her story just rise.
So, read this collection for its marvelous stories, and for its kaleidoscope of perspectives on what that day, the cause of women’s suffrage, and the cause of equal rights in general and not just the specific. And think about how many times that tide has risen and fallen and just how much is still left to fight for.
And then, if you have not already done so, go out and vote. It’s a right that was hard won, and it demands that we exercise it.
November 3, 2020
Cute stories to warm my heart and remind people to VOTE. Let your voice be heard
August 14, 2022
I enjoyed reading this collection.
March 31, 2021
For Women’s History Month, I read “Stories from Suffragette City,” a collection of short stories about the women’s suffrage movement. These historical fiction stories are all centered around a large suffrage parade that was held in New York City on October 23, 1915.
A lot of well-known authors contributed stories to this collection including Fiona Davis, Paula McLain, Jamie Ford, M.J. Rose, Chris Bohjalian, etc. Kristin Hannah wrote the introduction.
Overall, I really enjoyed all the stories! Some of the stories have a common thread (a little girl who goes to the parade with her mom to take photos and gets lost), and the fact that all the stories revolve around the same day helps to tie all the different stories together.
I liked that some of the stories are actually set elsewhere (not in NYC), but still were either about the parade or about the suffrage movement. This helped give some different views & settings to the stories.
It is easy to forget nowadays that there was a time when women were not allowed to vote! And for women of color, it took even longer to get the right to vote! It’s important that we don’t forget what these women went through, and we should not take our right to vote for granted!
A lot of well-known authors contributed stories to this collection including Fiona Davis, Paula McLain, Jamie Ford, M.J. Rose, Chris Bohjalian, etc. Kristin Hannah wrote the introduction.
Overall, I really enjoyed all the stories! Some of the stories have a common thread (a little girl who goes to the parade with her mom to take photos and gets lost), and the fact that all the stories revolve around the same day helps to tie all the different stories together.
I liked that some of the stories are actually set elsewhere (not in NYC), but still were either about the parade or about the suffrage movement. This helped give some different views & settings to the stories.
It is easy to forget nowadays that there was a time when women were not allowed to vote! And for women of color, it took even longer to get the right to vote! It’s important that we don’t forget what these women went through, and we should not take our right to vote for granted!
Read
June 1, 2021There were so many distracting historical inaccuracies in this anthology, beginning with the book’s title. I don’t know of any source calling New York “Suffragette City.” Suffrage advocates in the U.S. recoiled from being called “suffragettes,” who were associated with militant British activists. The American women self-consciously called themselves “suffragists.” The David Bowie song “Suffragette City” wasn’t even about the American movement nor even about women’s rights or voting.
I looked past the “suffragette” reference (a personal bugbear of mine if you can’t tell) because I was intrigued by the idea of many short stories by different authors, all set at the New York City suffrage parade in 1915. But there were just too many anachronistic phrases, misreadings of real women (like Ida B Wells and Alva Vanderbilt Belmont) turned into fictional characters, and an overriding sensibility that just wasn’t historical. I did not like the prose style, plot, or point of most of the stories, and I was sadly disappointed in this collection as a whole. The main exception for me was Megan Chance’s story, “We Shall Take Our Own Lives into Our Own Keeping,” for the sake of which I won’t rate the book as a whole.
I looked past the “suffragette” reference (a personal bugbear of mine if you can’t tell) because I was intrigued by the idea of many short stories by different authors, all set at the New York City suffrage parade in 1915. But there were just too many anachronistic phrases, misreadings of real women (like Ida B Wells and Alva Vanderbilt Belmont) turned into fictional characters, and an overriding sensibility that just wasn’t historical. I did not like the prose style, plot, or point of most of the stories, and I was sadly disappointed in this collection as a whole. The main exception for me was Megan Chance’s story, “We Shall Take Our Own Lives into Our Own Keeping,” for the sake of which I won’t rate the book as a whole.
Read
October 27, 2020This was a wonderful book that fit so perfectly with the time, I'm sitting here one week from out election day and feeling the spirit of the women who fought for our rights for over 22 years. This collection of short stories painted the picture of relatable, sympathetic women from so many different backgrounds fighting for their equal voice.
I love that it honed in on women of poverty and illustrated the exclusion of women of color because they were so vital to the movement and yet did not gain their vote for many years after. There was also an interesting focus on the way men viewed great women as delicate objects they needed to protect which was only a reflection of their ego and smallness. Set in New York City on a monumentous day, I was drawn into the energy that at times felt like today.
I especially loved that this was not a book exclusive to only female historical fiction authors. This is an odd thing for me to voice as I'm usually banging my feminist drum aloud but it's important for women to hear and appreciate the voice of men who support equality and writers like Steve Berry brought their own unique view of the moment.
I love that it honed in on women of poverty and illustrated the exclusion of women of color because they were so vital to the movement and yet did not gain their vote for many years after. There was also an interesting focus on the way men viewed great women as delicate objects they needed to protect which was only a reflection of their ego and smallness. Set in New York City on a monumentous day, I was drawn into the energy that at times felt like today.
I especially loved that this was not a book exclusive to only female historical fiction authors. This is an odd thing for me to voice as I'm usually banging my feminist drum aloud but it's important for women to hear and appreciate the voice of men who support equality and writers like Steve Berry brought their own unique view of the moment.
November 25, 2020
I received my copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
I was so excited to see the list of authors who contributed to this collection. As a fan of historical fiction, I had read many of their works before. Like all short story collections, some of the works resonated more with me than others, and I thought that some were better written and edited, but overall I enjoyed reading each author's take on the Women's Suffrage Parade in 1915.
I liked that the character of Grace appeared in several of the stories, creating a nice interweaving thread. I found myself wondering about several of the characters' fates, which is always a pitfall with short stories. Some of the stories seemed complete as they were, while others seemed to be more set up as part of a bigger story. I wonder if any of these authors will expand upon their short stories and make them into novels.
There were a couple of instances of anachronisms that I noticed, but overall I liked the collection and am happy that I got to read it.
I was so excited to see the list of authors who contributed to this collection. As a fan of historical fiction, I had read many of their works before. Like all short story collections, some of the works resonated more with me than others, and I thought that some were better written and edited, but overall I enjoyed reading each author's take on the Women's Suffrage Parade in 1915.
I liked that the character of Grace appeared in several of the stories, creating a nice interweaving thread. I found myself wondering about several of the characters' fates, which is always a pitfall with short stories. Some of the stories seemed complete as they were, while others seemed to be more set up as part of a bigger story. I wonder if any of these authors will expand upon their short stories and make them into novels.
There were a couple of instances of anachronisms that I noticed, but overall I liked the collection and am happy that I got to read it.
December 4, 2020
"Stories from Suffragette City" gets an extra star for being a collection of short stories about an important topic.
A little girl wearing a white satin sash and carrying a Brownie camera scampers her way into several of the dozen short stories set on Oct. 23, 1915, the day that thousands of women . . . and men . . . gathered to march in support of women's right to vote.
The stories are told from a variety of perspectives, from wealthy women who helped to plan the march to poor girls who just happen to show up for the big event. We even get the perspective of a young woman who survived the Turkish massacre of the Armenians; she is not confident that violence will not erupt.
Ida B. Wells, who was embarrassed at an earlier march when organizers refused to let women of color participate, skipped the 1915 march. Nonetheless, we got a glimpse into what she was up to in Chicago on that day as she worked to improve the plight of black women and men.
The little girl who pops up in various stories is not the only common thread. Each of the stories underscores the importance of this event. The political turmoil that has plagued the United States in recent years underscores the importance of such events . . . and the power of women united.
A little girl wearing a white satin sash and carrying a Brownie camera scampers her way into several of the dozen short stories set on Oct. 23, 1915, the day that thousands of women . . . and men . . . gathered to march in support of women's right to vote.
The stories are told from a variety of perspectives, from wealthy women who helped to plan the march to poor girls who just happen to show up for the big event. We even get the perspective of a young woman who survived the Turkish massacre of the Armenians; she is not confident that violence will not erupt.
Ida B. Wells, who was embarrassed at an earlier march when organizers refused to let women of color participate, skipped the 1915 march. Nonetheless, we got a glimpse into what she was up to in Chicago on that day as she worked to improve the plight of black women and men.
The little girl who pops up in various stories is not the only common thread. Each of the stories underscores the importance of this event. The political turmoil that has plagued the United States in recent years underscores the importance of such events . . . and the power of women united.
October 24, 2020
Stories from Suffragette City, edited by MJ Rose and Fiona Davis, is a great collection of short stories by some of the best historical fiction writers around. There were no stories I didn’t enjoy, though my favorites were Boundless, We Ride by Jamie Ford, The First Step by M.J. Rose, and The Last Mile by Fiona Davis. Since these are three of my favorite authors, that makes a lot of sense. I loved the way the history of the movement was captured not just by white women but women of all colors and backgrounds. The stories are all well written and I appreciated the thread that tied them together besides the suffrage movement itself. I really savored the reading of the collection and would recommend it to anyone that enjoys short stories and historical fiction.
Thank you NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
November 30, 2020
I think I've read more anthologies this November than I ever have in a single month. This is the last one. I thought the suffragette theme would lift this anthology beyond the ordinary. As usual, I didn't care for most of the stories, but there were a couple of stories that made this a book that was worth reading.
I adored "A Woman in Movement" by Alyson Richman. It was wonderful that it focused on a suffragette artist. Both the premise and implementation of the sketch she entered into The Woman Voter art contest were outstanding. I was so moved.
I also loved "American Womanhood" by Dolen Perkins Valdez because it educated me about Ida B. Wells and her role in the suffragette movement.
I adored "A Woman in Movement" by Alyson Richman. It was wonderful that it focused on a suffragette artist. Both the premise and implementation of the sketch she entered into The Woman Voter art contest were outstanding. I was so moved.
I also loved "American Womanhood" by Dolen Perkins Valdez because it educated me about Ida B. Wells and her role in the suffragette movement.
July 23, 2020
I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK.
I really enjoyed how many authors came together to do a collab on such an important, and under-communicated, topic.
Each chapter is written by a different author with a different point of view: a rich woman, a man whose wife supports the cause, a child, a poor woman, etc.
I was struck over and over again how IMPORTANT the vote is and what a dang feat it was for women to have this power. I definitely find myself more appreciative of the freedom I have to express my opinions by voting and making a difference for my country.
Thank you, Netgalley, for this ARC!
I really enjoyed how many authors came together to do a collab on such an important, and under-communicated, topic.
Each chapter is written by a different author with a different point of view: a rich woman, a man whose wife supports the cause, a child, a poor woman, etc.
I was struck over and over again how IMPORTANT the vote is and what a dang feat it was for women to have this power. I definitely find myself more appreciative of the freedom I have to express my opinions by voting and making a difference for my country.
Thank you, Netgalley, for this ARC!
February 2, 2021
This lovely anthology centers on the historic events of Oct. 23, 1915, when thousands marched for the cause of women's right to vote. Aside from the main theme , there is a thread about a lost little girl connecting many of the stories and paths cross and intertwine. Some of my favorite authors are here: Chris Bohjalian, Fiona Davis, to name two, but all of them are good writers who know how to tell a tale. Included are the stories of Irish and Armenian immigrants, a black suffragette who knows the battle will outlast her, a Vanderbilt, an artist, men who support the movement and men who don't, a female preacher, and the impoverished mountain children she tries to help, among others. Completely enjoyable and educational at the same time.
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