Uppity Women of the Renaissance

Uppity Women

by Vicki León

Introducing some of history's most dangerous, outrageous, and flamboyant women, Uppity Women of the Renaissance introduces readers to ex-nun Catalina de Erauso, who dueled, drank, and cross-dressed her way through Spain and North America; Chiyome, who started a profitable business renting out female ninjas, called "deadly flowers," in 16-century Japan; and Zubayda, an Arab engineer who, when she wasn't busy building aqueducts, roads, or entire cities, found time to throw lavish, Martha Stewart-style parties. Covering wide geographical ground and combining meticulous historical research, period artwork, and a rollicking sense of humor, this latest volume in the Uppity Women series profiles more than 200 heroines, hussies, and harpies of the fourteenth through the 17th centuries.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Feminism, Humor, Womens, Biography, Historical

308 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

A prolific author of non-fiction, author of numerous books for young and old, Vicki León delights in unearthing unusual facts, fresh anecdotes, and uncommon statistics to create her books on the natural world and the flip side of history. Her book have won rave reviews from a long list of media that includes People magazine. Publishers Weekly, the Los Angeles Times, Voice of America, and numerous NPR stations.

Her bestselling titles for 10 and up include A Raft of Sea Otters, The Secrets of Tidepools, and three titles in the Outrageous Women series.

Her popular titles for older readers include Uppity Women of Ancient Times, Uppity Women of the Renaissance, and the other Uppity titles and the travel title Scenic Highway One.

Reviews

[Denise]

This book has little bits about women in the Renaissance era. I found myself skimming at times, full of information but basically a 'bathroom' or coffee table book for a short reading now and then. I enjoy women in history books and this book has the history but somehow I was left wanting something different. Perhaps it was a style I just am not use to. Not a bad book by any means, still had lots to offer about a subject I knew little on.

[elstaffe]

2.5 rounds up to 3 stars for me. A good teaser intro to a lot of the historical figures in the book, albeit with some weird writing about gender*. Wished it had endnotes for each person so I knew which of the books referenced in the bibliography (woo!) I could find out more about them in.

*even granted that all writing about gender can get weird

Pull quote/note
"Once her son was born, [Elena de Céspedes] left him with Mom and headed for Granada. ... Elena discovered she now had an organ requiring a codpiece cover! Armed with this knowledge, she began an affair with her landlord's wife, who seemed anxious to explore this new frontier with Eleno, as she took to calling her/himself. Our gender-challenged protagonist soon learned to brag about her sexual prowess, leave the toilet lid up, and other critical male skills" (158) gender challenged? That would've been weird phrasing even at the time of publication. Unless a colon is missing and it was supposed to be gender: challenged.

[Robin]

A compilation of ultra-short Renaissance women’s biographies, from saints to sinners, rich to poor, famous to unknown, and interesting to omission-worthy. The author’s style is hip and snarky, putting a modern perspective on the lives of these women. It’s sometimes amusing, but not my favorite way to read history. I would have preferred more in-depth stories of fewer women, presented from the perspective of their era.

My favorite chapter was “The Mrs., Misses, and Near Misses of King Henry VIII.” These stories hung together in a way that other chapters such as “Slick Talkers and Awesome Networkers” did not (although ”Slick Talkers” contained some brilliant nuggets). Who knew that King Henry never actually dubbed Anne of Cleves “the Flanders Mare?”

Some interesting stories for those who can skip over the boring ones and don’t mind constant snark.

[A.]

I wanted to like this one as much as I did the others, but it just didn’t hit this time. The entries feel shorter & not as in-depth & in some cases the stories a little underwhelming. There were also a few places that felt like they would be really uncomfortable for a trans person to read. Obviously historians argue that you can’t really define historical people by modern understandings of sexuality & gender, but it still rubbed me wrong in the case of a few individuals in the book.

This book is most helpful as a springboard, to find people to research more on or to get a (very generalized) idea of life back in those times, but that’s about as far as I’d go with it.

[Meaghan]

I have read a few other of Vicki Leon's "Uppity Women" books and really liked them, but this is a major disappointment. Many of the women didn't seem either very uppity or very admirable. For example, one was included because she made a series of marriages each more financially advantageous than the last, and ended up very wealthy. Um...wasn't that what everyone wanted a Renaissance-era woman to do? Another woman listed was a petty thief and, after one of her employers whom she stole from gave her a second chance, she burned that person's house down. And what was so impressive/feminist about her?

Try the other books in the series but give this one a miss.

[Leslie ellis]

cute little book. features tiny briefs on kick ass women.

for sure, not something that one would read front to back in a day. more so, just a quick, alphabetized reference to great, outrageous or just crazy women remembered. occasionally, i'll revisit and glance at a random page for kicks.

i call this a 'bathroom' book... good to have in the bathroom for guests excusing themselves to 'powder their nose.'

[Marissa]

I was surprised by how funny and interesting this book was. I thought I would add it to my pile of coffee table books that i or my guests pick up every now and then out of boredom but i found myself reading it greedily for the first few days I had it. My kind of history.

[Mama]

I've read several books in the Uppity Women series and have enjoyed them all. The stories are short...most are just a page or two. Not only are they fun to read, but they're also very informative. Great books to keep on the nightstand or the coffee table.

[Kathleen McRae]

This is a quasi comic look at women and what they had to do to achieve anything outside of having a brood or dying in the attempt.I am not sure that uppity is a good word to describe these women but it is what it is

[Laura Hargrove]

great pickup here, there, everywhere book.
very funny.

[Comelysmuse]

just fun and funny

[Lianna]

"Chiyome, who started a profitable business renting out female ninjas"

[Kate]

Leon has done it again! I adored Uppity Women of Medieval Times. With the same wit and style, she highlights female contributions to the Renaissance. And it's perfect in every way.

[Beth]

Definitely an amusing, light-hearted read that highlights some of the lesser-known businesswomen, artists, con-women, and revolutionaries of the Renaissance.

[Lether Balogh]

I really loved the previous book I read of hers of women of the Middle Ages BUT this one just wasn't as great.
I felt it was all over the place and not put together well enough.

[SheLove2Read]

Fun, quick reads about women from the 14th to 17th centuries who didn't let a "little" thing like being a woman stop them from living full lives.

[Kaethe]

The idea of Leon's work is so compelling: short pieces on women who are usually overlooked by history.

[Simone]

A good coffee table book to pick up and put down, written in blurbs of a few paragraphs each. Reminded me a bit of Dave Barry's "history" books, except without all the made up facts.

[Rebecca L. Saraf]

Loved this book just as much. But, just realized there are two more books by Vicki Léon I need to find and read!