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14th out of 17 books
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The Life and Death of Mary Wollstonecraft
Witty, courageous and unconventional, Mary Wollstonecraft was one of the most controversial figures of her day.
She published "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman"; travelled to revolutionary France and lived through the Terror and the destruction of the incipient French feminist movement; produced an illegitimate daughter; and married William Godwin before dying in child...more
She published "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman"; travelled to revolutionary France and lived through the Terror and the destruction of the incipient French feminist movement; produced an illegitimate daughter; and married William Godwin before dying in child...more
Paperback, Revised edition., 384 pages
Published
September 1st 1992
by Penguin
(first published 1974)
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The greatest irony of Wollstonecraft's life was that she couldn't quite follow what she preached. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman was a vitriolic attack on the 18th century's idea of femininity and the destructive nature of passionate love, yet ironically she herself fell in love (very passionately!) with an unfaithful man who abandoned her when she was pregnant with their daughter. Consequently, twice she attempted to commit suicide and each time failed pathetically. She was a fierce, egoc...more
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I've never read 'A Vindication of the Rights of Women', and I had only the cloudiest idea of its actual contents and argument before reading this book. But I felt like I should respect and admire its author.
Mary Wollstonecraft makes that bloody hard. It's not Tomalin's fault - she writes a very evenhanded life, that both sticks up for Wollstonecraft at times, and admits to her poor behaviour and judgement at others. But Wollstonecraft herself; undeniably smart, undeniably stifled and frustrated...more
Mary Wollstonecraft makes that bloody hard. It's not Tomalin's fault - she writes a very evenhanded life, that both sticks up for Wollstonecraft at times, and admits to her poor behaviour and judgement at others. But Wollstonecraft herself; undeniably smart, undeniably stifled and frustrated...more
A somewhat unsympathetic view of Wollstonecraft (the author's not anti-feminist), but still worth reading if you're interested in her life. She is made out to be a bit of a fool at times, which I found hard to take. I guess we're all fools sometimes, but it came out a little harsher in this biography than in some others. Her (presumed) mood disorder is treated a little dismissively (like she's just acting out). However, I learned a lot, and you do get a firm sense of her historical context.
What an amazing woman and an amazing life, right in the centre of the turbulent times in which she was living! She's so bright and strong-minded and fearless - a real inspiration. And Tomalin paints an incredible, fully formed portrait, complete with flaws (she doesn't flinch when describing some instances where Mary behaves very badly) - what a tragedy that she died before her daughter could know her.
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I'm not the type to read a biography for the heck of it, but this was engaging and well written. Wollstonecraft emerges as a tragic figure, sometimes admirable and sometimes pitiable. This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in W. herself or feminism in general.
Apr 05, 2013
Wonderperson89
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Shelves:
emancipatory,
philosophers-and-philosophying
The biography of.Mary Wollestonecraft one of the Philosophers behind the French Revolution. A most interesting biography that like others I have read about women show them coming to life and changing society against the odds.
I'm not ordinarily the type to read biographies, but since I was headed to London after Christmas, I wanted to read Wollstonecraft's because I knew I'd be able to find some places relevant to her life while I was there (she's one of my personal heroes). This book did not disappoint, and it was also written in a very entertaining way, certainly not a dull biography. Wollstonecraft was an imperfect woman, she obviously had her flaws, and her life was full of drama, depression, and difficult people...more
One of Tomalin's earlier biogs. Her elegant, wise and sympathetic handling of this extraordinary woman's life is even-handed: I expect someone has written a life in which Mary is shown more dramatically to be a victim of men at every level. One tiny gripe from a birthing professional: in Mary's time midwives were the best people to attend births, doctors were a menace, frankly and the terrible details of Mary's death of septicaemia following a retained placenta and PPH indicate how little more...more
I enjoyed this book very much. I have read it through at least 3 times and will re-read it again soon.
Great bit of info. Written in a easy way.
This was Claire Tomalin's first biography, and the last of hers I read. Mary Wollstonecraft is not always likeable, but admirable as an early feminist. A well-done biography.
May 24, 2013
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Born Claire Delavenay in London, she was educated at Newnham College, Cambridge.
She became literary editor of the 'New Statesman' and also the 'Sunday Times'. She has written several noted biographies and her work has been recognised with the award of the 1990 James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the 1991 Hawthornden Prize for 'The Invisible Woman The Story of Nelly Ternan and Charles Dickens'.
In...more
More about Claire Tomalin...
She became literary editor of the 'New Statesman' and also the 'Sunday Times'. She has written several noted biographies and her work has been recognised with the award of the 1990 James Tait Black Memorial Prize and the 1991 Hawthornden Prize for 'The Invisible Woman The Story of Nelly Ternan and Charles Dickens'.
In...more
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