The Women's Great Lakes Reader

by Victoria Brehm

Women lighthouse keepers, North American Natives, fur traders, cooks on sailing vessels, missionaries, and fearless travelers all wrote of their lives on the Great Lakes. Their narratives, which span the centuries from 1789 to the present, are now collected in this anthology for the first time. Some writers were well known. Others left their quiet testimonies in letters, log books, and diaries that have never before been published. Beginning with Native stories and continuing through writings by women pioneers, travelers, and working women, more than three dozen selections of autobiography, fiction, newspaper accounts, and poetry chronicle what it has meant to live on the lakes from childhood to old age.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Womens Studies, Anthologies, Historical

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book transports the reader to a time when women's roles were dictated by society, regardless of the environment they in. These are the women who followed their husbands to the Isle Royale mining camps; those that felt compelled to teach the Native Americans encamped along the shores of the Great Lakes; lighthouse keepers and pioneers. Some are stories of folklore and others of personal memories, journals and letters -- all of strong women that paved the way for female explorers of this century. The author precedes each story with a bit of history to help the reader paint the picture of place and time. The stories chosen depict the challenges and struggles of these women that came before us and passes along hope and determination for today. It's the type of book to read in chunks -- read, feel, analyze and then go onto the next story. After reading this wonderful book, one cannot look across the lake and not remember all the tears that have become part of it.

[Elizabeth Sims · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compendium of stuff you just won't stumble upon otherwise. Fascinating reading about Native Peoples as well as the whites who settled in the area. Some women really did make it as mariners and lighthouse keepers on the lakes in olden times...

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hoped that this book would include material for some research I'm doing, but the little that it had for specifically for my research project wasn't helpful. I won't say it's not a good book for what it actually does. It just doesn't do what I was looking for. I lost patience.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
This group of essays and stories was very interesting. Some I liked, others not so much. But it is a good perspective of women living near or on the Great Lakes from the distant past to the present.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diverse collections of writings by women about Great Lakes living.

[Joe Rennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

fascinating. There is a lot of historical information.

[Joy]

I enjoyed the first half of the book the most, but I learned a lot about life on the Michigan fro tier on the great lakes!

[Jennifer Bradshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pieces selected were interesting and fairly varied. The parts written by the editor were sometimes confusing and could have used more editing.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

many short stories, some stories were intriguing and other a bit boring. You'll find your favorite writers, these stories take place in Michigan, so its area we know, but its before the descent of civilization. The Indian tribes were still intact and people intermarried, the Indians, French and British. Anna Jameson was by far one of the more interesting writers and conveys interesting in sight into the tribal life style and current day bias against Indians. A good book that can be picked up and down as the stories read fast. Time frame 1700's, 1800's and 1900's. A women's perspective of historical changes.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, another book about the Great Lakes. :>) These short stories focus on women who lived along the Great Lakes, starting with the Native Americans, moving on to female pioneers, lake travelers, lighthouse keepers, all the way up to the early 1990s. Very cool. I take this book with me on trips to the Boundary Waters. In a sense, I am one of the women, creating my own Great Lakes stories.

[Helene Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Learned a tremedous amount. Historical perspective is usually male. This is a refreshing look at pioneer/frontier life. From 1700 all the way up to 1992. Interesting to learn about an area I am familiar with in modern,industial times.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating collection of documentation, history and anecdotes about women's lives on the Great Lakes. Essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the upper Midwest.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book but had to return it to the library so was not able to finish it.

[Alisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for re-enactors of any era post 1700's.

[Amy Peavy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book. It is many excerpts from books. There are some books in this collection that I would like to read in full.

[Babs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outstanding collection of women's stories and poems centered around the Great Lakes region.