Four Faces of Femininity : Heroic Women Throughout History

by Barbara McNally

Four Faces of Femininity tells the story of remarkable women who, through their creativity, passion, intelligence, and sheer determination, have left an indelible mark on the history of humankind. The book is divided into four sections, with figures placed in Mother, Lover, Warrior, or Sage. Accessible, informative, and uplifting, Four Faces of Femininity explores the many ways in which women have changed the course of history—and demonstrates how crucial it is that women from every background be provided with role models that inspire. The book includes questions for exploration to help modern multifaceted women see these qualities in themselves and balance them to lead a fuller life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, Inspirational

143 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2020

Reviews

[Karla Strand · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was better than I originally thought it would be. The author’s “four faces” include Mother, Lover, Warrior, and Sage, and she features women who inspire her in each of the categories. She includes brief descriptions of the categories and I appreciated her broad definitions. For instance, mother doesn’t only include women who have given birth to or raised children but those who have cared for others in motherly ways, whether they have children or not. In the book, McNally includes women such as Malala, Gloria Steinem, Mother Teresa, Dita von Teese, Tammy Duckworth, Octavia Butler, Madonna, Michelle Obama, 43 in total. Some choices were pleasantly surprising but I still was disappointed that only about 25% were women of color or from some other historically marginalized population. The volume also includes exercises and questions for exploration of each of the categories and to reflect upon how the reader fits into each.

[Jeff Pollak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclosure: I don’t know Barbara at all, but we’re both active in SCWC - the Southern California Writers Conference. Barbara posted a request on SCWC’s FB group page asking for volunteers to read and post honest reviews of this book. As I was seeking the same for my novel, I figuratively stuck my hand up. We agreed to post reviews of each other’s book. So here’s mine:

This is a quick, easy and interesting read. Barbara selected a number of women throughout history (some are fictional) who were influential in their particular fields or times. Most of the names you’ll recognize. Each woman’s short biography is followed by her impact - how that happened, the obstacles overcome and the success achieved. Those examples are uplifting in that they provide life lessons that can be applied to every reader’s individual circumstances. The questions and exercises found at the end of each section further buttress that point.

Barbara organized the book into four groups: Mother, Lover, Warrior, or Sage. Many of the ladies could fit into several categories. Regardless of placement, this book should uplift female readers. Men should also read it, to see the obstacles put in front of these women due to the cultures and attitudes of the times. Modern women have made, and continue to make, great strides in achieving equality with men, but they aren’t quite there yet. So guys, let’s reflect a bit about today’s cultures and attitudes – what’s outmoded, what isn’t – and help the ladies reach their goal. Meanwhile, the ladies can take the lessons from Four Faces of Femininity and apply them to their lives.

[Jennifer C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks so much to the author, Booksparks, and She Writes Press for the gifted advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts, and participation in their Spring Pop-Up blog tour. { partner } All of my posts and reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on my blog at tacklingtbr.home.blog

You guys, I am so excited to be a small part of the #SpringPopUp with Booksparks, but I’m even more excited that this was the book that I was chosen for! First of all, the illustrations are GORGEOUS! And I love getting to read about all different types of women and their contributions – I think that is one of my favorite parts of this book, getting to see all of the different sides of strong women. Not every women is going to be a warrior in the traditional sense, but being a motherly soul is just as important, and strong, and empowering!

My fiancé and I have loved going through this book, and I think it will probably be one of our go to coffee table books, so that we can share it with everybody else!

[BreeAnn (She Just Loves Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I Loved:
Can I just talk for a minute about how beautiful this book is?!?!?! Just from the cover, you get a sense of how amazing the artwork is on the inside. It is a feast for the eyes! I loved taking in each lovely page in Four Faces of Femininity.

What I Felt:
This book segments the women discussed into 4 sections: Mother, Lover, Warrior, Sage. Each section features a different group of women. There are some absolutely fabulous ladies in this book. I loved that the women featured span such a range of years and career-types. Everyone from pirates to social workers, princesses to scientists. I enjoyed that there were so many different types of people to read about.

At the beginning of the book, there is an index so you can easily flip around in the book to read about any woman that sparks your interest. I really enjoyed at the end of each section, a discussion guide was provided to continue thoughts and conversation. Each person’s section features quotes said about the woman or ones they said themselves as well as some information on their lives.

Part 1: Mother
This section is focused on women that pioneered something, women that we look to as a mother figure, and women that take on a motherly role in their public life.

Some of my favorites were Clara Barton: Red Cross Founder and Michelle Obama: Modern Mother.

Part 2: Lover
I love this section. It’s filled with women that give love, take love, and make love.

Favorite features for this section were the Greek Goddess of Love, the First Lady of Erotica, and the Queen of Burlesque! The end section for the Queen of Burlesque had some great love exercises that I thought were a wonderful addition.

Part 3: Warrior
Grace O’Malley, the Pirate Queen of Ireland is featured as a warrior. I loved how the history came alive in this section. Her life is discussed as well as the issues that arose for her. My favorite in the book! Others of note were Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Part 4: Sage
This section is all about wisdom, smart moves, and smart women. You can expect to learn about successful women in a variety of occupations.

Nellie Bly is one of my all-time favorite women in history. I love to read about the crazy, amazing things that she did during her career, so her feature was one of my favorites for this part. Anne Frank is also featured in this section as a Determined Diarist, and I really enjoyed it!

To Read or Not To Read:
I would recommend Four Faces of Femininity for anyone that likes the history and information surrounding people. This book makes a great addition to a coffee table as a conversation piece, but it’s also wonderful to just sit and flip through!

I was provided an advanced reader's copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

My full review of this book will post to my blog on 4/1/20. All of my book reviews can be found at https://shejustlovesbooks.com/all-boo...

[Baileigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

🧓🏽This book is absolutely GORGEOUS inside & out! This is a nice sized, heavy paperback (8.5 x 11) filled with beautiful, glossy pages (the book literally smells ahhh-mazing!) As mentioned, it is divided into four sections, with each section starting with a brief description:
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🤍Mother: The nurturing, healing, empathic side of a woman
🤍Lover: The passionate, playful, creative side of a woman
🤍Warrior: The assertive, determined, fierce side of a woman
🤍Sage: The Intuitive, spiritual, wise side of a woman
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🧑🏽Each section has several women featured in beautiful, artistic style color. Honestly, I may buy a second book just to pull some of the pages out for framing, since some of my favorite women in history are in this wonderful book, such as Julia Child, Michelle Obama, & Ruth Bader Ginsburg. At the end of each section there is a discussion area called 'questions for exploration' & some exercises (not like squats & crunches, but mental & focus kind.) There are also some fantastic quotes from famous women in history throughout the book.
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🧕🏼This book is just such a piece of art, it would be a fantastic coffee table conversation piece, & with the questions, exercises, & brilliant content, it would make an excellent book club choice!
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📖Preorder this gem! Available on 4/7!

[Tangled in Text · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. There are a few things I wish were a little different but the meat of the book was fantastic. I had heard of the majority of the women before but loved the extra tidbits and history even on those I was familiar with. I loved that it did not just include real woman but fictional influences as well and their backstories, motives, and change they inspired. I had no idea Barbie was originally created to give little girls something besides baby dolls to play with being one of the first toys to show them they could be successful and had the choice to be more than just a mother.

The only thing I didn't care for was the sections and discussions that tied in with each of them. I would have just loved more women. Also, with each section being so subjective, each woman was introduced in one of the four categories but under her there was notes that she could fit under others as well. It would have just been easier to do away with the sections and do them by vintage and list what qualities each woman attributed to each section because I feel like we each have a little Sage, Mother, Lover, and Warrior in us.

[Leslie - Shobizreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is stunning. The artwork is gorgeous and I learned so much.

In this artistic and factual retelling of women's stories, they are sorted into four categories or "faces": Mother, Lover, Warrior and Sage.

Each "face" includes short stories that tell about the person, how the exemplified this characteristic and their lasting legacies. While many of these women's names were familiar to me, I learned interesting facts about each of them and I loved the way their stories were told with gorgeous portraits. Each category highlighted 11 different women from different backgrounds and ethnicity and describe their life's work.

Each category ends with reflection questions and exercises allowing you to channel your Mother, Lover, Warrior or Sage "face" regardless of your life stage, marital status or career. And the book ends with giving us resources on what to read to learn more in-depth about each of these influential women.

This is a perfect coffee table book, or gift. It's message is empowering. I loved being able to read a chapter at a time, but also being given reflections and prompts to use as tools in my own development.

[Janai · Rating 5 out of 5]

How beautiful is this book? It’ll be adorning my coffee table for the indefinite future.

Not only is this book pretty to look at, it’s also filled with amazing illustrations and words from some of the most inspiring women, ranging from Michelle Obama to Wonder Woman to Princess Diana to Malala Yousafzai. The book pays tribute to each woman, talking about their history and contributions. The end of the book features prompts for discussion around the “four faces” - Mother, Lover, Warrior, and Sage, and gives other reading recommendations if you want to learn more about a specific woman.

[Sheri Fink · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Four Faces of Femininity" is an educational and inspirational read about past- and present-day sheroes from around the world. I finished reading the entire book in one sitting ... It was that compelling! I had intended to read the first chapter and pick it up again later, but found myself completely immersed in the fascinating profiles of courage, creativity, and feminine power. Author Barbara McNally shares the stories of forty-three everyday women who became extraordinary trailblazers and continue to positively impact society and humanity for generations to come.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Four Faces of Femininity, McNally shines a light on women throughout history. Each vignette captures their key impact. The historical context helps convey the magnitude of their achievements. She writes about famous women such as Jane Goodall and Anne Sullivan, as well as obscure ones we should know. The four sections are organized around different Jungian archetypes. Perfect reminder for our times.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to read for inspiration and reflection. I understand myself more and recognize the femininity attributes I have to guide me on my journey of self-discovery. It has made a difference for me to know that I am unique and every woman has a story to tell, no matter how big or small. I can encourage others with my stories as I am encouraged by those who tell me theirs. I can do and become better than I thought.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the premise of this book and appreciate the discussion questions throughout. Overall, the short biographies of each woman felt a bit like reading their Wikipedia page, surface level. While some less prominent women were celebrated, overall it felt skewed toward white, Western and mainstream women's stories.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall an interesting read. Stories/history of remarkable women who exhibit the four faces of femininity- the Lover, the Mother, the Warrior and the Sage.