Book description
An inventive, spirited novel about a pioneering woman who was shamed for daring to challenge male dominance in the arts and sciences four centuries ago.
Margaret Cavendish was the first woman to address the Royal Society and the first Englishwoman to write explicitly for publication. Wildly unconventional, she was championed…
Why read it?
2 authors picked Margaret the First as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I have never read a book of historical fiction quite like this one!
In a distinctive and compelling narrative voice, the book explores the real-life figure of Margaret Cavendish, a seventeenth-century woman who exploded the rulebook when it came to women’s lives. Although shy, she was profoundly ambitious and a true polymath, conducting her own scientific experiments as well as writing poems, philosophy, plays, and even sci-fi. Known in the newspapers as “Mad Madge,” she was the first woman to be invited to the Royal Society of London.
I love how Dutton conveys the effervescence and wit of this brilliant…
From Victoria's list on short historical novels that pack an emotional punch.
Much shorter than my first recommendation, Dutton’s biofiction tackles the life of Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle (1623-73) who was a standout character in the seventeenth century. She wrote and published works on a range of topics from philosophy and science to romantic fiction. What I love about this book is the way it pushes what is possible in a historical biofiction, in a compact but dense volume.
From Sara's list on biofiction of historical women.
If you love Margaret the First...
These Blue Mountains
A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.
German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…
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