Mary Ashton Rice Livermore (1821–1905)

A (largely) fascinating autobiography of a woman who grew up in early 19th century New England and lived to be a nurse for the Union in the Civil War and then go on to become a leading light in the Women's Suffrage Movement and an activist for many other causes, including education and temperance.

The early part of the book is by far the most interesting. Livermore's description of her upbringing in a severe New England household is quite illuminating, and her description of her time spent as a governess on a Southern slave plantation is extremely valuable and gripping as well.

Unfortunately, she skips over the Civil War experiences because she had already written a full-length book about them, and her description of her later life becomes, I'm sorry to say, rather tedious, although it seems sure there was nothing tedious about the living of it.

I don't know whether this book is available anywhere. I found it in an antiquarian bookstore and spent too much for it (not relative to its value, but relative to my budget!). I can't say I regret it, though. Although Mary Livermore may not be a household name across America today, I would hazard a guess that she warrants a place in history along the timeline of the American Womens' Movement.… (més)