.png)
Publisher: Luminare Press
Pages: 303
Marie was born a girl. That was only her first mistake, according to her father.
In an era when daughters and wives are not supposed to be concerned with matters outside the home, Marie is determined to prove him wrong. To do this, she must break down barriers placed on women in society, overcome difficulties that befall her, surpass hardships from the Great Depression, and then face an inevitable relocation.
Marie steps into her community and into the hearts of many people to give her time and help with their needs. She wants nothing in return other than her father's acceptance as a worthy woman and yet, she gains much in return, even if it is not her father's praise. This is Marie’s story—of a rise from her girlhood angsts to become a leading lady—and much more.
This definitive biography is the empowering true story of one trailblazing woman who, in the mid-1900s in small-town America, changed her community and beyond for the better and forevermore.
Marie Conner was certainly a woman who knew her own mind, and this is one of the things that makes her such an interesting woman to read about. She lived at a time when women were still expected to know their place, but Marie didn't seem particularly interested in staying in hers.
Her life was certainly not an easy one. There were plenty of setbacks along the way, but Marie kept going, and as the years passed she became increasingly involved in helping the people around her. She was a woman who saw something that needed doing and got on with it.
One of the things that comes across very strongly in this book is just how much research Elle Mott has done. There is an incredible amount of information here, not only about Marie but about the places she lived, the organisations she became involved with and what was happening in America at the time. Mott has certainly left very few stones unturned while researching Marie's life.
The inclusion of Marie's own words gives the reader a much better feel for the sort of woman she was. She could be opinionated and rather formidable, but she also cared deeply about helping people who were struggling. Marie may not always be a woman everyone would agree with, but she would certainly have been a very interesting person to sit down and have a cup of tea with!
Marie's charitable work is particularly fascinating, especially as something that began relatively simply grew into something much bigger. She didn't just help people herself; she was very good at persuading everyone else to help as well. The impact she had upon her community is difficult not to admire.
The amount of detail, however, does make this a very slow read in places. There is a lot of it. At times, Marie's story becomes somewhat lost amongst the historical background, and some of the descriptions and contextual information could perhaps have been shorter. Marie is such an interesting woman that there are moments when the reader may find themselves eager to leave the additional detail behind and get back to her story. However, another reader may feel completely differently. Those who enjoy biographies that really delve into the history surrounding their subject and provide plenty of background information may find that the level of detail is exactly what they are looking for.
What is particularly touching is knowing that Mott is writing about someone from her own family. This isn't simply a biography about a woman who lived a long time ago. Marie mattered personally to the author, and that affection can be felt throughout the book.
Marie wasn't perfect, and that makes her all the more believable. She could be stubborn, demanding and judgemental, especially towards her son, as well as kind and generous. She was a real woman with good qualities and bad ones who nevertheless achieved an incredible amount during her lifetime.
'Marie Conner – A Leading Lady' is a lovingly researched account of a determined woman who refused to let the expectations of her time dictate what she could achieve. The slower pace and abundance of detail may not suit every reader, but Marie's story is certainly one worth telling.
A lovingly researched biography of a formidable and determined woman whose influence reached far beyond her own family and left a lasting impression upon her community.
Yarde Book Promotions
No comments:
Post a Comment
See you on your next coffee break!
Take Care,
Mary Anne xxx