THE MAIDS OF BIDDENDEN.

 One of several bloggers who over 10 days will be participating in this Blog Tour. Today {the 2nd day of the Tour) its my pleasure to be sharing my thoughts on ...

THE MAIDS OF BIDDENDEN by GD HARPER

​Genre ...  Historical fiction

Publication Date ... 16th June 2022

Standalone Novel

Estimated Page Count ... 412

There is no me; there is no you.

There is only us.’

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The Maids of Biddenden is inspired by the real-life story of conjoined twins Mary and Eliza Chulkhurst, born in 1100 into a wealthy family from a small Kent village.

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Joined at the hip, the sisters overcome fear and hostility to grow into gifted and much-loved women ­– one a talented musician and song-writer, the other a caring healer and grower of medicinal plants. Entangled in the struggles for power and influence of the great Kent nobles of the time, they achieve much in their lifetimes and leave behind a legacy in Biddenden that survives to this day.

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This is the heart-warming and inspirational story of two remarkable women leading one joint life, challenging adversity to become the best they can be. ... Blog Tour Blurb/Back Cover Blurb

Avicia knelt and prayed. ... First Sentence, Chapter One; 1106

'I will not be spoken to thus by a woman, even if she is my wife. The Maids are part of me, and I confessed their existence to you before we became bethrthrobed. I will not be their murderer. If you do not understand that, then I do not recognise the woman I love. Many a cotter's daughter would be happy to live in a sunken hut and plough her own fields.'

It was the first time Thomas had ever reminded Gudun of her background, and the sting of the words shocked her out of her rage. She went limp on the floor, her hands covering her face as sobs racked her body. Thomas stood over her, standing stock-still, his jaw set in stern determination. The sobs subsided into sporadic whimpers. ... Memorable Moment, Page 6/65

The story of the Biddenden sisters; conjoined twins who, born in 1100, grow into gifted and much-loved women, one a talented musician and song-writer, the other a caring healer and grower of medicinal plants!

OOH! One of those books that had me hopping from foot to foot {figuratively speaking of course} in sheer excitement, what a great premise.

Whilst I remember reading an account of conjoined  brothers, Chang and Eng Bunker, who, born in 1811, 711 years after the Biddenden twins, were supposedly the original "Siamese twins", I can't remember ever reading a novel featuring conjoined twins which made The Maids Of Biddenden a refreshing read. That its  based on real-life twins, the author telling their, the twin's, story at the back of the book', something of an eye-opener.

The sights, the sounds, the clothes, the customs, the blind faith in king and church, transported back to the 12th century, it all felt authentic; the superstitions of the people as you would have imagined, the hostility, the disdain with which the girls were treat, the village priest's belief that the they were either a punishment from God/product of the devil all too believable. 

And yet for all of that, the chapters told from multiple points of view {mainly one or other of the twins, Mary Or Eliza, though there is an occasional insight from nun Sister Agnes, or the twin's father or step-mother}, the writing is contemporary, simplistic and lacking in lyrical prose, the plot unencumbered by flowery language which made for easy reading.

The sisters, girls who are as physically close to each other as its possible for any two human beings to be and yet have quite different personalities, likes and dislikes; the author seemingly having covered every aspect of the difficulties {and joys} of being a conjoined twin in a tale that cannot fail to pull at the heartstrings ... 

Will the maids ever find happiness or are they destined to spend their lives awaiting 'the splitting'? Will people begin to see them for who they are or are they forever to be viewed with fear, as an oddity? I'll leave it to you to read the book for yourself. You won't be disappointed.

Please Note, part of the Book Tour/Back Cover Blurb and my review is hidden because of what might be seen as spoilers. In order to read simply scroll over to hi-light. Thank you, Felicity

About GD Harper ... I became a full-time author in 2016, publishing three novels under the pen name GD Harper. I have been both a Wishing Shelf Book Award finalist and Red Ribbon winner, been shortlisted for the Lightship Prize, longlisted for the UK Novel Writing Award and longlisted for the Page Turner Writer Award. The Maids of Biddenden was a finalist in this year’s Page Turner Book Award for unpublished manuscripts, longlisted for the Exeter Book Prize and the Flash 500 Novel Award, and shortlisted for the Impress Prize.

Follow GD Harper ... ~ Website ~ FaceBook ~ Twitter ~ 

LOVE, ACTIVISM AND THE RESPECTABLE LIFE OF ALICE DUNBAR-NELSON.

LOVE, ACTIVISM AND THE RESPECTABLE LIFE OF ALICE DUNBAR-NELSON by TARA T. GREEN.

Born in New Orleans in 1875 to a mother who was formerly enslaved and a father of questionable identity, Alice Dunbar-Nelson was a pioneering activist, writer, suffragist, and educator. Until now, Dunbar-Nelson has largely been viewed only in relation to her abusive ex-husband, the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. This is the first book-length look at this major figure in Black women's history, covering her life from the post-reconstruction era through the Harlem Renaissance.

Tara T. Green builds on Black feminist, sexuality, historical and cultural studies to create a literary biography that examines Dunbar-Nelson's life and legacy as a respectable activist – a woman who navigated complex challenges associated with resisting racism and sexism, and who defined her sexual identity and sexual agency within the confines of respectability politics. It's a book about the past, but it's also a book about the present that nods to the future. ... Description

Published ... Dec 16 2021

Edition ... 1st

Extent ... 280

ISBN ... 9781501382338

Imprint ... Bloomsbury Academic

Publisher ... Bloomsbury Publishing

"I am of the latter class, what E.C. Adams in 'Nigger to Nigger' immortalizes in the poem, 'Brass Ankles.' White enough to pass for white, but with a darker family background, a real love for the mother race, and no desire to be numbered among the white race." ... First Sentence, Introduction {Introducing A Respectable Activist}

In Alice, spectators found a woman who was "humorous", "interesting", and "nearly always pretty", at least by her account and some of the doting men in her life. But she was a Black woman, the daughter of of a former slave and a man who seemed not to have married her mother; and thispresented challenges as racial history's impact on the present status of Black women could not be overlooked {pg 28/29} ... Memorable Moment 

Contacted by the charming Nanda of Coriolis, a company specialising in 'Providing Book Publicity, Author Branding, and Literary Services to Professors, Public Intellectuals, and Thought Leaders', I was only too happy to receive a copy of this, the 'first ever biography' about Alice Dunbar-Nelson.

Comprising the writings {both published and otherwise} of Alice herself along with the journals and letters exchanged between her, her husbands and various Black activists of the day and documents kept by her niece {what a heirloom}. Highlighting the development of the post slave trade, Black middle classes and indeed Alice her self's shift towards ever increasing anti-racist attitudes with an emphasis on Black identity, the book covers a lot of ground and can be a little daunting but, an important piece of social, of Black, of political, of feminist history, thankfully it was not the dry, academic piece I feared it might be but rather ...

The biography of a woman her life defined by not only her gender but by the very fact that she is a Black but 'white enough to pass for white' {pg 1}, a woman for whom, consistently overshadowed by her abusive first husband {the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar who, having raped her, goes on to convince her that to marry him is the only respectable thing to do} respectability is seemingly central to her decisions and yet something she came to war against.

I can't say that this is always a comfortable read and I can certainly see why some readers urge Trigger Warnings for rape and abuse both physical, sexual and emotional BUT, the author taking great pains to make sure the more sensitive, traumatic even, details of Alice's life are handled with the utmost sensitivity, meticulously researched, Love, Activism And The Respectable Life Of Alice Dunbar-Nelson is an accessible, illuminating and all too human account of the love, activism and life of a remarkable and complex woman who it has been truly fascinating getting to know.

About Tara T. Green ... My Black Southern family immersed me in a culture of storytelling as a condition of my birth. I learned about their deliberate embrace of laughter and love as they navigated the everyday challenges of being Black in America. Their gift of cultural practices is my inspiration as a professor, writer, and mentor.

Undoubtedly, my family inspired me to study the lives of Black folks through literature. I began my formal studies at Dillard University, where I was taught by professors who always seemed to enjoy being in the classroom. It was also there that I was selected to participate in a research mentoring program hosted by Duke University. That program taught me that I could pursue a career in studying the lives of Black folks. Today, I am a Black feminist community-engaged scholar, mentor, and university professor.

Follow Tara T. Green ... ~ Website ~ Instagram ~ Twitter ~ 

Read an extract

THE FINAL THREE BOKS IN THE PENGUIN GREAT JOURNEY'S SERIES.

 HURRAH! {Huge sigh of relief > Happy dance} ... The last three book reviews of 2021.

Having read and shared my thoughts on the other seventeen books in the Penguin Great Journeys series, today its the turn of the last three books which incidentally are all excerpts from books written by inspirational women, Isabella Lucy Bird, Mary Wortley Montagu and Mary H. Kingsley.

Along with Escape from the Antarctic by Ernest Shackleton and Life on the Golden Horn by Mary Wortley Montagu {more of that below}, Isabella Lucy Bird's Adventures In The Rocky Mountains {an abridged version of her A Lady's Life In The Rocky Mountains} is one of my favourite reads in the whole series. What a woman! {even if it has to be said that, typical of the times, her views on some of the peoples she met were, well, questionable}. Encouraged in her 30's by her doctors to 'do a bit of travelling love, cheer yourself up, feel better', I expect thinking she'd maybes go and take in the sea air at some then fashionable resort not for one moment expecting her to travel to the Americas where, a single, unarmed English woman, she set out to explore the mountains of  Colorado for the main part travelling on horseback.

Another inspirational woman. I admit to knowing relatively little about Mary Wortley Montagu other than that she was known for introducing and advocating for smallpox inoculation in Britain. A fascinating, charming and humorous but alas all too short read. Life On The Golden Horn is an account that whilst at times enlightened for the main parts smacks of a colonial past. Told through a collection of letters {mainly to her sister} of Mary's time spent travelling Eastern Europe with her ambassador husband where, adopting Turkish dress, she encounters a world of harems noting that Turkish women enjoyed more liberty than the English, that, "all veiled up", they had "entire liberty of following their inclinations without danger of discovery." 

Mary, a woman ahead of her times in many ways though as is probably to be expected she does hold some what we'd consider racist views. A 'tough cookie' who set off into the jungle with her trusty umbrella, some German camping gear, and a small group of native assistants, and seemingly quite the character; her 'jokes' often told at the expense of the 'natives' though to be fair the Germans also featured heavily in them, I thought The Congo & The Cameroons {taken from her 1897 memoir, Travels in West Africa} which covered her travels through modern Gabon and ascent of Mt Cameroon an entertaining and highly descriptive read of a place clearly loved and admired.

THE REAL MRS BROWN.

 Getting there, slowly but surely. After this only two more reviews to go {OK so one of them is for eight books} and I've finally caught up with all the books read last year. FGT

THE REAL MRS BROWN, THE BRENDAN O'CARROLL STORY by BRIAN BEACOM.

Who'd have thought a Dublin mammy with a cream cardigan and elasticated tan tights could storm British TV screens and leave a nation helpless with laughter?

In the last four years Brendan has had a No.1 TV show, performed to packed-out stadiums across the country and is even making a movie. But success didn't come easily.

The youngest of 11 children, his family endured extreme poverty and he saw no option but to leave school at twelve to work. He married young and for decades struggled to make ends meet. Eventually, bankrupt and desperate, Brendan went to see a fortune teller who told him she could see worldwide success as a comedian and actor in his future. At first Brendan laughed at the notion, but then he thought of how much his friends loved his gags, and decided to give it a go ...

This is the magical story of how a loveable Irishman with a wig and a wit as caustic as battery acid surprised everyone - most of all himself - by becoming one of the best-loved comedians in the world.

I never wanted a date with Agnes Brown, the Dublin granny with the arthritic knee, baggy cardigan, mouth like a sewer and more than a hint of facial hair. ... Back Cover Blurb

First Sentence & Memorable Moment ... Unfortunately this book was passed on to another reader before I could make note of either the First Sentence or my Memorable Moment.

My Thoughts ... Mention Mrs Brown Boy's and, whether they love the character/show or not, most people in the UK {and indeed in many other countries around the world} instantly think of the cardigan wearing, bespectacled Irish women with a mouth that, as my granddad would say, needs washing out with soap and water. Mention Brendan O'Carroll though and, whilst many will recognise him as the creator of Mrs Brown {Mrs Browne until the E was dropped}, few will know his story {I know I didn't} and fewer still will know much, if anything, of the remarkable woman that was his beloved mammy; a truly inspirational working class heroine, Maureen O'Carroll, a former nun with multiple children who served as Labour's Chief Whip from 1954 to 1957, the first woman to hold that position in any Irish political party. But I digress.

Not just for fans of the show, this gave a wonderful insight into a genuinely nice man {something confirmed by Mr T when he found himself sitting next to O'Carroll in a Newcastle pub one evening} with some interesting tales to tell. 

An entertaining biography that was easy to read. A real rags to riches to rags and then riches again story. Whilst some of the anecdote will be familiar to Mrs. Brown's fans {IE the actor's loyalty to his family and friends, many of whom have appeared in the TV programme/stage shows} many of his early life experiences are not perhaps so well known.

Not a fan of biographies per se, nor what I'd call a huge fan of Mrs Brown's Boys, it was the man behind the spectacles, cardigan and potty mouth that interested me and in this the book didn't fail. 

That the narrative was written in the third person did take some getting used to and in the beginning felt a little, well, impersonal but as the book went on I found myself so caught up in O'Carroll's life and many ventures {the descriptions of which could become a bit long-winded on occasion} that I hardly noticed, feeling myself one of the family to whom these stories were being relayed over a cuppa. 

MRS MORPHETT'S MACAROONS {EDWARDIAN ENTERTAINERS 4}.

 Along with Pen and Paper friend, Gina over at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers who posted an extract and giveaway of the book on the 7th of March {details at the bottom of this post}, I'm one of several bloggers who over 5 days will be participating in this Blog Tour {the full schedule of which can be found below at the bottom of the page}. Today {the 4th day of the Tour) its my pleasure to be sharing my thoughts on ...

MRS MORPHETT'S MACAROONS by PATSY TRENCH.

Genre ... Historical women’s fiction

Publication Date ...  5th January 2022

Standalone Fourth book in the Edwardian Entertainers series

Estimated Page Count ... 272

Order Link ... https://mybook.to/MrsMorphett

London, 1905. A show. A stuttering romance. Two squabbling actresses.

Is it Shakespeare? Is it Vaudeville?

Not quite. It is Mrs Morphett’s Macaroons, a satirical play about suffragettes which its creators - friends and would-be lovers Robbie Robinson and Violet Graham - are preparing to mount in London’s West End.

It is the play rival actresses Merry and Gaye would kill to be in, if only they hadn’t insulted the producer all those years ago.

For Robbie and Violet however the road to West End glory is not smooth. There are backers to be appeased, actors to be tamed and a theatre to be found; and in the midst of it all a budding romance that risks being undermined by professional differences.

Never mix business with pleasure?

Maybe, maybe not. ... Synopsis

How does the famous saying go? "Be nice to people on the way up because you'll meet them on the way down."... First Sentence Paragraph, 'Overture'

Merry picked up her napkin and wiped the condensation from the window of the cafe in which the two women were sitting and peered out at the street. She was watching a lady in a scarlett dress and matching hat descending from a brougham. It took two footmen to aid her - one to hold the door, the other to take her hand as she came down the steps, followed by a snappily-dresses gentleman - and to pass her to said gentleman like an object, a precious piece of china, so it looked to Meredith. ... Memorable Moment, Pg 50

MY THOUGHTS ... Cue a celebration of women in a light, fun read with some truly memorable characters ... oh how I adore a novel with strongly written female characters, and that there are so many to choose from ... ahh heaven! 

A book very much about women; women in the theatre, the suffragette movement, the lack of choices for women, the importance of how one presented oneself as a women ... its all there in this wonderful novel which though it reads perfectly well as a standalone novel is in fact part of a series; as series which as the author explains in her notes at the beginning of the book is 'about women who, against all the odds, break free from their allotted roles.' 

Set in Edwardian England, Mrs Morphett's Macaroons {what a great title and wow, that cover} takes a satirical look at the producing of a play, a play that, unusual for its time, was written in part to showcase the talents of actress, Lolly, who is to play the part of a maid who takes up the suffrage cause. The producer? Yet again, unusual for the time, another women. Violet Graham who, whilst convinced of the productions merits, is concerned that men, used to male led productions, may be put off by a play dominated by actresses. 

That the author has a background in the theatre and brings that knowledge {and what I suspect is a great deal of research} is apparent given the insight into all aspects of putting on a play. That she works it into the narrative in such an effective way is admirable and makes for great reading so much so that ... 

A novel I'd suggest to anyone who has a love for melodramas, an interest in women's history and/or the history of the theatre. You know what, actually, I'd suggest this to anyone who loves a good read.

About Patsy Trench ... Patsy Trench has spent her life working in the theatre. She was an actress for twenty years in theatre and television in the UK and Australia. She has written scripts for stage and (TV) screen and co-founded The Children’s Musical Theatre of London, creating original musicals with primary school children. She is the author of three non fiction books about colonial Australia based on her own family history and four novels about women breaking the mould in times past. Mrs Morphett’s Macaroons is book four in her ‘Modern Women: Entertaining Edwardians’ series and is set in the world she knows and loves best. When she is not writing books she teaches theatre part-time and organises theatre trips for overseas students.

She lives in London. She has two children and so far one grandson.

Follow Patsy Trench ... ~ Website ~ FaceBook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ 

Blog Tour Schedule ... ~ 6th March: Northernreader ~ Over The Rainbow Book Blog ~ Becca’s Books ~ Chez Maximka ~ Chapter and Cake ~ 7th March:  wee_glasgow_bookworm ~ ramblingmads.com   ~ The Pufflekitteh Reads, ~ Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers ~   Scrapping&Playing ~ 8th March: loopyloulaura ~ Chicks, Rogues and Scandals ~ mjporterauthor.blog ~ The bookish hermit ~ Portable Magic ~ 9th March: Felicity Grace Terry ~ Bookish Jottings ~ B for bookreview ~ The Magic Of Wor(l)ds ~ sharon beyond the books ~ 10th March: Lisa's Reading ~ The Divine Write ~ Novel Kicks ~ Jazzy Book Reviews ~ Kitty McIntosh

Please feel free to pop by any of those linked to above and for a chance to win an Ebook please stop by Gina's blog with its giveaway that is open internationally FGT.

THE SECRET DIARIES OF MISS ANNE LISTER.

ISBN 978-1844087198

THE SECRET DIARIES OF MISS ANNE LISTER edited by HELENA WHITBREAD.

Anne Lister (1791 - 1840) defied the role of early nineteenth-century womanhood; she was bold. fiercely independent, a landowner, industrialist and traveller who lived openly as a lesbian. She kept intimate diaries of her life and loves, much of which were written in code.

- Back Cover Blurb

You descend to Buxtondown a very steep narrow road with an ill-fenced off precipice (the case in many other parts of the road) on your right.

- First Sentence, 1816

Had mourning sent over from Farrar's & bought for our own 2 women servants 17 1/4yds (the cook being so big takes 9 1/4yds) at 4/6 & twill'd stuff at 1/8, it being very good & there being no better.

- Memorable Moment, Page 32.

MY THOUGHTS ... Like many others Anne Lister only came to my attention when I watched last year's BBC's Gentleman Jack, a series based on these diaries.

Apparently not only written in minute hand writing but also in code, the diaries (deciphered by Helena Whitbread who offers the occasional explanation/aside) offer a fascinating insight into not just the life of an exceptional woman but the life of a woman of a certain class living in mid/late eighteen hundred England. 

Amongst the chronicling of routine life as lived by Anne, perhaps most interesting for me were the   entries in which she explored her sexual identity/attraction to women; her primary struggle being nothing to do with her religion as you might expect (a church goer for social rather than religious reasons though she often details her praying, asking for forgiveness for what she herself describes as her sin) but rather the gossip she must endure because of it. Mind you, a close second, came the descriptions of some of the 'medical' procedures of the time - leeches for toothache, the bathing of wounds in urine, need I continue?

As you may expect, different to the BBC dramatisation. I couldn't help but be a bit disappointed that though this set of diary entries (1816-1824) (subtitled as volume 1: 'I Know My Own Heart') did include Anne's feelings for/'dalliances' with several other women it didn't really include her romance with Miss Walker ... something I'm presuming that actually happened later in her life and as such will be included in the second volume of her diaries, 'No Priest But Love'.

For me, whilst an astute piece of social (some would sayLGBT+) history, not quite as interesting as I was maybe hoping. Yes, there is a great accounting of Anne's comings and goings BUT, largely straight forward, the entries tend to be lacking in description ... something that was probably only to be expected given that they were never written with a view to them being published. 

SUMMED UP IN A SENTENCE ... Interesting if  what some would consider mundane; for the most part the diaries are an account of the minutiae of upper-class 18th century daily life as lived in a provincial town, anyone expecting a risque account of Anne's life will be sorely disappointed as there is nothing titillating about the entries.

THE YORKSHIRE SHEPHERDESS.

THE YORKSHIRE SHEPHERDESS by AMANDA OWEN.

Amanda has been eagerly watched by millions of viewers of ITV's The Dales living and working at Ravenseat, a hill farm of 2,000 acres which she shares with 900 sheep, seven children, 4 dogs and one husband. Not to mention chickens, cows, horses, an uncontrollable goat and a vole who has taken up residence in the sitting room. It's a far cry from her childhood in industrial Huddersfield ...

In this delightful memoir she reveals how she achieved her dream of becoming a shepherdess and how she and husband Clive have dealt with the ups and downs of farming life - from the tragedy of foot and mouth disease to the joy of breeding a champion tup*, and from the pleasures of living in tune with the changing seasons to the challenges of raising children in such a remote location.

- Back Cover Blurb

'Will you take the trailer and fetch a tup* from a mate of mine? ...'

- First Sentence; Introduction

I was married in my riding boots, as I was unable to prise them off in time. I was sure no one wouldspot this, but when I was kneeling at the altar they were on show to the congregation behind me.

- Memorable moment; Page 105/6

SOURCE ... Received as a gift from a friend, thanks Aspen.

READ FOR A CHALLENGE? ... No.

MY THOUGHTS ... I first came across Amanda Owen whilst watching The Dales, a TV series featuring her and her family. Intrigued to find out more about what made her tick (as someone who has lived all her life in the suburbs I soooo wanted to understand what informed the choices she made) you can imagine how disappointed I was to find much of the book perfunctory with too many long anecdotes rather than anything substantial. 

Chatty and friendly in style (for those familiar with the TV series Amanda writes pretty much as she speaks); you'd be hard-pressed to be other than inspired by the sheer stamina, hard work and dedication that it takes to run such a farm (to say nothing of a family of what was then seven children) and the author's passion, warmth and sense of fun shines through. However ... 

Whilst I do like this chatty style of writing, I struggled with the liberal use of all the broad Yorkshire. OK so arguably its quirky and it made the book all that more authentic but on the other hand when you are having to re-read passages it does get kind of tiring after a while.

Essentially an OK read, not particularly well structured with a tendency to be repetitive but OK. However in the future when I want a bit of 'country life' I'll be reaching for my much read copies of James Herriot's All Creatures Great & Small series.

* A male sheep/ram.