A review by lelia_t
The Civil Wars of Julia Ward Howe: A Biography by Elaine Showalter

4.0

Very enjoyable and inspiring. I appreciated that Elaine Showalter didn’t gloss over Julia’s failings and foibles or paint her husband out to be a total monster, showing that there was a failure of understanding on both sides. (Not that he's particularly likeable:) Nevertheless, it was inspiring to see how, despite the social limitations imposed on women, Julia learned to be on her own side and pursue the work that was meaningful to her. Her resilience and capacity to reinvent herself was amazing. And I particularly appreciated her pluck and determination as an older woman who wasn’t going to let age deter her.