Strong female literary characters are beloved by many for a
wide variety of reasons, but all can agree that the world
of literature would be a pretty bland place if not for
characters like Scarlett O'Hara, Scout Finch, and Jo March.
In her book, THE HEROINE'S BOOKSHELF: LIFE LESSONS FROM JANE
AUSTEN TO LAURA INGALLS WILDER, author Erin Blakemore
looks at some of the most popular female literary
characters in history and how they have affected her life
personally as well as the lives of others.
Dividing her book into twelve chapters, Blakemore uses
twelve different personality traits that fit fictional
characters that she feels exemplifies this trait. For the
chapter on "Happiness" she looks at Anne Shirley from
the Anne of Green Gables series, while the chapter
on "Dignity" features Ceilie from Alice Walker's novel The
Color Purple. Scarlett O'Hara was the epitome of
feistiness in the chapter entitled "Fight," while Harper
Lee taught her readers lessons in compassion through her
character of Scout Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird.
Blakemore uses information from the author's background and
what went into the writing of her books as well as offering
parallels from her own life to round out the chapter. Each
chapter ends with suggestions of the circumstances in our
modern day that might have readers searching for answers
and offers ideas of books with similar themes or heroines.
A slender volume, THE HEROINE'S BOOKSHELF packs a lot of
information into its 200 pages and will be right at home on
any literature lover's bookshelf.
An exploration of classic heroines and their equally
admirable authors, The Heroine's Bookshelf shows today's
women how to tap into their inner strengths and live life
with intelligence and grace. Jo March, Scarlett O'Hara,
Scout Finch—the literary canon is brimming with intelligent,
feisty, never-say-die heroines and celebrated female
authors. Like today's women, they placed a premium on
personality, spirituality, career, sisterhood, and family.
When they were up against the wall, authors like Jane Austen
and Louisa May Alcott fought back—sometimes with words,
sometimes with gritty actions. In this witty, informative,
and inspiring read, their stories offer much-needed literary
intervention to modern women. Full of beloved heroines and
the remarkable writers who created them, The Heroine's
Bookshelf explores how the pluck and dignity of literary
characters such as Jane Eyre and Lizzy Bennet can encourage
women today. Each legendary character is paired with her
central quality—Anne Shirley is associated with
irrepressible "Happiness," while Scarlett O'Hara personifies
"Fight"—along with insights into her author's extraordinary
life. From Zora Neale Hurston to Colette, Laura Ingalls
Wilder to Charlotte BrontË, Harper Lee to Alice Walker, here
are authors and characters whose spirited stories are more
inspiring today than ever.
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