Loosening Corsets: The Heroic Life of Georgia's Feisty Mrs. Felton, First Woman Senator of the United States [Hardcover]

A. Louise Staman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2006

WINNER in the Independent Publisher Book Awards 2007 -- Gold Medalist, Best Regional Non-Fiction, Southeast. WINNER in the prestigious 2007 Eric Hoffer Award for Books (formerly The Writers Notes Book Award). Loosening Corsets has placed as First Runner-Up in the category: Best New Writing, Reference. NOMINATED for the Georgia Book of the Year Award. REVIEW BY THE ERIC HOFFER PANEL OF JUDGES: "In 1922 Rebecca Latimer Felton became the first female U.S. Senator for the term of only one day. This accomplishment might seem insignificant if it were not for Felton's long and active involvement in social reform and ultimately women's suffrage. Born into the destruction of the plantation south, Felton's life parallels the reformation of Georgia from the ashes. Staman is an engaging biographer and does well to show us the landscape as well as Felton's intriguing course of events. You'll finish this book remembering that there is a seat at the table for everyone, if we strive hard enough and demand the very best of ourselves." Although the book is nonfiction, the life of Rebecca Latimer Felton reads like a novel, revealing the nearly forgotten story of one of the most remarkable woman in history. A Georgian born before the Civil War, Felton became the first woman Senator of the United States in 1922, at age 87. A tireless crusader, her attempts at political and civil reform are set against the backdrop of a state in violent chaos. Sherman's matches, Reconstruction's graft, one-party corruption, the KKK, lynchers, hallelujah evangelicals, chain-gang convicts, the sneering H.L. Mencken, "unsexed" suffragists, WCTU crusaders, and something possibly worse than anything else - a tiny insect called the boll weevil - all strut or crawl or sweep across the pages of this work. According to the GA Literary Quarterly, this book should be in every college, high school and library in Georgia. Illustrated, indexed, endnotes, 266 pages.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 270 pages
• Publisher: Tiger Iron Press; 1st edition (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0978726316
• ISBN-13: 978-0978726317
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,504,671 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A national treasure, April 13, 2010

By 

Niki Collins-queen, Author "author" (Forsyth, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Loosening Corsets: The Heroic Life of Georgia's Feisty Mrs. Felton, First Woman Senator of the United States (Hardcover)

Rebecca Latimer Felton and the other women's true stories in "Loosening Corsets: The Heroic Life of Georgia's Feisty Mrs. Felton, First Woman Senator of the United States" by A. Louise Staman helped me better understand American history and the hard work and sacrifices made for the civil rights of all citizens including women and children.
Rebecca (1835-1930), a wife and mother, was the first woman to ever to dare set foot in an election campaign; give a speech in Georgia, speak in church, own and run a newspaper, fight her own legislature and church, sue a railroad in court, - and win, stump for temperance and become the first woman Senator of the United States in 1922 at the age of 87.
She was a tireless crusader for women's rights in the South - not just to vote, but to own their own money, property, clothes, receive an education and practice law or medicine. She spoke for political and civil reform of one-party corruption, chain-gang convicts, the KKK, lynchers and hallelujah evangelists. She also fostered education for the disadvantaged, better treatment for citizens of all colors, wrote books and hundreds or newspaper articles while overseeing a 600-acre farm where she raised cotton and bred fine horses.
Her early work in Georgia is set against the violent chaos of Sherman's marches and the reconstruction's graft.
"Loosening Corsets" is a national treasure and a must read for all Americans. I loved this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and Insightful, November 30, 2009

By 

Anne B. Jones (Atlanta) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Loosening Corsets: The Heroic Life of Georgia's Feisty Mrs. Felton, First Woman Senator of the United States (Hardcover)

Loosening Corsets is an accurate, well documented look at a remarkable woman. The work presents an excellent and insightful picture of the challenges facing women at the turn of the century. The book is also inspirational in its depiction of what one determined and intelligent woman can accomplish. It is an interesting book, well worth reading. Louise Stamen has done a fabulous job in creating such an important biography.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource for an Excellent Lady, April 21, 2008

By 

Lisa M. Russell "Lisa M. Russell" (White, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Loosening Corsets: The Heroic Life of Georgia's Feisty Mrs. Felton, First Woman Senator of the United States (Hardcover)

This book is so well researched I refer to it often for my own writing. Staman is a great writer and speaker. She led a research for writers workshop for the Georgia Writers Association. Staman make Senator Rebecca Felton Come alive. A great read for those interested in womans history during the time of the sufferage movement and southern women who thrived after the Civil War Reconstruction. Rebecca Felton was the first female US Senator and the the LAST female senator from the state of Georgia.