Outrageous Women of the Middle Ages [Paperback]

Vicki Leon (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: Outrageous Women

Some were feisty and fiery. Others were cool and dangerous. All were incredibly courageous. Outrageous Women of The Middle Ages took on the challenge of their world--and didn't worry about ruffling a few feathers.

Among the outrageous women you'll meet are:
* Eleanor of Aquitaine--queen of France and later England, she led a group of women on the Second Crusade and created her own financial system
* Lady Murasaki Shikibu--besides being a wife and mother, she learned the "forbidden" language of Chinese and wrote the world's first novel
* Aud the Deep-Minded--a Viking wise woman and explorer who led her clan, grandchildren and all, on a risky voyage from Scotland to Iceland
* Hildegarde of Bingen--the German nun who, late in life, became a composer, a botanist, and founded convents
* Damia al-Kahina--a nomadic freedom fighter, skilled at peacemaking and war, who kept her North African homeland free

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-10-As she did in Outrageous Women of Ancient Times (Wiley, 1997), Leon again uses lively prose and modern comparisons to make the past understandable to young people. "When religion was the only game in town," readers learn, Hildegard of Bingen lived "in a gloomy torch-lit room about the size of a breakfast nook." The author's characteristic blend of playful language and historical accuracy tells of a Viking killed by a severed head, a queen who knew the meaning of congregating frogs, and much more. The stories and sidebars provide a detailed picture of the times. It is rare to see a book about the Middle Ages that presents such diversity. The women profiled lived in the 6th through 14th centuries in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Their spheres included everything from astronomy to warfare. They were nomads and empresses. The list for further reading is impressive; the black-and-white drawings and reproductions are appropriate for the text. Patrons who found Karen Cushman's Catherine Called Birdy (1994) and The Midwife's Apprentice (1995, both Clarion) interesting will find this book fascinating.
Rebecca O'Connell, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

The history of the Middle Ages generally presents the brave deeds of men, and Len, through painstaking and thorough research, presents the stories of 14 influential women of Europe, Africa, and the Far East, from 500 b.c. through a.d. 1500. Among them is Aud, a Viking woman from Norway, who, as a grandmother, moved her family to Iceland in a boat built of oak and pine; Matilda, of England, who fought ``to win over the majority of English vassals''; Eleanor of Aquitaine, ``the most celebrated queen of the Middle Ages''; Hildegard of Bingen, who possessed vast visions and spiritual gifts; Khadija bint Khuwaylid, the first wife of the prophet Mohammed; and Murasaki Shikibu, of Japan, who wrote The Tale of Genji. Detracting from the inherently fascinating material is the author's regular use of contemporary slang``tough cookies,'' ``trotted the globe,'' ``grandkids,'' ``bum's rush,'' ``[marriage] on the rocks,'' ``whippersnapper,'' ``eggheads and nerds,'' etc.which may prevent the book from withstanding the test of time. (b&w illustrations, maps, chronology, further reading) (Nonfiction. 11-13) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (February 18, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471170046
• ISBN-13: 978-0471170044
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #357,767 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #67 in Books > Children's Books > History > Medieval

More About the Author

My roots: convinced I was left on strangers' doorstep in the Pacific Northwest, I fled in my teens and began to fill the first of seven passports. Wanderlust is apparently hereditary; my progeny now busy filling their own passports.
My higher education: mostly self-inflicted
I collect: pyramids, ancient cemeteries, seashells, foreign languages, long stays in foreign lands.
Allergic to: gray skies, household routines, watches, gas-guzzlers.
Addicted to: laughter, Spanish aceitunas con anchoas, George Dalaras and other Greek music, foreign films, beach walks, getting a glimpse of animals and birds in the wild.
Am a magnet for: odd facts, weird stories, unusual connections (all of them fodder for my writing)
Am sustained by: a worldwide web of family, friends, publishing colleagues, and readers

My books: 35 titles (about half of them for readers 10 and up). Many, miraculously still in print.

My GOALS as a writer of nonfiction:
1. Dig deeper to find the whole human history, to illuminate the unsung men and women of long ago
2. Leaven my books with humor and humanity
3. Try to astonish the reader on every page. Astonish, from the Latin attonare, "to be struck by lightning." Thus to write in a way that leaves the reader thunderstruck.

My research: more fun than a whodunit. In fact, I go through a lot of shoe leather even when I'm time-traveling.That's why I call myself (partly tongue in cheek) Vicki Leon, historical detective

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fun, Kinda' Silly, Useful Book!, April 24, 2000

By 

Thomas Leo Ogren (San Luis Obispo, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Outrageous Women of the Middle Ages (Paperback)

This is yet another fine history book by the fabulous author, Vicki Leon. I have all of her books and always look forward to her newest ones. This one will be loved by children and it is exactly the kind of book that kids like. Who says history can't be fun? With Leon, all of histry is a riot! I liked it a lot and so did my children.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully Outrageous!, July 5, 2006

By 

S. J. Meyer (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Outrageous Women of the Middle Ages (Paperback)

An anthology of Medieval Women who accomplished great things during their lives. My favorite is Trotula Platearius, an Italian woman, (around 1050-1080). She studied at the University of Salerno (the Johns Hopkins of her day) and became a doctor. She specialized in women's health after realizing that many women would rather suffer than explain their problems to a man. She originated many techniques for surgeries, and she noticed that good hygiene kept patients alive longer. Trotula wrote many books which were hand-copied, translated, and used all over Europe. 2.Outrageous Women of the Middle Ages is very well done. The women are arranged by the area in which they lived, each unit has a map of the area. There are great information boxes to help explain points and places of importance. The back of the book has suggested reading, with a note about the primary resources for the book. There is also a timeline on the very last page placing the women in chronological order. If I were to use this book in an upper elementary or lower middle school classroom, I would let students read about one or two women and research her more in depth. I would also use this book to get children interested in biographies.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Feminism, April 24, 2000

By 

Elizabeht A.Jackson (Vermont) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Outrageous Women of the Middle Ages (Paperback)

This book is about women in the middle ages who were under twenty and had significant recognition in the outside world. It is appropriate for readers of all ages. Its content being educational and yet fun. Its subjects vary in greatness and culture, having everyone from infamous to famous characters who left written records. Their achievements have helped to modernize the role of women.