Customer Reviews

They Went Whistling: Women Wayfarers, Warriors, Runaways, and Renegades

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

What a terrific new book from Barbara Holland! It's about extraordinary women: the famous, like Queen Cleopatra, and the relatively unknown, like pirate Grace O'Malley. Holland's wise and witty style is the glue that holds these women's stories -- extremely well researched -- together. She has done the legwork so we can sit back and enjoy. No dull stuff here!

We may have thought we knew the likes of Joan of Arc and Bonnie Parker (of Bonnie and Clyde) from the movies, plays and poems about them. With "They Went Whistling" we get closer to the real women, and they're a great deal more fascinating than the Hollywood versions. Holland's got the facts to back up her statements, but this book is no dry history lesson: it's a heck of a lot of fun.

One of my favorite women is Mary Kingsley, born in England in 1862. At the age of 30, a spinster, she went off to West Africa to explore. Alone. Her adventures were amazing; her humor a delightful bonus. A crocodile, Kingsley wrote in her journal, "chose to get his front paws over the stern of my canoe, and endeavored to improve our acquaintance. I had to retire to the bows, to keep the balance right, and fetch him a clip on the snout with a paddle...."

In her introduction, Holland writes, "In the index to Kenneth Clark's definitive `Civilisation' ... we find the names of 395 men and eleven women...." Men may get the credit for inventing the wheel and the skyscraper, but with Holland's latest book we can celebrate women who ruled, battled, explored and exploited a few corners of the world, too. Most highly recommended.

Wow! She's done it again. "They Went Whistling" is a fantastic read. Barbara Holland consistently amazes me with her incredible ability to find even the most obscure facts in her research and then distills them into a most delightful, informative and humorous book. Ever since I read "In Private Life" at least 20 years ago, giggling out loud alone in my kitchen, I wouldn't miss anything she writes.

In her book, "Hail to the Chiefs," Holland dug up facts and anecdotes about past presidents of the United States and served them up on a delicious dish of hilarious humor. In "They Went Whistling," she has managed to do the same, but this time she has chosen, along with famous women, some we would never have heard of without Holland's wonderful and descriptive tales. I loved learning that Cleopatra was not the "ultimate siren" or the "pure sexual temptation" that the Romans and Hollywood made her out to be. Instead, "according to Plutarch, she spoke nine or ten languages," and, as Holland says, "Cleopatra knew a thing or two about pharmaceuticals...she'd written a book on cosmetics full of ingredients unknown to Estee Lauder."

And then there's Daisy Bates, in her Victorian garb, running around with the Australian Aborigines, learning "a hundred and twenty-nine languages." Bates also "had a son that didn't particularly appeal to her," but, Holland says, "as a general rule the whistling women made absentminded mothers."

Indeed, I agree with the accolades Russell Baker and Dave Berry offer to Holland's books. I believe she is one of the finest writers of this century. She writes with a grace and style unmatched.

Barbara Holland's book "They Went Whistling" is a delight! Holland uses wit, sarcasm and a vast knowledge of many incredible women. This book highlights not only well known women (Cleopatra, Joan of Arc) but also remarkable lesser known women. These ladies were not the "fairer sex" by any means. Their stories exude courage, brawn and too little glory. For those looking for some herstory this book is a MUST read. I found myself laughing, gasping and making list of women who I wanted to read more about. The stories blend together beautifully in a easy and smooth flow. Holland's wit is so catching and real I soon felt like she was a good friend or relative telling me stories of the past. Thank you Ms. Holland for the education and experience.

I recently had the good fortune to hear Barbara Holland read from her latest book, They Went Whistling. Though it is quite different from Bingo Night at the Fire Hall, Endangered Pleasures, and Wasn't the Grass Greener, it was equally wonderful -- as is everything Holland writes. While the others are warm, witty, and wistful social commentaries, in They Went Whistling Holland delights us with the unique adventures of women who dared to set out, usually alone, in directions far from the expected. As usual, Holland's remarkable humor and "asides" thread through a wealth of information to weave yet another thoroughly satisfying read. Bravo again!

The women in Barbara Holland's latest book are so refreshing in their feminism simply because they would not even know what the word means. They never looked at a label in their lives and had absolutely no idea there was a glass ceiling much less that they crashed through it. The feminist cliches of today would bore them silly. This is what makes this book so wonderful to read. These women simply did what they wanted to do, when they wanted to do it, and most were over-achievers in the creative and interesting departments. Barbara Holland's dry wit supplies the reader with an ample supply of everything from chuckles to belly laughs. Holland reveals the often unseen heroism and strength of these women and shows everyone, men and women, what true individuality is all about. The brief biographies delve into the lives of Cleopatra, Queen Boudicca of Britain, Dr. James Barry (A woman who shall forever remain anonymous since no one knew until 'his' autopsy), Joan of Arc, Lizzie Borden, Isabella Bird, and Bonnie Parker. There really are too many to mention since Holland discusses some in passing and others in greater depth. She does this always with humor, respect, and a no-nonsense-myths-and-rumors-be-damned attitude. This is a world and an attitude, a writing style and an intelligence, one hates to see end on page 268. I only hope Ms. Holland will decide to write a second volume. We all need the intellectual adrenalin.

"A woman strolling down the street on a splendid morning might feel like whistling, but whistling in a dress would be absurd. Whistling implies and requires pants, and the swagger that goes with them. Ideally, it calls for pockets to thrust the hands into, or at least a sturdy waistband for the thumbs." - Barbara Holland

Thus it is in THEY WENT WHISTLING that Holland provides thumbnail biographies of a number of women in history that kicked over the traces and, while literally dressed in pants or not, did what the male of the species does routinely, i.e. pretty much what they wanted without reference to society's expectations or rules.

There may have been a method to Holland's choice of subjects and her categorization of them, though, to me, the former seemed somewhat arbitrary. The categories, and examples of whistlers in each, encompassed Warriors (Cleopatra, Queen Boudicca), those donning Menswear (Joan of Arc, Calamity Jane, Amantine-Aurore-Lucile Dupin, a.k.a. George Sand), Outlaws (Grace O'Malley, Bonnie Parker), Exiles (Jane Digby, Daisy Bates), Wayfarers (Isabella Bird, Mary Kingsley, Dervla Murphy), Renegades (Mary Fields, Belle Star), Grandstanders (Belle Boyd, Lola Montez), Seekers (St. Mary of Egypt, Alexandra David-Neel), and Radicals (Mary Harris "Mother" Jones, Emma Goldman). I'd never heard of most of these, and a value of the volume was that they were introduced to me at all. I wish there was a photo section as it would have saved me several trips to the Web; there isn't, and for that I'm knocking off a star right up front.

The author's wryly humorous writing style, never mean or petty, isn't as prominent a feature of THEY WENT WHISTLING as it is in her other commentaries on times, social mores, things and places as found in Endangered Pleasures: In Defense of Naps, Bacon, Martinis, Profanity, and Other Indulgences, and Wasn't the Grass Greener?: Thirty-three Reasons Why Life Isn't as Good as It Used to Be and Bingo Night at the Fire Hall: Rediscovering Life in an American Village, though it still shows through, as in the following observation about the Roman Triumvirate:

"The Romans were still tinkering with the notion of the Triumvirate, or three equal rulers, which, considering the testosterone content of your basic Roman male, was an ill-starred concept. Antony ruled with Octavius and someone named Lepidus, who prudently crept offstage early."

Although I personally don't regard THEY WENT WHISTLING as one of Holland's best endeavors mainly because it seems but a collection of cobbled-together stories, it deserves a place on the bookshelves maintained by her dedicated fans. I'm left wondering, however, why Barbara didn't include my favorite female historical figure who more than held her own vis-a-vis the powerful men in her life, Henry II's troublesome consort Eleanor of Aquitaine. I'd love to see what Holland could do with that story.

Last night my 6-year-old granddaughter Emily and I hugged each other close, and watched "Eight Below" for the first time.

Emily loved all the `dog parts' (we kept fast forwarding to those) in this amazing story of eight, Antarctic sled-dogs, abandoned in 30 below weather ("based on a true story"). Left to their own devices, they managed (most of them) to find food, surviving against all odds, for 152 days -- in weather that looked almost cold as Winnipeg. (As it should: Most scenes were filmed up here, in "Hollywood North" apart from some impressive snow mountains, and iceberg-laden inlets around Greenland).

But Emily said something revealing - right after the movie's scariest moment: "Maya," the de facto Leader-of-the-Pack, gets one of her paws nearly bitten off, when she and her Siberian Husky dog-team `brothers' battle a Sea Leopard ("more dangerous than the land variety," the film's male protagonist tells a visitor).

I might have missed what Emily said - had I not just been reading (an hour before) the opening passages of this book --- Barbara Holland's whimsically titled -- "They Went Whistling: Women Wayfarers, Warriors, Runaways, and Renegades." At least TWICE Emily referred to "Maya" as "HE." She did it a couple of times, and I thought of this book's premise, in its "Introduction."

"Browsing through literature (you) plainly see that each man is DIFFERENT from all other men, singular by reason of what he DOES, while women differ only in hair color, beauty and chastity . . . and the less they do the better.

"The youngest reader learns this basic lesson: the protagonist is male. Babar is a BOY elephant. Stuart Little is a boy mouse, Peter is a boy rabbit, the Black Stallion is a stallion, and even the Little Engine That Could, is a boy engine.

"Sometimes a female hovers, wringing her hands in the background, like Kanga among Christopher Robin's friends, but she doesn't get to do anything. Girls, even girl kittens or ponies, don't do things . . .

"Acceptable hero women should be driven not by dreams of glory but by a nurturing concern for others: The Virgin Mary, Florence Nightingale . . . Harriet Tubman, Mother Teresa - mothering their way into history.

"In the index to Kenneth Clark's definitive `CIVILIZATION' . . . what we've done since the dawn of time . . . we find the names of 395 men and eleven women, including the Virgin Mary, several lesser saints, and Dorothy Wordsworth the poet's sister."

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In fact, Barbara Holland introduces readers to a woman saint (one I'd never heard of, though it's my favorite subject) - "St. Mary of Egypt" desert "Mother" and hermit for 40 years who lived alone, but not far from the famous "Desert Fathers."

One of those "fathers" Saint Zosimas sought her out -- he left a desert monastery, crossed the Jordan River and walked for 20 days into the desert to find her living alone. Mary, at his request, came to visit him on the opposite bank of the Jordan (his side) walking on water, there and back. "St. Mary of Egypt" who died soon afterwards, performed for Zosimas miracles that raised the hair on the back of his saintly neck.

After Zosimas embraces Mary's feet, overcome by her sanctity, saying God had obviously sent him there so he could report her story, Mary lifted him up with the words that she was ashamed of her "story" which, she says, "may cause you to run from me as from a snake, for your ears will not be able to bear the vileness of my actions" (as a teenager).

"She tells him of running off to Alexandria as a child, where she `unrestrainedly and insatiably gave myself up to sensuality . . . I was like a fire of public debauch . . . often, when they wished to pay me, I refused the money . . . so as to make as many men as possible try to obtain me, doing free of charge what gave me pleasure.

`Do not think I was rich . . . I lived by begging, often spinning flax, but I had an insatiable desire and an irresistible passion for lying in filth. That was life to me.'

"Then one fine summer day she noticed great crowds hurrying toward the port . . . off to Jerusalem for the `Exultation of the Precious and Lifegiving Cross' . . . (and) "without money or food for the trip, she decided to join the pilgrims" on their voyage, "deciding the journey would be a fine chance for a few extra flings with the pilgrims."

God it seemed, had other plans for her! The story of "Mary of Egypt" (this "fine saint for sinners") is one of the best in this book and, for "kindred spirits," an utter delight to read!

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An afterward "about the author" states,

"Barbara Holland was born in Washington D.C., produced three children, worked for many years in advertising and now lives on a mountain in the Blue Ridge, where her closest neighbors are bears and there's nothing to do but write. She is the author of a dozen books and countless magazine pieces. If she had it to do over, she'd be a pirate instead."

Who knew,that before women's lib became popular, there were bold females that challenged the norms of their day and used both their feminine wiles and courage to "go where no woman had been before". The accounts of each of these heroines is riveting - whether they were virtuous, beautiful and resourceful or not - they set out on adventures that are uncommon and would be dangerous even in this liberated age. A great book!

Barbara Holland may have intended to research these women's lives in order to show us their strengths. Or perhaps possibly to provide superficial entertainment. The book starts off running, and goes rapidly from one woman to another, whipping through thier lives with sarcasm and lightheartedness.

Ms. Holland seems only impressed with women in history who mimicked the social behaviour, and clothing of men in their time. So if a particular woman rode horseback and used a rifle, Ms. Holland deemed her worthy of praise as an empowered and free spirit.

Ms. Holland has yet to learn about empowerment, and about the self-expression of real women throughout history. Also unfortunate and offensive are her thoughtless and irresponsible comments scattered throughout the book, particularily when she mentions Native Americans, for example in her account of the adventures of Ann Baily (p.161-162) who seemingly killed "Indians" for adventure, ... "Even after the Indian threat had finally been subdued, and the remaining hostile Indians relocated, she continued to ride restlessly over her wilderness territory". Indeed. What a free spirit.

Also offensive is Ms. Hollands reference to the life of Bedouin Arabs in North Africa. In telling the tale of Jane Digby, an 'expert' on Arab society and culture, who was working as a spy for the British in the region, Ms. Holland writes on page 98 "... she alone knew the Arabs from ground level, sharing their fleas and addictions and diseases."

I bought Barbara Holland's book to use in my teaching, as part of a women-centred curriculum. Factual resources are not always available on women's lives, especially when they stray from mainstream or stereotypical social roles. I pride myself on collecting such books. As a teacher in a women-centred school, I am afraid this book was a total waste of money, and ended up being a source of discussion for its frequent racist and irresponsible authorship.

Page 269 quote: "The author is greatly indebted to all those genuine biographers whose patient work she has shamelessly plundered". What biographers? Since the book is void of any reference to biographical material, I am wondering why it is listed as biography? If I had read it as fiction, her surface 'humour' and wildly opinionated remarks would have been more tolerable.

On the final page of the book Ms. Holland confesses that if she could do it over, she might have been a pirate instead of an author. Perhaps she would then have been able to write about first hand experience, and not romanticise about wealthy European and American women of the past, who were bored of their traditional roles in society.

This collection of stories about adventurous women is a true inspiration, stirring the feminist in all of us. It makes you proud to be female and thus somehow related to the women in the book.