Writing Out My Heart: Selections from the Journal of Frances E. Willard, 1855-96 (Women in American History) [Hardcover]

Carolyn Gifford (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Educator, orator, feminist, and longtime president of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, Willard (1839-98) was an international representative of a prominent strand of Protestant American activism. This landmark volume is the first publication of selections from her massive journals, which she kept mostly as a young woman. Entries show the development of her religious and reform commitments, her search for suitable outlets for her ambition, and her struggles to reconcile conflicting demands of family, society, and self. Also revealed is her passionate love for other women, which she understood in terms that will seem both familiar and unfamiliar to contemporary readers. Editor Gifford introduces each section, provides an extensive bibliography, and identifies most names and quotations in Willard's text. This is an essential purchase for any academic library supporting courses in U.S. history and women's studies and will also be of interest to large public libraries with collections in these fields.
Carolynne Myall, Eastern Washington Univ. Libs., Cheney
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Educator, orator, feminist, and longtime president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, Willard (1839-98) was an international representative of a prominent strand of Protestant American activism. This landmark volume is the first publication of selections from her massive journals, which she kept mostly as a young woman. Entries show the development of her religious and reform commitments, her search for suitable outlets for her ambition, and her struggles to reconcile conflicting demands of family, society, and self. Also revealed is her passionate love for other women, which she understood in terms that will seem both familiar and unfamiliar to contemporary readers." -- Library Journal. "Willard's passion and power come alive in these pages." -- Publishers Weekly

Product Details

• Hardcover: 510 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press (August 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0252021398
• ISBN-13: 978-0252021398
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #888,544 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars The Private Side of Frances Willard, October 18, 2011

By 

K. Vestal (NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Writing Out My Heart: Selections from the Journal of Frances E. Willard, 1855-96 (Women in American History) (Hardcover)

Highly recommended to all who know and love Frances Willard. Probably not the best introduction to her for others. Quite different from her autobiography which she wrote at age 50 presenting the public Frances, this edited publication of her private journals is a far more intimate look at her life, almost to a feeling of intrusion, although it seems that Frances would not have minded its publication and probably even left it for such a purpose. This volume records her grief over the passing of dear family members, her broken heart and pining in romance, her fears and frustrations, and her physical challenges in later years, with just enough mention of her temperance work, travels and speeches, to solidify that indeed this is the same Frances. Most of the journal was written when she was in her 20s, after which she skipped 22 years of writing during her most active temperance work, picking back up in her 50s with the struggles of her last few years. Well edited, presenting, according to the editor, only 10% of the actual journal text, but with editing notes in abundance, it reads smoothly. A huge piece of the historical puzzle for anyone wishing to piece together this formidable woman.