A History of the World with the Women Put Back in
By Kerstin Lucker, Ute Daenschel

`Who says that daughters cannot be heroic?’

Once upon a time, history was written by men, for men and about men. Women were deemed less important, their letters destroyed, their stories ignored.

Not any more.

This is the story of women who went to war, women who stopped war and women who stayed at home. The rulers. The fighters. The activists. The writers. This is the story of Wu Zetian, who as `Chinese Emperor’ helped to spread Buddhism in China. This is the story of Genghis Khan’s powerful daughters, who ruled his empire for him. This is the story of Christine de Pizan, one of the earliest feminist writers. This is the story of Victoria Woodhull, who ran for president before she could even vote for one. This is the story of the world – with the women put back in.

Review
By Becky Hinshelwood

Wow, I’ve been left in a bit of a rage from this book! I say that as a compliment. It’s a rage that is formed by the treatment of women through history. Most specifically, how when you take an overview of history it all seems so very unnecessary.

By summarising all of history in one book, the authors Kerstin Lücker and Ute Daenschel are able to identify key points of change in female social history. What’s made me angry is how intrinsically linked these are with self serving quests for power. It’s a similar pattern to those of indigenous populations and the African slave trade. And it’s just such a waste.

But this book isn’t about inciting rage. That’s a by product which I might be a bit predisposed to! What this history is about is celebrating some really brave, intelligent and interesting women; some equally as violent and power hungry as their male counterparts. But, hey isn’t that what true equality looks like!

A History of the World with the Women Put Back In was conceived as a piece of writing for younger readers. It’s a teenage Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls. Because of this, the more violent details are kept at arm’s length. But in no way did this read like a kids book to me. It’s universal. This book isn’t for those embarking on specialist study, though.  You won’t be able to recite the monarchs of England in order or reel off the date of the Peasant’s revolt by reading this book. But that’s not what it’s for.

Having an overview of all of history is something that many of us lack. This stands true for adults as well as older children and teens. I studied history at A level and if I really concentrate I can recall some of the complexities of Russian history and the period of the English Civil War. However I’ve never really had the historical overview that I feel I’ve gained by this book. And as a massive bonus, women are included!

Because it’s about inclusion. Unlike Goodnight Stories…, (which is a fabulous concept but intended to tell the specific stories of history’s notable women) this book talks about history itself. It talks about men too. The clue is in the title; the women have simply been included. So what you gain from this book is an understanding about how history has formed and developed gender in society.

Patterns become visible when you summarise history in one book. This was really intriguing and perhaps is what made it so engaging a read. The use of ‘probably’ is addressed in the preface, and this is important to bear in mind when you read any historical writing. Every retelling of historical events is an interpretation, and this is no different. The authors continually refer to perspectives, which helps it to feel authentic and pragmatic. Not to mention relevant.

All modern gender inequalities have their roots in here. Everyday sexism, date rape, the gender pay gap, online mum shaming to name but a few. You can see the echos through these pages. Reading this book won’t make all that stuff go away, but within history lies information and understanding. And I reckon that’s a pretty empowering weapon with which our young women can arm themselves.

This history is an accessible way to give yourself a background to make you feel more informed about the world. About how we’ve got to where we are. And even, perhaps, where we need to go next to make the world a better place. To avoid slipping into the patterns of history that are so evident from reading this book. This may be a history book, but I would treat it as a tool for the future.

If Becky’s review has inspired you to read more, then you can buy your copy HERE + free UK delivery. Published by The History Press

WINNER OF THE WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION, 2019

‘A moving portrayal of the effects of a wrongful conviction on a young African-American couple.’ – Barack Obama

Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are the embodiment of the American Dream. He is a young executive, and she is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. Until one day they are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. Roy is arrested and sentenced to twelve years for a crime Celestial knows he didn’t commit.

Devastated and unmoored, Celestial finds herself struggling to hold on to the love that has been her centre, taking comfort in Andre, their closest friend. When Roy’s conviction is suddenly overturned, he returns home ready to resume their life together.

A masterpiece of storytelling, An American Marriage offers a profoundly insightful look into the hearts and minds of three unforgettable characters who are at once bound together and separated by forces beyond their control.

Review
By Becky Hinshelwood

For a novel that tackles so many big topics, An American Marriage manages to retain a lightness that keeps it engaging despite itself. A lot of that is down to the structure of Tayari Jones’ book – a mixture of point of view narratives and letters. We read perspectives from three members of a love triangle, all of which are reflective and meandering, which helps the book avoid becoming too heavy going.

Roy and Celestial have been married for just over a year when he is wrongly convicted and given a 12 year sentence. As months become years, Celestial’s long term friendship with Andre (who she grew up with and who is the introductory link between the married couple) develops into something more. When the case lawyer (Celestial’s Uncle) comes good and quashes the conviction, the three must tackle truths and beat a path for the future out of the fragments that remain of their shattered relationships.

However the story is not as basic as a love triangle. It’s about marriage, society, family, history, fate and circumstance. Through the narratives of Roy, Celestial and Andre, we learn about the marriages of the generation before. The parents whose relationships formed and defined their children. The three derive from three different home setups – a broken home, a settled home and one with a loving stepfather. Set against all of this the deeply scarred black history of the Southern United States. The “six or twelve” (carried by six or judged by twelve) sense of limitation that generations of black men have felt is devastating to comprehend but vividly portrayed.

However this is an America emerging from the past: Celestial is an up and coming artist, and as we enter the novel, Roy is an upwardly mobile entrepreneur. This is an America where African American citizens are forward looking and successful. So it feels all the more shocking that Roy and Celestial’s equilibrium is destroyed by what feels like a sequence of events from sixty years ago. This is a reality that I think it’s important to understand – how in some areas, very little has changed.

So it was with a sense of injustice and liberal fury that I experienced much of this book. Wrongful conviction is so deeply unfair and irreparable. Not that this automatically puts us on Roy’s side, of course. Each member of the love triangle does things that are morally ambiguous. Their motivations are myriad and not limited to desire nor based on the conviction. Whether it is the drive of a career, the thrill of a flirtation, a desire to roam or long held resentments, these characters are complex.

All three narrators, then, have distinct flaws; human as they are. Each account is explicitly open in their motives and so with these flaws display, I doubt any reader will take sides. This is a real study in human relationships rather than a love story. It leaves us with questions rather than answers. What is a wife, a husband, a mother, a father, a friend? How important is circumstance? Can any one event cause the implosion of a marriage or are some relationship breakdowns inevitable?

Despite my indignation on behalf of Roy’s miscarriage of justice, I can’t pretend to truly ‘get’ life as an African American in the deep South. It’s as far removed from predominantly white middle England as you can imagine. Tayari Jones’ writing goes a fair way to help me, though. Her characters are well constructed and very real. The language is poetic and lyrical and imbued with age old wisdom from mothers and fathers and communities.

I don’t know the answers to the questions that the novel poses, but I absolutely feel that Tayari Jones has framed these ideas with clarity through an engaging and moving story. It’s a story that vividly paints not just an American marriage but a stark American reality.

If Becky’s review has inspired you to read more, then you can buy your copy HERE + free UK delivery. Published by Oneworld