In honour of International Womens Day 2015, I am pleased to introduce Cranky Ladies of History, an anthology launched today from Fablecroft Publishing.
Title: Cranky Ladies of History
Author: Tehani Wessley (Editor)
Published: Fablecroft Publishing March 2015
Status: Read from March 07 to 08, 2015 — I own a copy {Courtsey the publisher)
My Thoughts:
Cranky Ladies of History is an anthology conceived and developed by Tehani Wessley of Fablecroft Publishing and author, Tansy Rayner Roberts. Crowdfunded through Pozible during Womens History Month in 2014, the concept attracted many supporters eager to be a part of project.
Twenty two authors have contributed to Cranky Ladies of History, including award winner’s Thoraiya Dyer, Juliet Marillier, Jane Yolen and Garth Nix.
Each short story in Cranky Ladies of History features a real female historical figure. I’m not familiar enough with history to separate fact from fiction in these pieces but these strong, often fierce women are those who challenged society’s rules and ideas about how women should behave, though not always in heroic or noble ways. While Garth Nix honours Lady Godiva in ‘The Company of Women’, ‘Look How Cold My Hands Are’ by Deborah Biancotti features Countess Bathory, an insane serial killer.
The women featured include an Ancient Egyptian ruler (‘Neter Nefer’ by Amanda Pillar), a Chinese Empress (‘Charmed Life’ by Joyce Chng), a British women’s rights campaigner (“Mary, Mary” by Kirstyn McDermott) and an Australia doctor (‘Due Care And Attention’ by Sylvia Kelso. Some of the protagonists represent well known figures such as Queen Elizabeth 1 (‘Glorious’ by Faith Mudge) while others feature woman whose lives have all but been forgotten, such as the Icelandic Viking warrior, Hallgerðr Höskuldsdóttir (‘For So Great A Misdeed’ by Lisa L. Hannett)
An entertaining and interesting anthology, Cranky Ladies of History is an important collection of fiction that gives voice to an extraordinary selection of women from a broad range of backgrounds, era’s and cultures. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
Cranky Ladies of History is available to purchase from
Fablecroft I Booktopia I Amazon AU I Via Booko
Book’d Out 
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