Reviews for Women Daredevils: Thrills, Chills, and Frills

The average rating for Women Daredevils: Thrills, Chills, and Frills based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2008-05-30 00:00:00 Matze Marben Cummins highlights ten women who performed a variety of dangerous stunts during the late 1800s and early 1900s. These women performed stunts for a number of reasons, with earning a living being one of the top ones. Stunts include going over Niagra Falls in a barrel, taming tigers, plane stunts, bareback circus riding stunts, and more. Perhaps the most amazing story included is that of Sonora Carver who performed high-diving on horseback from great heights into relatively shallow pools. Needless to say, she suffered a serious injury that resulted in blindness, but she continued to perform for another eleven years. The author is careful to explain the dangers--and the thrills-- of each of these stunts. Unfortunately, there is an almost paternalistic tone in the writing, with much focus on the femininity of the performers. In the introduction Cummins states that "one hundred years ago...women didn't have conveniences like electric hair curlers, microwaves, or cell phones....Doing anything other than staying at home and taking care of husband and children was unthinkable," which she then contradicts both in the stories of the women covered in the book, and more importantly in the chronology at the end of the book in which she lists various accomplishments of women in medicine, politics, law, education, science, and more. Cummins gives source information and describes the interesting process of discovering and researching the women included. The illustrations by Cheryl Harness have great child appeal.

Review # 2 was written on 2014-02-06 00:00:00 Gregory Wilson I've come to the conclusion that there need to be about a billion more books like this. In US society we tend to assume "man" for "default human". Further, we tend to assume white, anglo-saxon, protestant, not-disabled, straight, middle-or upper- class, etc. It doesn't matter that one doesn't have to fit any of those criteria to be newsworthy or historically interesting. What matters, I think, is reminding everyone again and again if need be, that plenty of people have achieved interesting lives without fitting into some, or even all, of those norms. So bring them on, all the lists anyone can think of, all the people who are intriguing in whatever fields. Let the children's libraries of the US and other nations be chock full of increasing obscure lists of Women Athletes, POC Inventors, Non-Christian or Utterly Irreligious Military Heroes, Disabled Scholars, GLBTQ Entrepreneurs, Poor Scientists, and cetra. I'm confident that in some way everyone who ever lived was important and interesting, if only for never having been recognized as important or interesting, and I would like every kid, with whatever identities they may have, to be able to find people like them who have done fascinating things. And also, I find books like this great fun. Library copy.