The Beecher Sisters
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Barbara A. White
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A joint biography of three extraordinary sisters and the tumultuous century that they helped to shape
The Beecher sisters—Catharine, Harriet, and Isabella—were three of the most prominent women in nineteenth-century America. Daughters of the famous evangelist Lyman Beecher, they could not follow their father and seven brothers into the ministry. Nonetheless, they carved out pathbreaking careers for themselves. Catharine Beecher founded the Hartford Female Seminary and devoted her life to improving women’s education. Harriet Beecher Stowe became world famous as the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Isabella Beecher Hooker was an outspoken advocate for women’s rights. This engrossing book is a joint biography of the sisters, whose lives spanned the full course of the nineteenth century. The life of Isabella Beecher—who has never been the subject of a biography—is examined in particular detail here. Drawing on little used sources, Barbara White explores Isabella’s political development and her interactions with her sisters and with prominent people of the time—from Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton to Mark Twain.
Barbara A. White is professor emeritus of women’s studies at the University of New Hampshire.
"An important and densely researched analysis. . . . White compellingly illuminates [the Beecher Sisters'] decisive contributions. . . . This book contributes greatly to understanding momentous changes in patterns of United States gender, religion, politics, and reform across the nineteenth century, particularly in the Gilded Age. The book will interest scholars of sexuality andreproduction as well as those engaged with the history of abolitionism, woman suffrage, and spiritualism."—Judith A. Allen, American Historical Review
"An excellent biography. . . . White shows how the lives of the women intertwined in both the public and the private spheres. The book illustrates the role of strong women in the development of a political family. . . . A fascinating portrait of a circle of remarkable women."—A. Cheree Carlson, Journal of American History
Publication Date: March 4, 2014
17 plates
