And Not Afraid To Dare - Hardcover

Bolden's Book of African-American Women (1996, not reviewed) covered 150 ``crusaders, creators, and uplifters''; this one presents a handful of such stalwarts in chapter-length biographies: Ellen Craft, Charlotte Forten Grimk, Mary Fields, Ida B. Wells, and Mary McLeod Bethune from earlier generations; Clara Hale, Leontyne Price, Toni Morrison, Mae C. Jemison, and Jackie Joyner- Kersee of the present century. Bolden has a knack for succinctly providing just enough context to allow readers to comprehend the significance of the women's accomplishments. Some chapters are livelier than others, simply because several of these women made their most important contributions through long years of organizing, fund-raising, speaking, and writing, and their stories are not as inherently dramatic as those of fugitive Ellen Craft or the salty Mary Fields. Although she is given to hyperbole (the Rockies are not ``many miles'' high), clichs (``It was now or never'' and ``they were stopped dead in their tracks''), and awkward constructions (``Like many enslaved women, forced labor and beatings were not the worst violation of body and spirit that Maria had to endure''), Bolden is passionate about these women and about making readers familiar with their accomplishments. She includes capsule biographies of 21 other African-American women, a selected bibliography, and a detailed index. (b&w photos) (Biography. 10-14) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Grade 6-10?Bolden presents 10 African-American women who have made significant contributions to American life in spite of racial and gender barriers. Many of the individuals profiled are well known, but some of the lesser-known subjects' stories also make for inspiring reading. Bolden tells of Ellen Craft and her husband, who escaped from slavery by posing as a sickly young man and his slave. One of the most unusual women included is Mary Fields, a courageous woman who traveled alone to the Montana Territory in the 1880s. Rough and often vulgar, she dressed in men's clothing and worked at jobs ranging from light construction to carrying the U.S. mail by wagon and stagecoach. Other figures include Charlotte Forten Grimke, Ida B. Wells, Mary McLeod Bethune, Clara Hale, Leontyne Price, Toni Morrison, Mae C. Jemison, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee. The writing is clear and compelling. While these biographical sketches are interesting and provocative enough to attract recreational readers, the primary use for such a title would be research. However, although a selected bibliography is included, Bolden's writing is generally not well documented, particularly the speculations about the women's feelings. Each profile is accompanied by a black-and-white photograph. A selection of briefer profiles follows the text.?Sylvia V. Meisner, Allen Middle School, Greensboro, NC
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.