Elizabeth Wood Kane

Before you read this book, I recommend reading a short biography of Kane and her husband(I used Wikipedia).

Educated and well-read in the most striking voices of the day, Kane seems to be a huge advocate for the traditional woman and her role. Yet, she is also, it seems, an advocate for women's rights(if one judges from her cursory asides). Also, a glance at her life story will reveal that she went to Medical School after the death of her husband(which was highly unusual for her time). Thus, this isn't just an average observer's opinion.

That being said, it doesn't age well. Her main concerns are polygamy and Native Americans and we get plenty of biased opinions and stories of the latter. She seems willing to accept the differing views on polygamy but why not Native Americans? It is an interesting and lifelike portrait of many of us, a mix of conflicting good qualities, prejudices, and blind oversights. Anyway, I choose to believe that this was not a final picture of her. And, hopefully, we, as we are, are not at our final destination either.

To be honest, this last paragraph is why I struggle rating the book. I found her openness to understanding refreshingly worth 4 stars and her prejudice worth much less. I'll settle for a 3?… (mais)