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Romantic Outlaws

The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley
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( 7,305 ratings, 1,038 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Romantic Outlaws by Charlotte Gordon intertwines the lives of Mary Wollstonecraft, the revolutionary author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, and her daughter Mary Shelley, the famed author of Frankenstein. The book explores their struggles against societal norms, their passionate pursuits in literature, and their enduring influence on each other's lives, despite living in different eras.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are fascinated by the lives of strong, pioneering women in history. It intertwines the stories of Mary Wollstonecraft and her daughter Mary Shelley, offering a compelling look at their revolutionary ideas and the challenges they faced.

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***AS READ ON BBC RADIO 4***
NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER

'A gripping account of the heartbreaks and triumphs of two of history's most formidable female intellectuals, Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley.

Inventive, page-turning, involving biography at its best.

Romantic Outlaws is the first book to tell the story of the passionate and pioneering lives of Mary Wollstonecraft - English feminist and author of the landmark book, The Vindication of the Rights of Woman - and her novelist daughter Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
Inventive, page-turning, and involving biography at its best. Romantic Outlaws by Charlotte Gordon is a groundbreaking dual biography that intricately weaves the passionate and pioneering lives of two of history's most formidable female intellectuals: Mary Wollstonecraft and her daughter Mary Shelley. Through the masterful intertwining of their stories, Gordon unites the mother and daughter who, despite their extraordinary connection, never met.

AS READ ON BBC RADIO 4
NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD WINNER

Mary Wollstonecraft, an English feminist, is most famous for her seminal work, The Vindication of the Rights of Woman, a cornerstone of feminist literature that champions women's rights and equality. Her daughter, Mary Shelley, achieved lasting fame as the author of Frankenstein, a novel that has become a defining piece of classic literature, exploring the depths of human ambition and the ethical dilemmas of creating life.

The narratives of these two pioneering women are seamlessly interwoven in Romantic Outlaws, exploring not only their literary achievements but also their personal lives. Both Wollstonecraft and Shelley led lives marked by passionate relationships, intellectual fervour, and brave defiance against societal norms. Despite living in different eras, their experiences with love, loss, and the struggle for recognition as single mothers and exiles are hauntingly similar.

This vivid account takes readers on a journey across revolutionary France and Victorian England, portraying the societal challenges and triumphs that shaped the worlds of Wollstonecraft and Shelley. With eloquent prose, Gordon captures the essence of these revolutionary women, offering unparalleled insights into their shared legacy of literary and feminist accomplishments.

Romantic Outlaws is more than a biography; it is an exploration of the indomitable spirit and enduring influence of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley. Their lives, though separated by time, converge in this compelling narrative, leaving readers with a profound understanding of their impact on literature and women's rights.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Romantic Outlaws by Charlotte Gordon is praised as a unique double biography that poignantly brings Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley to life. Reviewers highlight its gripping narrative of triumphs and heartbreaks, the intelligent and deeply-felt storytelling, and the marvellous weaving of the mother and daughter's stories. Critics commend it as genuinely popular history, an exceptional achievement, and a deeply inspiring read.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780099592396

Publisher: Cornerstone

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 25 February 2016

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Windmill Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 49.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 570g

Pages: 672

About the Author

Charlotte Gordon is a prize-winning poet and biographer. She received her undergraduate degree in English and American Literature from Harvard University and a Ph.D. from Boston University. Since 1986, she has taught creative writing, history, literature, religion, and theatre. Her poetry has won many prizes, including a Robert Penn Warren Award. Her biography of the seventeenth-century poet, Anne Bradstreet, Mistress Bradstreet- The Untold Life of America's First Poet won a Massachusetts Book Award for non-fiction.

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