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3.0 

The Encyclopedia of Amazons

By Jessica Amanda Salmonson
The Encyclopedia of Amazons by Jessica Amanda Salmonson digital book - Fable

Publisher Description

An “excellent” A-to-Z reference of female fighters in history, myth, and literature—from goddesses to gladiators to guerrilla warriors (Library Journal).

This is an astounding collection of female fighters, from heads of state and goddesses to pirates and gladiators. Each entry is drawn from historical, fictional, or mythical narratives of many eras and lands. With over one thousand entries detailing the lives and influence of these heroic female figures in battle, politics, and daily life, Salmonson provides a unique chronicle of female fortitude, focusing not just on physical strength but on the courage to fight against patriarchal structures and redefine women’s roles during time periods when doing so was nearly impossible.
 
The use of historical information and fictional traditions from Japan, Europe, Asia, and Africa gives this work a cross-cultural perspective that contextualizes the image of these unconventional depictions of might, valor, and greatness.

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1 Review

3.0
“I was excited to read this, but after such work like Antonia Fraser's, it's easy to dismiss Salmonson's efforts in collecting notable women warriors. The idea of a compiled list with brief descriptions in alphabetical order is great, but it lacks a lot, primarily in sources, dating, and locations. Some women have dates with their names, when they were born and died, and it's utilized at the beginning. However, it seems to be a forgotten practice halfway through the book. Sometimes we'll get a century in which the woman lived. Sometimes we'll get no dating at all. Salmonson sometimes attributes locations, and sometimes she doesn't. Occasionally when she does, it's a specific town or city without an identifying country, like we're supposed to know where it is. She does note characters of fiction, but she doesn't differentiate mythic figures, folk legends, and historical people. Some entries I know are questionable in their statements, and some entries are incorrect or confused with other entries, like Sarah Emma Edmonds. (Believe me, I'm somewhat of a Sarah enthusiast.) In short, the book is a great starter, but it doesn't offer much more. It's an entry point into your own research on the subjects. I enjoyed it for what it is: a brief glimpse into notable warrior women. Many entries have garnered my interest, and I'm prone to do more research on the women.”

About Jessica Amanda Salmonson

Jessica Amanda Salmonson lives in the Pacific Northwest. She loves rats and Chihuahuas and has a big collection of gray-market samurai movies. Salmonson is a recipient of the World Fantasy Award, the Lambda Literary Award, and the ReaderCon Certificate. She is a biblical scholar, atheist, vegetarian, progressive, and often annoyed.

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