Rejected Princesses: Tales of History's Boldest Heroines, Hellions, and Heretics

Dey St.

Rejected Princesses:  Tales of History's Boldest Heroines, Hellions, and Heretics
Jason Porath
2016

The Summary
"Well-behaved women seldom make history...and these women are far from well behaved.

"Let's face it:  the list of historical women we learn about in school is lacking.  It's safe, it's censored, it's short.  And even when we learn about a true legend--say, Harriet Tubman--we get half the story (and it's usually not the half about her as a plantation-torching Union spy-master).  This is just the list of women we know about.  What of the women we don't?

"In place of complex, real-life heroines, we get sparkly, doe-eyed animated damsels who dominate children's minds everywhere.

"Rejected Princesses is here to provide an alternative to all that.

"In this fully illustrated, deeply researched, and totally entertaining collection, Jason Porath offers 100 women too uncompromising, too untoward, or too uncomfortable to fit the modern princess mold.  Gathering together a diverse set of some famous, some infamous, some forgotten, and some virtually unknown figures from history and myth, from all over the globe, this book presents the female role models we never knew we needed.  Yes, there are a few princesses, but there are also pirates, spies, journalists, activists, concubines, empresses, ninjas, pilots, samurais, mathematicians, sword-slingers, and war-lords too.

"These women were rebels and rulers, pioneers in their fields, and fighters for their causes (and sometimes for themselves).  In a time when women are still pushing for equal pay and equal opportunity, shouldn't we be putting brave women like Sybil Luddington, Hatshepshut, Nzinga Mbande, Josephine Baker, Khutulun, Rani Lakshimbai, Harriet Tubman, Emmeline Parkhurst, and Joan of Arc on equal footing with Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty?

"Women have always played a key, kick-ass role in revolutionizing our world.  The girls of today are the latest links in a long chain of geniuses, warriors, and fearless women.  It is the birthright of every woman to have a connection to that history.  Empowering, uproarious, and anything but traditional, Rejected Princesses seeks to provide just that."

The Good
I loved this book.

Yes, loved.

If it's not already apparent, I'm a bit of a history nerd and I love learning about quirky, unconventional history and feisty females who made their mark on history (see:  Bad Girls), so Rejected Princesses was the best of both worlds for me.

I imagine that many of the women featured in this book were too rebellious, too dangerous and, sometimes, too deadly to make it into high school textbooks; in fact, many of the women--whether resigned to the darkest parts of history or lingering at the edges of myth--were a pleasant surprise.  That is, I'd never read about them and I loved learning about them and the impact they made on history.

Here are some of my favorites:

• Khutulun
• Noor Inayat Khan
• Julie d'Aubigny
• Annie Jump Cannon
• Iara
• Mariya Oktyabrskaya
• Olga of Kiev
• Ching Shih
• Sybil Luddington
• Alfhild
• Mary Bowser
• Nanny of the Maroons
• Tomo Gozen
• Marjana

All of these women were incredible.  I mean, on this list alone you have fighters and warriors, spies and astronomers, pirates and Vikings, rebels and freedom fighters.  They're incredible.  Granted, I know some of them didn't exist (Marjana is a literary character, whereas Iara and, I think, Alfhild are myths and/or legends), but it was wonderful getting a glimpse into these individual cultures and their perceptions of women--and how these women flaunted conventions.

It was great.

And, of course, I can't forget the Night Witches from my list.  You can hear about me rhapsodize about the Night Witches here, so I won't go into much detail about them, except to say that they are without a doubt the most incredible pilots of World War II (I'm not joking) and, perhaps, some of the most incredible women about which I've had the pleasure to learn.

Overall, Rejected Princesses is a wonderful book.  Full of humor, colorful art, historical facts and, of course, incredible women, it's a great resource for those who wish to dabble in history--and it will show you just what it means to fight like a girl.

The Bad
No complaints.

I seriously want a copy for myself.

The Ugly
History is not always pretty--and, let's be honest here, it hasn't always been kind to women.  Some were burned at the stake because they were different; others were buried alive or faced a firing squad; some were even assassinated for their own violent reactions to society.  Not all these ladies had the luxury to happily retire.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Little, Brown

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Sherman Alexie
2007

The Summary
"Junior is a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian reservation.  Born with a variety of medical problems, he is picked on by everyone but his best friend.  Determined to receive a good education, Junior leaves the rez to attend an all-white school in the neighboring farm town where the only other Indian is the school mascot.  Despite being condemned as a traitor to his people and enduring great tragedies, Junior attacks life with wit and humor and discovers a strength inside himself that he never knew existed.

"Inspired by his own experiences growing up, award-winning author Sherman Alexie chronicles the contemporary adolescence for one unlucky boy trying to rise above the life everyone expects him to live."

The Good
Let me state, first off, that I read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian for the simple fact that it was on the banned books list (again) for 2014.  Like Captain Underpants (yes, seriously) and The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Bluest Eye, Sherman Alexie's novel has managed to appear on the list not once, not twice, but five times since its original publication in 2007.  Although the banned books list for 2015 has not yet been released by the American Library Association, I have a suspicion that Alexie's novel will return to the list for a sixth consecutive year.

Now, while I did pick The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian because it ended up on another banned books list, I finished it because it is a great YA novel.  Sherman Alexie does a wonderful job bringing Junior's character to life, offering an intimate glimpse into the conflicts he faces and the difficult choices he must make--and the person he becomes.

Junior is a smart kid, and he makes an intelligent, insightful narrator.  He works hard to further his education and, at the recommendation of his teacher, sets out to learn at a local school beyond the reservation.  Not only does he face being ostracized by his community for leaving, he's initially ridiculed by his peers at Reardan and endures the abandonment of his closest friend.  He tells you his struggles, tells you what he thinks and feels, giving you a candid account of what it's like to be a kid who feels like a fish out of water.

Even though I didn't always relate to him, seeing how he has had much different life experiences, I always felt like I could connect to him.  In telling his story, he shows the real struggles that all teenagers face:  loss, love, friendship, failure, tragedy, bullying, parental and social expectations.  His story can really connect to readers, showing the overall experiences that all teenagers are likely to face in high school.  He's a wonderful, candid narrator with a heart of gold and he's a fantastic storyteller, appealing with his words and his illustrations.

There's just something about Alexie's novel that makes it so very enjoyable.  Perhaps it's Junior's illustrations, or his storytelling abilities, or his story as he recounts his sudden move from the Spokane reservation to Reardan--or, perhaps, it's a combination of all three elements.  Fine illustrations, a wonderful narrator, and a great story.  Either way, I found The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian an immensely enjoyable novel.

The Bad
Junior does use strong language and he touches upon mature themes, especially those entwined with his culture.  He faces hardships that I will never know or even begin to understand.  He has lived in a completely different world that, I'll admit, I have no knowledge of or experience with, which makes it difficult to relate to him.

But that's more a failing on my part than anything else.  His story actually gives me the opportunity to broaden my horizons and understand a place, a time, and, yes, a unique culture that I wouldn't have otherwise had the opportunity to see.

The Ugly
Adolescence.

Puberty, peer pressure, coming to grips with one's sexuality, bullying, social and cultural expectations--it's a very messy business.

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For more on banned books, check out the ALA website:  http://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics