Romantic Outlaws
The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Cornerstone
Published:25th Feb '16
£10.99
Available for immediate dispatch.
This dual biography explores the intertwined lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and her daughter Mary Shelley, highlighting their struggles, achievements, and lasting impact on literature and feminism. A compelling read.
Romantic Outlaws is a compelling dual biography that delves into the intertwined lives of two remarkable women: Mary Wollstonecraft and her daughter, Mary Shelley. Despite never having met, these influential figures shared a profound connection through their groundbreaking contributions to literature and feminist thought. The book paints a vivid portrait of their lives, highlighting their triumphs and heartaches against the backdrop of revolutionary France and Victorian England.
Mary Wollstonecraft, an early advocate for women's rights, is best known for her seminal work, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. Her passionate writings challenged societal norms and laid the groundwork for future feminist movements. In parallel, her daughter, Mary Shelley, gained fame for her iconic novel Frankenstein, which not only redefined the horror genre but also explored themes of creation, responsibility, and the human condition. Together, their stories reveal the struggles they faced as single mothers, their romantic entanglements, and their relentless pursuit of intellectual freedom.
Through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, Romantic Outlaws offers a fresh perspective on the lives of these two visionary women. It showcases their resilience in the face of adversity and their lasting impact on literature and feminism. By weaving their narratives together, the author invites readers to appreciate the powerful legacy left by Wollstonecraft and Shelley, two figures whose ideas continue to resonate in contemporary discussions about gender and society.
[A] unique double biography... An excellent and poignant book whose heroines breathe in its pages. -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *
A mother and daughter who changed not only the way we think, but the way we are… extraordinary women, a dozen decades ahead of their time… Romantic Outlaws enables readers to compare the different ways in which these two remarkable women confronted their tragically differentdestinies… [A] thoughtful, intelligent, deeply-felt book’ -- Miranda Seymour * Sunday Times *
A gripping accountof the heartbreaks and triumphs of two of history's most formidable female intellectuals, Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley. Gordon has reunited mother and daughter through biography, beautifully weaving their narratives for the first time. -- Amanda Foreman * author of A World on Fire *
Full of enriching paradox… Charlotte Gordon has managed to produce that rare thing, a work of genuinely popular history... It works beautifully. -- Melissa Benn * New Statesman *
Wollstonecraft and Shelley were extraordinary women who led sensational lives. They were Romantic revolutionaries… retelling their story cannot fail to captivate and provoke. * Spectator *
Unique... Marvellous, passionate stuff. -- David Aaronovitch * Books of the Year, Times *
An exceptional achievement -- Michael Morpugo * Daily Telegraph *
Read and be seriously inspired. * Stylist *
An innovative dual biography that foregrounds the writing of two women who disregarded the moral codes of their eras and shaped their own destinies. Gordon’s parallel mapping of their lives reveals fascinating similarities in the ways writing sustained, and sometimes saved, them both. * Financial Times *
Mother and daughter shadow and reveal each other. The retelling emphasises the extent to which Shelley’s life was shaped by her mother’s legacy but here is underlined in thought-provoking ways... In Gordon’s narrative, [Wollstonecraft and Shelley] appear at their best and bravest. * Observer *
ISBN: 9780099592396
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 49mm
Weight: 570g
672 pages