First published in 2009, A Short History of Women was written by Kate Walbert and traces the complicated relationships and interactions between the histories and futures of mothers and daughters. The novel traces five generations of women from the end of the 1800s to the opening years of the 2000s.
Kate Walbert, the author of the book, was born in New York City but lived all over the United States and Japan. This particular work, A Short History of Women, was a finalist for the Los Angeles Book Award and was also one of the New York Times 10 Best Books in 2009.
A Short History of Women starts with the passing away of Dorothy Townsend, a suffragette who is dying in the first place because she starved herself for that very cause. Her infamous legacy burdens her descendants, all women who are trying to find their own path in their own lives. This novel is full of dynamic characters who live in the midst of imagery, wit, and much emotion, and the narrative touches on the aspects of being a woman, mother, daughter, and wife across the centuries.
