After seeing the film, "Agora", I became interested in learning more about the tragic heroine of that film, Hypatia. So I decided to track down any books I could find about this extraordinary woman from Alexandria, Egypt. First I read:
Title: Hypatia of Alexandria / Maria Dzielska ; translated by F. Lyra.
Title: Hypatia of Alexandria / Maria Dzielska ; translated by F. Lyra.
Then I read: Hypatia of Alexandria: mathematician and martyr / Michael A.B. Deakin. Both of these books are more scholarly works from academians who have studied Hypatia and her influence on mathematics, philosophy and astronomy.If you go into the library's Biography in Context, you will obtain articles from several reference sources, including the Encyclopedia of World Biography, Notable Mathematicians and Astronomy and Space: from the Big Bang to the Big Crunch.
The other nonfiction story about a little known woman of history was:
Ireland's Pirate Queen: The True Story of Grace O'Malley, 1530-1603 by Anne Chambers Born in 1530, the daughter of an Irish chieftain, she inherited her father's taste for the seafaring life and eventually took command of his fleet of galleys and their hard-bitten, all-male crews. For fifty years she traded the clan's produce in Ireland, Scotland, and Spain, skillfully practiced the time-honored craft of piracy and plundering, and led rebellions against the invading English.
On land and sea she was a fearless leader, a political pragmatist, a ruthless mercenary, and a shrewd negotiator -- as shown in her fabled meeting with her rival and protector, Queen Elizabeth. And yet, as thrilling and fascinating as her life story is, what happened to her after her life is equally instructive.
She was literally "disappeared" from the pages of history, ignored by the official chroniclers and omitted from the great books of Irish and English history. Obviously, a woman who challenged the might of England and the traditional power of men -- a woman who did not let religious, social, or political convention get in her way -- could not be tolerated. But Grace O'Malley could not be erased from the hearts of her countrymen. Granuaile became a beloved figure in Irish folklore, the subject of countless stories, songs, and poems (several of which are included in this book's appendix).
On land and sea she was a fearless leader, a political pragmatist, a ruthless mercenary, and a shrewd negotiator -- as shown in her fabled meeting with her rival and protector, Queen Elizabeth. And yet, as thrilling and fascinating as her life story is, what happened to her after her life is equally instructive.
She was literally "disappeared" from the pages of history, ignored by the official chroniclers and omitted from the great books of Irish and English history. Obviously, a woman who challenged the might of England and the traditional power of men -- a woman who did not let religious, social, or political convention get in her way -- could not be tolerated. But Grace O'Malley could not be erased from the hearts of her countrymen. Granuaile became a beloved figure in Irish folklore, the subject of countless stories, songs, and poems (several of which are included in this book's appendix).
1 comment:
I saw Agora when it first came out in NYC and loved Weisz' performance as Hypatia. I'm glad you came across the Dzielska and Deakin books...both are excellent. I also have a series of posts on my blog on the events and characters from the film - not a movie review, but a "reel vs. real" discussion.
As to Grace O'Malley, many in/famous, great, interesting women have been "disappeared" from history. It's wonderful to see (some) people rediscovering them. Joan Druett has a book called She Captains: Heroines and Hellions of the Sea which I haven't read yet, but am looking forward to!
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