Stories from Suffragette City by M.J. Rose (editor) and Fiona Davis (editor) – 272 pages
ARC from Henry Holt and Co. and Netgalley for an honest review.
Book Blurb:
Stories from Suffragette City is a collection of short stories that all take place on a single day: October 23, 1915. It’s the day when tens of thousands of women marched up Fifth Avenue, demanding the right to vote in New York City. Thirteen of the nation’s bestselling authors have taken this day as inspiration to raise the voices of history and breathe fresh life into their struggles and triumphs.
The characters depicted here, some well-known, others lost to the sands of time, each inspire and reinvigorate the power of voting. We follow a young woman who is swept up in the protests when all she expected was to come sell her apples in the city. We see Ava Vanderbilt as her stiff upper crust sensibility is transformed over the course of the single fateful day. Ida B. Welles battles not only for women’s suffrage but for the equality of every woman, no matter the color of her skin.
My Review: 5 stars
Stories from Suffragette City was a brilliant idea. Take twelve best-selling authors and have them create a short story about the same day in history. What day you ask? An incredibly important date for women around the world. It was the day that thousands of women marched the streets of New York to earn the right to vote.
With each story, a new tale is created with an individual author’s spin on it. I’m curious if I’d be able to guess which of the twelve authors wrote each story if their names were left off. I usually read one short story collection a year and I’m finding myself enjoying the craft more and more.
This book in particular allowed me to read a few at a time and feel satisfied. There were some I’d love to be expanded into a novel. You will too. Overall, an inspiring, entertaining, powerful and meaningful read.
Author Contributions:
Kristin Hannah, M.J. Rose, Fiona Davis, Paula McLain, Christina Baker Kline, Chris Bohjalian, Megan Chance, Jamie Ford, Alyson Richman, Lisa Wingate, Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Katherine J. Chen, Steve Berry