An in-depth study of womens' lives in colonial times peppered with diary excerpts. The author has detailed regional differences and explained changes during the early, middle, and late periods of that era. Interesting and informative. ( )

A Woman's Life in Colonial Days was written by Carl Holliday, and first published in 1922. My quick research did not turn up much on Mr. Holliday except that he seems to have been a literature professor -- at first Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Professor of English University of Toledo; and later a professor in California. But wherever he resided, his focus was on early American history. And he quotes easily from both primary and secondary sources.

His writing style, as might be expected of a Professor of English, is very good. The book, though academic, has an easy style and flow.

The subject, of course, is 'women in the colonial period': the various aspects of their lives: religion, education, at home, social life and dress, etc.

Here is the TOC:

I -- COLONIAL WOMAN AND RELIGION
II -- COLONIAL WOMAN AND EDUCATION
III -- COLONIAL WOMAN AND THE HOME
IV -- COLONIAL WOMAN AND DRESS
V -- COLONIAL WOMAN AND SOCIAL LIFE
VI -- COLONIAL WOMAN AND MARRIAGE
VII -- COLONIAL WOMAN AND THE INITIATIVE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX

What surprised -- and dare I say delighted me -- about the book, besides Holliday's vast knowledge, was the fact that he was so 'progressive' in outlook. Modern readers aren't going to find much in the way of old-fashioned thinking here that might put them off. Rather, Holliday presents his knowledge supported by the original sources; he neither rants against the harsh ways of the past, neither is he an apologist for them.

Instead he smartly leads the reader through some pretty horrendous days in our nation's (USA's) history. And I must say that I will never look upon the Puritans in the same way again. It's not that Prof. Holliday condemns them as much as he lets their own words do the talking.

I'm not usually the sort of reader that seeks out the opinions of others for 'what happened'. I tend to like to read what people at the time wrote for themselves. BUT I greatly enjoyed this book. Prof. Holliday gave me the benefit of his superior knowledge, and at the same time used so many original sources that I did not feel deprived.

Recommend this to readers who want to learn more about our early history and how our forebearers lived and thought.

Pam T
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Book available as FREE ebook. ( )