Abigail is an early suffragette. I enjoyed reading this book, but had a hard time with her constantly leaving her family in order to work on women’s rights. I understood her passion, but her children should be first.

I was so glad to have two rainy days in which to devour this book. I can only hope for a sequel. This is one I will definitely be recommending to my husband. It is not always easy to find books that appeal to both men and women. A well-written spy novel with a hint of romance is just the ticket. Ben Calix is a man of honor who has been labeled a traitor, a man who finds himself without support or resources while trying to save thousands from a horrible death. The author's background as a stealth pilot, one who has not only been shot at, but who has been chased down winding German roads by an armed terrorist, gives him insight into his protagonist's life, adding to the intrigue of his story.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Paris Betrayal from Revell via Library Thing without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

I was provided a copy of the book by Revell via Lone Star Book Blog Tours. All opinions are my own.

SOMETHING WORTH DOING is a well-researched, detailed fictionalized account of the life of early suffragist Abigail Scott Duniway. While she was an important part of the suffragist movement and someone who worked along side of Susan B Anthony, hers is not a name I’d heard before, so I was grateful for this introduction.

Jane Kirkpatrick’s detailed research is evident in the story, which follows the life of Abigail “Jenny” Scott Duniway’s life. It was as incredibly hard one, peppered with losses and rebounds, difficult pregnancies, and impressive personal successes. She owned her own millinery business, ran her own newspaper, traveled widely unescorted speaking on behave of the suffrage movement. If her father hadn’t pushed for marriage, I do wonder if she ever would have married, she was such an independent and strong-willed woman.

“But Papa married who he wanted. Men get better choices not because they’re wiser – but because they are men…and because they make the rules. Why is that?”

Something Worth Doing also does an excellent job of putting us in that period of time, and illustrating the difficulties women faced. Among these were complications with owning property, maintaining child custody in a divorce, marriage decisions, and really, making any decisions on their own. It was easy to see how at the time a very fine line separated women from chattel, and how all of it drove Abigail’s efforts. It also does an excellent job showing just how long and arduous a path it was to accomplishing their goal.

One aspect of the story that I found both interesting and educational was how the suffrage fight on the West coast different from that of Susan B Anthony and her peers on the East coast. While the East coast marched, protested, and were very vocal, the West coast preferred the “still hunt” . Abigail was adamant that they fight the fight in their own way.

“We Oregonians favor the still hunt, pressing prominent legislative men to bring the vote to the people, without flamboyance or efforts that might suggest we’d neglect our duties as wives and mothers.”

I can’t honestly say I always liked Abigail. But in fairness, she is often described as shrill by others, and she herself admits that she can be blunt, and that her sister’s touch is needed to soften her writings.

The book tries to show Abigail’s vulnerabilities – her wish for more support and involvement from her husband Ben (more than once does he make decisions without consulting her), her feelings of disappointment and abandonment as some of her family members move away, etc. However, as the author also doesn’t sugarcoat Scott Duniway’s choices and her justifications, I found it difficult to connect and empathize with her on a personal level. (I felt she made a lot of decisions without consulting her husband, also.)

While I admired the work that she did, I found it difficult to connect with her character, particularly as she grew older.

SOMETHING WORTH DOING is a highly detailed, thoughtful account of the life of Abigail Scott Duniway and the trials she endured. It was a fascinating look into how far we’ve come as women and our rights, and left me grateful for these pioneering suffragists who started us on the long path to women’s rights. ( )

Being that I live in Oregon, I found this to be a good read. I always enjoy reading about the history of Oregon and the history of suffragettes. ( )

Abigail is a strong character who has taken up the fight for suffrage. It is not an easy task but one she believe in. The author gives us historical facts that make the story realistic. I loved how Abigail stood up for the rights of women. It’s hard to believe at one time, women weren’t allowed to vote or have jobs that were considered for men only.

Her husband was a big supporter of hers and she raised her children with compassion. I think a Abigail needed to be reminded that her husband loved her and was a big supporter of her. It was hard to fight against the people who thought women should do laundry, wash dishes, cook and tend to children. It’s like she had no voice and she was determined to change things.

I admired her ability to stand up for the rights of women and continue on with the knowledge that she would someday make a difference. I love reading about the pioneer days and the hard work that was involved to survive. The author gives a beautiful description that places readers right there in the story.

I loved everything about the story and appreciate the lesson on standing up for your rights, I never want to take for granted the rights we have and never forget those before us that lead the way to more fair treatment of everyone,

I received a copy of this book from Librarything Early Reader Program. The review is my own opinion, ( )