Synopses & Reviews
Over the first half of the twentieth century, scientist and scholar Frances Densmore (1867andndash;1957) visited thirty-five Native American tribes, recorded more than twenty-five hundred songs, amassed hundreds of artifacts and Native-crafted objects, and transcribed information about Native cultures. Her visits to indigenous groups included meetings with the Ojibwes, Lakotas, Dakotas, Northern Utes, Ho-chunks, Seminoles, and Makahs. A andldquo;New Womanandrdquo; and a self-trained anthropologist, she not only influenced government attitudes toward indigenous cultures but also helped mold the field of anthropology.and#160;and#160;Densmore remains an intriguing historical figure. Although researchers use her vast collections at the Smithsonian and Minnesota Historical Society, as well as her many publications, some scholars critique her methods of andldquo;salvage anthropologyandrdquo; and concepts of the andldquo;vanishingandrdquo; Native American. Travels with Frances Densmore is the first detailed study of her life and work. Through narrative descriptions of her life paired with critical essays about her work, this book is an essential guide for understanding how Densmore formed her collections and the lasting importance they have had for researchers in a variety of fields.
Review
and#8220;Frances Densmoreand#8217;s archive of Native American music, photographs, and material culture is indispensable to scholars. Yet she remains an elusive figure. Travels with Frances Densmore takes us into her world. It is a moving, engrossing record of a womanand#8217;s self-professionalization and devotion to science at the turn of the twentieth century.and#8221;and#8212;Sally Cole, professor of anthropology at Concordia University and author of Ruth Landes: A Life in Anthropology
Review
andquot;Looking at and listening to Densmoreand#39;s research again is a new starting point for how we understand anthropology, ethnography, indigenous societies, and the gender and other dimensions of our own society.andquot;andmdash;Jack David Eller, Anthropology Review Database
Synopsis
A glimpse into the private home life of the Darwins
"A sensitive, intelligent portrait of Emma Darwin and her life at the centre of Victorian science."--Emma Darwin, author of A Secret Alchemy
"Succeeds brilliantly in discovering the poignant story of Emma Darwin and describing the extraordinary household over which she presided."--Keith Thompson, author of The Young Charles Darwin
"Emma Darwin emerges in this well-researched and thoughtful biography as a figure of calm strength, whose very nature and story help make possible Charles Darwin's revolutionary work. The Darwin marriage emerges as a remarkable portrait of 'symmetrical and unconditional love.'"--Kay Young, University of California, Santa Barbara
In 1808, Josiah Wedgwood II, owner and general manager of the famous pottery and china manufactory that bore his name, welcomed an eighth child into his large, vibrant family. This daughter, Emma, had a relatively happy childhood and grew up intelligent, educated, and religious. A talented sportswoman and an accomplished pianist, she married her cousin Charles Darwin at the age of thirty, bore ten children in their forty-three years together, and patiently nursed her famous husband through mysterious and chronic illnesses.
Informed by her strong Christian faith as well as her quick, inquiring mind, Emma learned to coexist with her husband's radical scientific theories, though she worried about the fate of Charles's soul. Although the high spirits of her youth were somewhat dampened by the cares of life, she managed family and household affairs--including the difficult circumstances surrounding the death of three children--with courage, gravity, and a sense of humor.
In this charming volume, the wife, companion, and confidante of the father of evolution comes into full focus. Drawing upon Emma’s personal correspondence as well as the abundant literature about her husband, authors James Loy and Kent Loy reveal the fascinating story of an exceptional woman who remained true to herself despite hardship and who, in the process, humanized her work-obsessed husband and held her family together.
About the Author
Joan M. Jensen is a professor emerita of history at New Mexico State University. She is the author of several books, including Calling This Place Home: Women on the Wisconsin Frontier, 1850and#8211;1925. Michelle Wick Patterson is an associate professor of history at Mount St. Maryand#8217;s University. She is the author of Natalie Curtis Burlin: A Life in Native and African American Music (Nebraska, 2010).and#160;and#160;