Women Warriors (P)

David E. Jones has written a very interesting history book about a too little known topic. Many people have heard about the wars lead by Elisabeth 1. and Catherine the Great - and, in our own age, Margaret Thatcher. But what about the hundreds and thousands of warriors - princesses, peasant girls and many others - who actively fought "like men" in wars from antiquity until our present age? I must admit that this book fills a gap in my knowledge about women in war. The notion of war as a male activity is, if not entirely false, only partly true. The differences of behavior between the sexes are not so big after all,when it comes to fighting!

Great book to read if you're ever feeling down, and think you can't do it, you're not strong enough, whatever.. You read some of these 'real' women's stories, and it makes you rethink what is truly possible, when faced with overwhelming odds. I've attempted to read several of the other 'Women Warrior' books, and found the author's writing styles...in a word, or two, boring and dull. This book I thoroughly enjoyed, even though I am not a history buff.

I am very impressed with this book, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the female matrial heritage. It is fascinating and very well written. If you are looking for good information and a well thought out piece, this book is perfect.

The author sums up the book in his own preface. "History, as you will read, demonstrates that the warrior's mantle is a woman's birthright as surely as it is a man's and that the hand that rocks the cradle can also wield the sword." I found the book highly readable, and an enthusiastic overview of women's warrior history. Many of the stories were not new to me. I already knew the histories of women pirates, gladiators, warriors and soldiers--from hundreds of different sources scattered throughout historical material. But that is the beauty of this book. It combines into one compact volume a known history long ignored. And the author encompasses the world's history, not just a particular continent or a single point in time. The entire work is carefully footnoted. The historical references at the back of the book appear thoroughly researched. The author himself "sought references that purport to be historical as opposed to mythological texts". The index is efficient. All in all, an excellent book, and an excellent history.

A rare find, indeed. Professor Jones has written about a neglected bit of women's history without being strident, lecturing or inventing facts. He covers all time periods and cultures, from Saudi Arabian battle queens, to Organa Khatun of Mongolia, to Rani Jhansi of India, to Molly Pitcher. Prof. Jones' prose is easy to read, and he documents his findings in endnotes. This book was fun to read. It fills in some very large gaps in military history and in women's history. Prof. Jones also provides some much-needed background for the current controversy about women in combat. _Women Warriors_ should be of interest to anyone who is interested in history, women, or war. It also would be a very good book to give to a teenage woman.