The Daughter’s Walk by Jane Kirkpatrick
In 1896, two women, Helga and Clara Etsby, a mother and daughter, walked across the United States from Spokane, Washington to New York City wearing new reform dresses. They had accepted a wager and were to make the trip on foot in 7 months. Their reward was to be ten thousand dollars if they made it on time.
A year after their return to Washington, Clara sets off on her own, determined to start life again, without her family. Separated from her family for more than 20 years, Clara discovers determination and risk and independence at a time when women were fighting for the chance to vote and have a say.
Jane Kirkpatrick’s story about the Etsby’s walk is real. While little had been said about their walk across the country until recent years, Kirkpatrick has done her research to bring the facts of the walk and the family separation to light and to discover what hardships Clara may have faced during those many years of separation.
This was a great read about a little know historical event at the turn of the last century.
I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah for the purpose of this review.
2 comments:
So is it a true story? What time era did it take place in? What do you mean "reform dresses"? I need to get into some other books than the theological ones I've been reading, this sounds a bit interesting.
The majority of it is true. The walk and the family separation are true, but some of the details about Clara's life are made up or compilations of things. The editor's note at the end of the book tells what is true or not. The walk took place in 1896 and the story continues through World War I.
The reform dresses were dresses without corsets and a higher hem line, and pants. You can see pictures of what is described here.
http://dressreform.tripod.com/
I've been requesting books from various publishers in order to review. Waterbrook Multnomah, Tyndale, Thomas Nelson, Bethany House, and Zondervan all have different blogging for books programs that send people free books in exchange for the readers posting a review of the book on their personal blog as well as a retailer site.
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