I only discovered on the blogosphere that today is International Women's Day. It's a bit of a coincidence though as I have been on a two hour train journey and reading a book called Amenable Women written by Mavis Cheek, a woman I was at college with many moons ago.
As I'm only half way through the book, I don't yet know how it ends, but it's about a contemporary English woman who has lost her husband and discovered he cheated on her. She is investigating the life of Anne of Cleves, who was the fourth of Henry VIII's six wives. Poor Anne was rejected by Henry when she was brought to England and, although he went through with the marriage, it was annulled afer only a few months. This Queen has been much maligned over the centuries and nicknamed The Mare of Flanders.
The controversy of the Holbein portrait which first attracted Henry to her, how she actually appeared in the flesh, and how historians have referred to her ever since is making quite a good read so far.
And she is certainly an international woman.
Original Articles. Constant-Content.
8 comments:
Sounds like an interesting read and thanks, I did not know it was International Women's Day.
You're welcome of course, Jo.
It's funny that International Women's Day was the day before Barbie's 51st birthday.
Take a peek at my post!
Best wishes,
Anna
http://annasadornments.blogspot.com/2010/03/happy-birthday-barbie.html#links
Thanks Anna. I guess Barbie is another international 'woman'.
March 10th, 2010
Dear Jean,
Thank you for visiting and commenting on my WW-Barbie-post. I'm glad that you took it so well. Barbie has often been the focal-point of debate and not always liked. You hear questions like: "Should little girls be allowed to play with such grown-up dolls? Don't they give girls the wrong idea about their bodies? Do they make little girls become teens that have eating disorders?" etc, etc.
When I played with Barbie dolls as a child, I had all sorts of other dolls too. The Barbies were fun because they were dolls that were pretty and could wear pretty clothes. I learned to sew and sewed clothing for them.
By the way, I finally read your post about the book that you are reading now. Yes, I think I'd like to read it too. But I have so little time over right now. I'll make a note of it for later, when I have finished writing this university paper that has been hanging over me as a reminder of my lack of planning!
Take care,
Anna
I enjoyed reading this post and even jump to the other linked pages thanks for sharing. I had watched the movie "The other Boleyn sister" and this made me interested.
Thanks Anna for expressing your appreciation. Hope you find some time for reading. I get withdrawla symptoms when I can't read, and I get all grumpy.
Yhanks for your comment Josie. I love it when my mind makes connections like that, and like you, I always follow them up.
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