hawkwing_lb: (Default)
hawkwing_lb ([personal profile] hawkwing_lb) wrote2008-05-22 05:20 pm

(no subject)

Books 2008: 69.

69. David Cordingly, Heroines and Harlots: Women at Sea in the Great Age of Sail.

As a general introduction to the topic of women at sea, this scores a resounding meh. As a scholarly work, it's made of fail. While Cordingly treats of a number of interesting individuals, that is the main focus of his work: a chatty, shallow treatment of individuals, with very little rigorous analysis of social trends, conditions, consequences. His approach is haphazardly thematic, with little-to-no space given to consideration of change over time, and very little consideration of non-English or American evidence or individuals.

I mean, not that it's not interesting? But it's shallow, and I confess myself rather disappointed.

#

In other news, I have performed some study. I should probably go now to perform more.