The Way of Duty a Woman and Her Family in Revolutionary America Book Review

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· 134 ratings · xix reviews

Kickoff your review of The Way of Duty: A Woman and Her Family unit in Revolutionary America

An infrequent book. The role and contributions and VOICES of women throughout history, in this case, the Revolutionary State of war flow, are sadly underrepresented and underVALUED. This work, based on the extraordinary diaries and journals of Mary Fish Noyes Silliman, is to exist cherished on many levels!

Oct 05, 2011 Margo Brooks rated it it was astonishing

A lovely book nigh the remakably well documented history of a woman and her family in Revolutionary Connecticut. The authors quote from various letters and journals that her academically inclined family wrote, but interpret the history and life of the family members in a way that makes them live again.

Mary was the girl of a poor Connecticut minister who came upon hard times (although non devastatingly so) during the Keen Awakening. Equally a government minister's daughter, she spent her early years and fi

A lovely book near the remakably well documented history of a woman and her family in Revolutionary Connecticut. The authors quote from various letters and journals that her academically inclined family wrote, but interpret the history and life of the family members in a way that makes them live again.

Mary was the daughter of a poor Connecticut government minister who came upon difficult times (although not devastatingly so) during the Great Awakening. As a minister'southward girl, she spent her early years and first marriage defferential and quite indesicive (very different from the protrayal of women as dipcted by Laurel Ulrich's Midwive'A Tale, simply upon finding the love of her life in her side by side married man, her spiritual grounding and grounding of family networks became much more developed, until upon her death, her youngest son, a professor at Yale, gathered her writing for preservation.

This book provides wonderful insights on how the Nifty Enkindling, the Revolutionary War, and the motility of people to the western states after the Revolution affected individuals and families on a personnal level. At the same time, information technology made sense of many historical quirks that I never 100% appreciated, such as how the capture and exchange of soldiers worked and the fact that ANYONE could read and were generally EXPECTED to read whatsoever messages that passed through their hands--whether they were related to the adressee or not. What a nightmere during the war years!

I highly recommend this book for students of history who want to know what life was really like for the average person.

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Sep 10, 2015 Sara rated information technology it was amazing

The authors read through an uncountable number of letters and family unit papers, slowly piecing together the absolutely fascinating story of this adult female and her family through an era of American history you almost never hear about from a woman'due south perspective.

It had the potential to be a long, slogging read, but it turned out to be a blow-correct-through-it, tin't-put-it-downward. Really, really well-washed.

This was #7 of my read-through-the-bookshelf challenge, and this puts me at 5 crawly books out of s

The authors read through an uncountable number of letters and family unit papers, slowly piecing together the absolutely fascinating story of this woman and her family through an era of American history you lot almost never hear near from a adult female'due south perspective.

Information technology had the potential to be a long, slogging read, but it turned out to be a accident-right-through-it, can't-put-it-down. Really, really well-done.

This was #7 of my read-through-the-bookshelf challenge, and this puts me at five awesome books out of seven.

...more than

Feb 24, 2014 Leah rated it it was astonishing

When I first picked it upwards I idea, "This is gonna take me a looooong time. I'll just read the first chapter and run into what I think." Well, I was thoroughly engrossed. It's the fascinating story of a remarkable woman who lived in Revolutionary America. Her life was total of ups and downs and she wrote virtually them in her journals and correspondence. The religion that she learned from her father who was a Puritan government minister helped her throughout her entire life. When I first picked it up I thought, "This is gonna take me a looooong time. I'll just read the beginning chapter and meet what I call up." Well, I was thoroughly engrossed. It'southward the fascinating story of a remarkable woman who lived in Revolutionary America. Her life was full of ups and downs and she wrote about them in her journals and correspondence. The religion that she learned from her father who was a Puritan government minister helped her throughout her entire life. ...more

Nov 07, 2019 Ian Racey rated information technology really liked it

Mary Fish Noyes Silliman comes across as a likable and admirable woman, at once both archetypal and exceptional. Her father, a pastor, was a contemporary of the burn down-and-brimstone preacher Jonathan Edwards; her son Benjamin was a seminal American scientific discipline educator and the commencement American to dribble petroleum. Her life spans the history of Connecticut from the Puritans' Dandy Awakening in the 1740s to the much more secular Age of Jefferson, the Democratic Republicans and the War of 1812. In between Mary Fish Noyes Silliman comes across every bit a likable and beauteous adult female, at one time both archetypal and exceptional. Her father, a pastor, was a gimmicky of the fire-and-brimstone preacher Jonathan Edwards; her son Benjamin was a seminal American scientific discipline educator and the showtime American to dribble petroleum. Her life spans the history of Connecticut from the Puritans' Great Awakening in the 1740s to the much more than secular Historic period of Jefferson, the Autonomous Republicans and the War of 1812. In betwixt, of course, comes the Revolutionary War, an outcome that took over every detail of Mary'south everyday life, as she was married to a general of the Connecticut militia and lived, during the war, in Fairfield, at Connecticut's southwest borderland, all too close to the British strongholds of New York and Long Island. Her husband'southward abduction to New York past local Tories, and her connivance at the kidnapping of a Long Island Loyalist in retaliation, mark the centrepiece of the volume, and are first-class reading. Simply that central affiliate is besides the most uncharacteristic, every bit for most of Mary'due south long life, she's shown as an unassuming, hardworking, quietly devout Congregationalist, and the reader tin't aid only like her, and to feel sympathy for her as ill luck, poor decisions and tragedy impact a number of her sons and grandchildren her final years. The authors do make sure not to shirk from how her identity as a slaveholder has to color that cess, and are very clear in pointing out the hypocrisy she exhibited in doing so--perhaps somewhat rare in a book published thirty-v years agone. ...more

October sixteen, 2020 Gabriel rated it it was amazing

I absolutely loved this book, I am a direct dissident of Mary Fish Silliman, and it was such an middle opening experience being able to read this book. Yous don't always really think almost how life was in America when your family firsts arrives, being caught up in your own. Just I had the rare experience of being able to read a book about my family unit, and the challenges they faced and the hardships my family unit has come out of, definitely recommend this book I absolutely loved this book, I am a direct dissident of Mary Fish Silliman, and it was such an eye opening experience being able to read this book. You don't e'er really call back about how life was in America when your family firsts arrives, being caught up in your ain. But I had the rare experience of beingness able to read a book well-nigh my family unit, and the challenges they faced and the hardships my family has come up out of, definitely recommend this volume ...more than

Somewhat interesting to read about a woman's life in the mid 1700's to the early 1800's. She (Mary) belonged to the heart class, but stil pb a difficult life at times. She was married three times, experienced the lose of children and many close family unit members as I await others of the time did also. It was a slow read and at times tedious and difficult especially trying to read the letters that were used equally primary sources. The people at that fourth dimension were very formal & wordy. Somewhat interesting to read about a woman's life in the mid 1700's to the early on 1800's. She (Mary) belonged to the middle form, but stil lead a hard life at times. She was married 3 times, experienced the lose of children and many shut family unit members every bit I expect others of the time did also. Information technology was a tedious read and at times tedious and difficult particularly trying to read the letters that were used as primary sources. The people at that time were very formal & wordy. ...more

Dec 27, 2020 Mary Beth rated it really liked information technology

Very well written. Reads like a novel, non dry out. As I was reading some other biography on Benjamin Silliman, this book flashed into my retentiveness due to his upbringing past his mother which this book is about. Small world.....

even tho i had to read this for school, i learned to savor it! interesting read, specially living in ct all my life.

Apr 13, 2011 Cheyenne rated it did not like information technology

This was a required book for one of the classes I'yard currently taking. I didn't cull to read this book however it wasn't as bad as i initially thought it would be. That existence said I yet didn't enjoy the book all that much. It wasn't the most exciting book I've ever read simply it wasn't the worst book I've ever read either. This was a required book for i of the classes I'k currently taking. I didn't choose to read this book however it wasn't every bit bad as i initially thought it would be. That being said I nonetheless didn't savour the book all that much. Information technology wasn't the most exciting book I've always read simply it wasn't the worst book I've ever read either. ...more

Journals, messages of Revolutionary War era woman and her families throughout her life. Gives insight to the culture and guild of the day, and how faith and courage of those living during this fourth dimension helped to shape our country.

December 27, 2010 Michelle marked information technology every bit to-read

journals and letters of Mary Fish, the story of daily life in 1700s conlonial America. Proficient motion-picture show of everyday life, and also gives a feel for the impact of grass-roots politics on the Revolution. Rec. in Honey

This was required reading for my The states History class and though it was interesting to hear about such a irresolute time period in American History from such a unique source, I personally found information technology very hard to get through.

An interesting view of a New England family during the Colonial and Revolutionary time periods. Information technology was taken from the diaries and letters of Mary Fish Silliman. While interesting and a good view of family life of the fourth dimension, I expected more primary sources to be included.

Nov 10, 2013 Pat rated it really liked it

a great insight to the way it was. Had fun with all the locations here in CT and many references to the local figures in the Revolutionary State of war. Has a dandy lead in to another book nosotros have to at present read. The Prize.