Review by Library Journal Review
This brilliantly comprehensive work signals the first biography of a complex woman, Phoebe Apperson Hearst (1842-1919), the wife of mining tycoon and U.S. Senator George Hearst and mother of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. Nickliss (history, City Coll. of San Francisco) bases this volume on a wide range of primary documents and archival materials, taking a chronological and thematic approach to her subject to demonstrate how a girl from rural Missouri, who was bound by the class and gender constraints of her time, became a key player in local, national, and even international affairs. Nickliss further describes the role that wealthy, elite women played in not only suffrage politics but also the philanthropic endeavors that underlay reform movements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including improving access for women in higher education. For decades after the death of her husband, Hearst -managed the family fortune intelligently, using it to accrue power and influence. VERDICT Scholars and general readers alike should welcome this terrific account of a fascinating woman who was involved in an array of Progressive Era activities. Highly recommended for lovers of biography and women's history as well as those interested in the Gilded Age and Progressive periods.-Marie M. Mullaney, Caldwell Coll., NJ © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Library Journal Review
