Discover the stories of twelve women who heard the call to settle the west and who came from all points of the globe to begin their journey.
As a slave, Clara watched as her husband and children were sold, only to be reunited with her youngest daughter, as a free woman, six decades later. As a young girl, Charlotte hid her gender to escape a life of poverty and became the greatest stagecoach driver that ever lived. As a Native American, Gertrude fought to give her people a voice and to educate leaders about the ways and importance of her culture.
These are gripping miniature dramas of good-hearted women, selfless providers, courageous immigrants and migrants, and women with skills too innumerable to list. Many were crusaders for social justice and women’s rights. All endured hardships, overcame obstacles, broke barriers, and changed the world.
The author ties the stories of these pioneer women to the experiences of women today with the hope that they will be inspired to live boldly and bravely and to fill their own lives with vision, faith, and fortitude. To live with grit.
Marianne Monson is a writer and professor of English with a strong interest in the relationship between literature and history. She teaches creative writing at Portland Community College and regularly speaks at writing conferences.
Caroline Shaffer studied theater at the Weber Douglas Academy in London and received her master's degree from the American Conservatory Theater. A voiceover artist in addition to an actor, she has lent her talents to multiple projects ranging from television, film, commercials, and cartoons. An avid reader, she spends her free time reading anything from classics to new releases.