Margaret the First

I have never read a book of historical fiction quite like this one!

In a distinctive and compelling narrative voice, the book explores the real-life figure of Margaret Cavendish, a seventeenth-century woman who exploded the rulebook when it came to women’s lives. Although shy, she was profoundly ambitious and a true polymath, conducting her own scientific experiments as well as writing poems, philosophy, plays, and even sci-fi. Known in the newspapers as “Mad Madge,” she was the first woman to be invited to the Royal Society of London.

I love how Dutton conveys the effervescence and wit of this brilliant… show more.

Much shorter than my first recommendation, Dutton’s biofiction tackles the life of Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle (1623-73) who was a standout character in the seventeenth century. She wrote and published works on a range of topics from philosophy and science to romantic fiction. What I love about this book is the way it pushes what is possible in a historical biofiction, in a compact but dense volume.