This book reconstructs the life of Mehetabel Chandler Coit (1673–1758); the author of what may be the earliest surviving diary by an American woman. A native of Roxbury; Massachusetts; who later moved to Connecticut; she began her diary at the age of fifteen and kept it intermittently until she was well into her seventies. A previously overlooked resource; the diary contains entries on a broad range of topics as well as poems; recipes; folk and herbal medical remedies; religious meditations; and financial accounts. An extensive collection of letters by Coit and her female relatives has also survived; shedding further light on her experiences. Michelle Marchetti Coughlin combs through these writings to create a vivid portrait of a colonial American woman and the world she inhabited. Coughlin documents the activities of daily life as well as dramas occasioned by war; epidemics; and political upheaval. Though Coit's opportunities were circumscribed by gender norms of the day; she led a rich and varied life; not only running a household and raising a family; but reading; writing; traveling; transacting business; and maintaining a widespread network of social and commercial connections. She also took a lively interest in the world around her and played an active role in her community. Coit's long life covered an eventful period in American history; and this book explores the numerous―and sometimes surprising―ways in which her personal history was linked to broader social and political developments. It also provides insight into the lives of countless other colonial American women whose history remains largely untold.
#337508 in Books 2001Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.58 x .93 x 5.96l; 1.06 #File Name: 1557504288352 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The Japanese side of the battle -- with some errorsBy JGP821Although this is a translation of a book by a Japanese author; it often gets the Japanese side of the battle wrong. A comparison of this book with "Shattered Sword" by Jonathan Parshall and Anthony Tully reveals that this book makes many factual errors -- possibly because it was written without access to the wartime staff studies and postwar analyses conducted by the Japanese navy. It's interesting to read the two books side-by-side; and to compare Fuchida's assertions with the extensively footnoted version of the same events given in "Shattered Sword."3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Fuchida tells his storyBy William S. GrassThis is the account of the Battle of Midway; written by Mitsuo Fuchida; air group commander in Admiral Nagumo's carrier force that attacked Pearl Harbor. Fuchida's goal is to tell the Japanese side of the story of the battle and analyze the reasons for the crushing Japanese defeat at Midway. Fuchida suffered appendicitis immediately after the departure of Nagumo's force from home waters; and was therefore unable to fly during the battle. He was relegated to witnessing events from aboard the IJN carrier Akagi; Nagumo's flagship.Fuchida's account of the events of that fateful morning of June 4; 1942 has been called into question; most notably by the recently published (2005) Shattered Sword; by Parshall and Tully. I have not yet read Shattered Sword; but plan to do so in the near future. Most objections I have seen raised by readers of Shattered Sword involve the presence or absence of IJN assault planes being refueled and rearmed on deck during the American attacks.Details of the morning of June 4 notwithstanding; I was interested in Fuchida's analysis of the cause of Japan's defeat; and the assessment of Yamamoto's and Nagumo's judgement; and the other factors; ranging from over-dispersion of forces; battleship-centric traditionalists; down to flaws inherent in the Japanese national character.Personal accounts of this nature; especially those told from the losing side; inevitably contain some self-justification and evaluation done by 20-20 hindsight. Even accounts told from the winning side are seldom free of those influences. If I were interested solely in just the facts of Midway then I would have gone straight to Shattered Sword and skipped the old books; like Fuchida; Lord and Prange. However; I am interested also in the historiography; that is; the evolution of how the story of Midway has been told; so I am reading them all. If necessary; after reading the others; I will amend this review.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. How not to win a naval engagement.By Robert N. CaseyI put this book on my reading list after reading Shattered Sword. I wanted to compare the detailsof events presented by both sides. I was not disappointed. Mitsuo Fuchida and co author Masatake Okumiyaspare no criticism of the Japanese naval leaders and their approach to the planing and carrying out ofthe Midway mission. I become more aware of the concept of the "Victory Disease" that theJapanese naval personnel were alleged to be infected with which lead to their over confidence and eventualdefeat at Midway. For those that have an interest in the Battle of Midway; this is a must read.
