Amazons and military maids - Julie Wheelwright

Drawing on memoirs, letters and diaries, this original and compelling work exposes the hidden history of women who chose to live, work and love as men. it reveals for the first time a long, popular tradition in Western culture, tracing these fascinating heroines from the height of their popularity in the 1700s to their re-emergence as a nation's pride and joy during the First World War. Julie Wheelwright uncovers vibrant tales of adventure as women embark on a grand adventure, search for a lost lover or simply escape the dull confines of domestic life. In this new fully updated edition, she skilfully unravels their intriguing stories to show the price these women paid for their freedom and how changing concepts of masculinity and femininity still marshall our behaviour today.;Julie Wheelwright was born in Kent and emigrated to Canada as a child. She graduated with an MA in history from Sussex University and has since been a freelance writer for newspapers and magazines in the USr Canada and Britain. She is also the author of a biography of Mata Hari, The Fatal Lover.