Wise Women

Myths and Stories for Midlife and Beyond

Author: Sharon Blackie and Angharad Wynne

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Paperback

First published in the United Kingdom by Virago.

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PRODUCT INFORMATION

Summary

First published in the United Kingdom by Virago.

Description

Unparalleled inspiration from fierce grandmothers, misunderstood witches, glamorous fairy godmothers, and hairy-chinned hags

From early childhood, we learn about the world and its possibilities through myths and fairy tales. The heroines, though, tend to be young princesses or fair maidens, and the evildoers older women: wicked witches or unforgiving matriarchs. Yet a wealth of lesser-known European stories feature mature wise women with personality and power. Compiling many years of research, Sharon Blackie has reclaimed these tales, presenting them in evocative prose that will resonate with women of all ages.

This dazzling array of not-to-be-messed-with older characters provides compelling role models for today's readers, who seek to redefine their relationship with aging. These women outwit monsters, test and mentor younger heroines, embody the cycles of the Earth, weave the world into being -- and almost always have the last laugh. Each story is accompanied by background commentary that highlights important themes and reveals its insights into how we might live meaningfully and authentically in the second half of life.

Critic Reviews

"Wondrously wise, clever, and insightful as well as slyly funny. Wise Women maps a new path made of old stories, offering an alternative for women in the second half of life -- a reframing as a harvest season of experience rather than a dying off."
-- Dr. Angela (A.G.) Slatter, award-winning author of The Briar Book of the Dead

"The book I've been longing for. I immediately want to give it to all my woman friends. It is so important, and Sharon Blackie is exactly the right inspirational person to bring this topic and these new stories of old women to the culture."
-- Jill Dawson, author of The Bewitching

"A fascinating collection of female myths and legends that read like both dreams and nightmares."
-- Sara Sheridan, author of The Fair Botanists

"This scrumptious new collection took me into much-loved tales from evergreen folklorists and story gatherers and gifted me the bonus of meeting marvelous new beings. Nestled in insightful notes, this collection turns the spotlight on older women, celebrating their perspicacity and clout with the flair of a seasoned Broadway performance. This will be a smash hit of a show starring mature and canny women in its second and third acts! Read it, absorb it, treasure it!"
-- Shahrukh Husain, author of The Virago Book of Witches

"This rich curation reiterates the truth that women in midlife -- and beyond -- are a vital source of wisdom. Reading them ignited a fire in my belly!"
-- Julia Bueno, author of Everyone's a Critic

"The glorious possibility that we might age and ripen, age and grow greater, age and be-come, while also accepting that we will age and die -- this is what I have come to expect from Sharon Blackie's expansive work, and why I am especially excited by this collection with Angharad Wynne that revisits our old stories, making them thrilling for us now, as the midlife and older wise women we are be-coming."
-- Stella Duffy, OBE

"I adored Wise Women -- this is the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle when it comes to reframing the narrative in our culture about the role of older females. Sharon Blackie has unearthed the tales we Queenagers need to see what we can be and become as we age. Essential reading. So important to reclaim these inspirational tales of what older women are for and the crucial roles that they play."
-- Eleanor Mills, founder of Noon.org.uk, home of the Queenager, and author of Much More to Come: Lessons on the Mayhem and Magnificence of Midlife

About the Author

Sharon Blackie, PhD, is an award-winning author and psychologist. Her acclaimed books, lectures, and teaching programs are focused on reimagining women's stories and on the relevance of myths, fairy tales, and folk traditions to the personal, cultural, and environmental problems we face today. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and online faculty for Pacifica Graduate Institute, Sharon lives in Cumbria, England.

SharonBlackie.net

Angharad Wynne is an acclaimed storyteller, speaker, and expedition leader who lives in Wales.

Product Details

Publisher

New World Library

Published

8th October 2024

Pages

336

ISBN

9781608689668

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CUSTOMER REVIEWS

20 Jan, 2025

This is the most beautiful book I have read for a long time. The stories will stay with me, and Sharon Blackie's thoughtful commentary perfectly accompanies their wisdom. I was sad to come to the end. A timeless classic to keep and pass down to future generations.
By Rachel

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