Faced with adversity beyond what many of us could even imagine, Phyllis Wheatley showed the triumph of the human spirit, the desire to find goodness and hope in all circumstances. For this reason, I find her story inspiring and well worth writing about (though I cannot pretend to do justice to her account). Phyllis Wheatley … Continue reading Phyllis Wheatley (1753-1784) – Tales from Wo-Fan’s Land
Imagine peering into a perfectly replicated world – a miniature room, complete with working mousetraps and rocking chairs, bed linens and whiskey bottles. Picture quaint and perfectly appointed parlors with lace doilies and tea sets, deep marble tubs and sinks with plush towels in a pink floral bathroom, a kitchen with a blue enamel cooking … Continue reading Life in a Nutshell: The art and science of Frances Glessner Lee – Tales from Wo-Fan’s Land
Martha Gellhorn was arguably the greatest female war correspondent who ever lived. I first learned about her through the HBO biopic “Hemingway & Gellhorn,” [1] which was based on her short-lived affair-turned-eventual-marriage to every English department’s favorite male chauvinist pig. As soon as the movie ended, though, I caught myself desperately Googling for more information … Continue reading Martha Gellhorn – Tales from Wo-Fan’s Land
Born as Constance Gore-Booth in 1868, the woman who would become known as Countess and Madame Markievicz was the eldest child of Henry Gore-Booth, an Arctic explorer and AngloIrish landlord who actively provided food for his tenants in Co. Sligo during the famine of 1879-80 and was deeply concerned about their wellbeing. The family split … Continue reading Constance Markievicz – Tales from Wo-Fan’s Land
Imagine running in a marathon. 26.2 miles or about 42.2 kilometers. Hard enough, right? Even with adequate preparation, there are still many things that can go awry on the best of days. Imagine that the weather was sleeting, freezing rain. Continue to imagine that this race was the world-famous Boston Marathon, and your very first … Continue reading Kathrine Switzer – Tales from Wo-Fan’s Land
Hannah Cranna, the wicked witch of Monroe, or more accurately, Hannah Hovey was born in 1783 in Connecticut. Very little is known of her early life. She was married to Captain Hovey, and lived in the Stepney area of Monroe, Connecticut. While some people claim that she had a difficult personality throughout her life, it … Continue reading Hannah Cranna, the Wicked Witch of Monroe – Tales from Wo-Fan’s Land
Moving to Hamburg in 2009 I found myself a flat in Amalie-Dietrich-Stieg. Curious about the woman whose name was my new address I did a little research and found she really was quite a unique person… Amalie Dietrich became a well-known and respected naturalist at a time when scientific careers for women were anything but … Continue reading Amalie Dietrich: Fearless & eccentric naturalist – Tales from Wo-Fan’s Land
I first learned of Annemarie Schwarzenbach from a NY Times article a friend of mine shared on Facebook titled “Beautiful Tomboys of the 1930’s.” The photos of Annemarie were striking and intriguing. I instantly wanted to know more about her. Then I did as many do after reading an article, I saved it and added … Continue reading Annemarie Schwarzenbach: Tragic and Transcendent – Tales from Wo-Fan’s Land
If Frank Turner is a self-confessed history nerd, then mark me out as a self-confessed public health nerd. Yup, that’s my jam! Public health innovations have and will continue to change peoples lives for the better. From John Snow’s work in Soho (1) in 1854 identifying the transmission of cholera by the Broad Street Pump, … Continue reading Gertrude Tendrich – Tales from Wo-Fan’s Land
Bertha von Suttner (9 June 1843 – 21 June 1914). Pseudonyms: B. Oulot, Jemand (translates to 'someone'). Photo via http://www.nobelprize.org Bertha von Suttner was born into a Bohemian aristocratic family. Her father, Count Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau, died before her birth at the age of 75. She was raised by her mother and a … Continue reading Bertha von Suttner – Tales from Wo-Fan’s Land
History Is Important 