My Favorite Things Episode 2: Hilary Oliver

Mary Gabriel's 'Ninth Street Women' delves into the lives and careers of Lee Krasner, Elaine de Kooning, Joan Mitchell, Helen Frankenthaler, and Grace Hartigan, highlighting their significant contributions to the Abstract Expressionist movement. The book provides an intimate look at their personal struggles, artistic achievements, and the gender politics of the time. Gabriel's research and storytelling bring to light the challenges these women faced in a male-dominated art world and their enduring impact on modern art. The book also explores their relationships, rivalries, and the broader cultural and social context in which they worked.

Wide Sargasso Sea is a novel by Jean Rhys that delves into the life of Antoinette Cosway, a Creole heiress who becomes the 'madwoman in the attic' in Charlotte Brontë's 'Jane Eyre'. The novel explores themes of identity, colonialism, and feminism, set against the backdrop of post-emancipation Jamaica. It provides a powerful exploration of the racial and cultural conflicts that contribute to Antoinette's tragic fate.

The novel follows Jane Eyre from her childhood at Gateshead Hall, where she is mistreated by her aunt and cousins, to her education at Lowood School, and later her employment as a governess at Thornfield Hall. There, she falls in love with her enigmatic employer, Edward Fairfax Rochester, but discovers a dark secret about his past that forces her to make a difficult choice. The novel explores themes of love, independence, and social justice, and is known for its realistic portrayal of the inner life of a woman during the Victorian era.