Tough Girl Podcast Rosemary J. Brown - Working to get female adventurers back on the map. Author: Following Nellie Bly: Her Record-Breaking Race Around the World.
Dec 2, 2021
51:56
Rosemary in her own words, talking about Nellie Bly and her record breaking race around the world: “Crusading journalist Nellie Bly jumped off the page at me. She appeared as I was researching Victorian women adventurers… and she wouldn’t go away. The more I got to know her, the more I was intrigued by this spirited woman who wouldn’t take no for an answer despite living in a world where women ‘knew their place.’ Nellie knew her place alright, smack dab on the front page of the world’s newspapers. She pioneered investigative journalism and paved the way for female reporters like me. Nellie’s crusades in print brought about huge reforms in women’s asylums, sweatshops and prisons. 2015 marked the 125th anniversary of her best known adventure — circling the globe in a record-breaking 72 days. In celebration of the remarkable Nellie Bly and her amazing journey, I followed in her footsteps around the world. Now there is a book chronicling our two journeys: Following Nellie Bly: Her Record-Breaking Race Around the World. My aim is to put Nellie 'back on the map' as an inspiration for adventure, and a reminder that (as Nellie said) "'nothing is impossible if one applies a certain amount of energy in the right direction.” New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast go live every Tuesday at 7am UK time. Hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out. The Tough Girl Podcast is sponsorship and ad free thanks to the monthly financial support of patrons. Visit www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast and support - Quick and easy to do and it makes a massive difference. Thank you. Show notes
- Who Rosemary is and what she does
- Being in journalism since graduating from university
- Wanting to help to change the world
- Trying to make a difference
- Drawing attention to female explorers
- Why we need to hear these stories
- Wanting to get contemporary female explorers on the map
- What we can learn from these women
- “Follow your dreams and move out of your comfort zone”
- Why it’s ok to take calculated risks
- Discovering women in adventure
- Wanting to follow in inspiring women’s footsteps
- Doing her research and discovering Nellie Bly
- Sharing inspiring stories
- Getting these women on the map
- Who is Nellie Bly!
- Starting with her childhood and why she was such a determined woman
- Getting into journalism and becoming a writer
- Deciding to go to NYC to make her name
- Getting her first assignment to go undercover
- The beginning of investigative journalism
- Wanting to go around the world
- Setting off with 2 days notice
- Wanting to help the most vulnerable members of society
- Planning to travel around the world recreating her journey
- The challenges and difficulties of re-creating the itinerary
- Packing lightly
- Knowing when to stop planning and to start going
- Around The World In Seventy-Two Days by Nellie Bly
- Feeling close to Nellie at certain places on the trip
- Sometimes you have to get off the path!
- The risks and concerns before the trip
- Why the best thing you can do, is to just get started
- What would Nellie Bly do?
- Dealing with a typhoon (level 8) in Hong Kong
- Walking straight out into the typhoon!
- Synchronicity while on the train
- Self funding the adventure
- The dramatic ending of the trip
- Racing against - Elizabeth Bisland
- Finding Nellie Bly’s grave in Woodlawn Cemetery Bronx, NYC
- Visiting her hometown and birthplace in Cochran's Mills, Pennsylvania
- Needing to have a happy/meaningful ending to the story
- Sitting down to write the story and having to be very disciplined
- Putting together a conference at the RGS on historical women
- Why you need to put your all into everything that you do
- Advice for women who want to go on more adventures
- “nothing is impossible if one applies a certain amount of energy in the right direction” - Nellie Bly
- Why you need to take that first step
- Leap and the net will arrive!