Penny Colman

New Book Talk

PennyColman — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 01:52:49 +0000

I just finished a new book talk with a PowerPoint for my presentation in Washington, DC next week at the monthly meeting of the Clearinghouse on Women’s Issue. For this one I wrote eight summaries of the achievements/contributions of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony and put forth what I think is the essence of their legendary friendship. That took several very long days, plus editing & revising to get it to fit into my time slot, a process that takes sooo much time, but totally engages me, so much so that the processing continues in my brain while I’m grocery shopping, walking, standing in line at the post office, etc. But tonight I think I finally got it where I want it–hurrah!!!! Sophie is away for winter break, as are Linda’s grandchildren so we’re off to Philadelphia on Friday to see the Van Gogh exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art! The snowdrops are up, crocuses & forsythia on the way, as are the daffodils–Spring in February!

Happy Birthday Susan B. Anthony!

PennyColman — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:45:40 +0000

Today–February 15th–is Susan B. Anthony’s 192nd birthday; there are great festivities in Rochester, including at her gravesite and at a luncheon for 900 people at the Riverside Convention Center. In several states her birthday is a legal state holiday, including Wisconsin and Florida. Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney has introduced the Susan B. Anthony Birthday Act to make the 3rd Monday in February a federal holiday, the first to honor a woman. For her 80th birthday in 1900, Elizabeth wrote a poem with this verse describing their speaking tours: “We met and loved, ne’er to part,/Hand clasped in hand, heart bound to heart./We’ve traveled West, years together,/Day and night, in stormy weather:/ Climbing the rugged Suffrage hill,/ Bravely facing every ill: Resting, speaking, everywhere:/ Oft-times in the open air;/From sleighs, ox-carts, and coaches,/Besieged with bugs and roaches:/All for the emancipation/Of the women of our Nation.”

Talking about Research and Writing

PennyColman — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:10:05 +0000

Had a fun time doing my PowerPoint presentation, “The Five Ws and One H of Writing: How About You?” to three classes of lively, engaged 5th graders, who are starting research projects on natural disasters, at the Clara E. Coleman School in Glen Rock, New Jersey. (The librarian had a sign welcoming “Penny Colman to the Clara E. Coleman School.” I wonder if Clara had her last name spelled without the “e” as often as mine is spelled with an “e”??)

Award for Elizabeth and Susan

PennyColman — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:17:20 +0000

I’m thrilled with the news that the Amelia Bloomer Project selected Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship That Changed the World as one of the titles to be honored this year on the Amelia Bloomer List. Each year the Amelia Bloomer List selects the best books with significant feminist content that will appeal to young readers from birth to 18 years old, published in the previous 18 months.

The Amelia Bloomer Project is part of the American Library Association, Social Responsibilities Round Table’s (SRRT) Feminist Task Force (FTF). You can find out more about the Amelia Bloomer Project at http://ameliabloomer.wordpress.com/ and view the complete list of recommended titles at http://ameliabloomer.wordpress.com/2012-bloomer-list/

Book Talk

PennyColman — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:14:50 +0000

A young reporter was at my recent book talk at the Haworth Library, Haworth, NJ. Here’s a link to her article: http://www.northjersey.com/templates/fdcp?unique=1327615223055

Audio Clips

PennyColman — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:08:37 +0000

Recently TeachingBooks.net ask me to record two audio clips: one regarding Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship That Changed the World, the other about pronouncing my name (that ending on that one is as per Sophie’s suggestion). Here are the links: Audio clip for ELIZABETH CADY STANTON:
http://www.teachingbooks.net/book_reading.cgi?id=7015&a=1

Name Pronunciation Clip:
http://www.teachingbooks.net/pronounce.cgi?aid=120

“The Solitude of Self”

PennyColman — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:31:02 +0000

On January 18, 1892–120 years ago today in Washington, DC–Elizabeth Cady Stanton delivered her famous speech, “The Solitude of Self” in the morning to the House Judiciary Committee; in the evening at the convention of the National-American Woman Suffrage Association; and two days later before the Senate Committee on Woman Suffrage. Ten thousand copies of her speech were printed and distributed. Susan wrote on one that she gave to Elizabeth: “To Elizabeth Cady Stanton–This pronounced the strongest and most unanswerable argument and appeal ever made by mortal pen or tongue for the full freedom and franchise of women.” In her diary, Elizabeth wrote, “I am very much complimented on its character, and I am much inclined myself to think it is the best thing I have ever written, at least in my declining years.” Her speech begins and ends with these words: “The point I wish plainly to bring before you on this occasion is the individuality of each human soul . . . . Who, I ask you, can take, dare take, on himself the rights, the duties, the responsibilities of another human soul?”

A Skinned Knee

PennyColman — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:02:52 +0000

Since I last posted, I’ve given a couple of book talks/lectures, shivered through Sophie’s riding lessons (is it warmer on the back of a horse?), celebrated one of my son’s birthday (& how did they all get to be in their 40s?!), prepared another eBook, and fell off a bike! Yup, yesterday while trying to “jump” a curb to avoid running into a bus that stopped suddenly. Forgot that I wasn’t 15 (the last time I fell off a bike) and that the freezing cold limited my agility (then, of course, there’s my age). Scrambled to my feet, I quickly assessed my condition–tear in my only pair of warm corduroy pants but nothing broken–and rode home. There I discovered a very skinned knee like the little kids routinely get; in fact, Sophie had shown me hers on Sunday, but don’t think I’ll show her mine–too embarrassing!

Happy New Year

PennyColman — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:08:07 +0000

Happy New Year! There were two main through-lines for me in 2011–happily giving book talks about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: A Friendship That Changed the World and sharing my granddaughter Sophie’s love of horses, (which included me getting back on a horse after 35 years). People frequently ask me how long it takes to publish a book. Here’s a measure: from contract to publication, Sophie grew from three to eight years old, along the way she agreed it would be a good idea for me to dedicate the book to “Everyone who has fought and who is fighting and who will fight for the rights of women everywhere.” In the photo, we’re waiting for Sophie’s riding lesson.

Happy Holidays

PennyColman — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 14:13:54 +0000

Christmas morning–gifts are wrapped, fire laid, music lined up, food ready, almost . . . .When Sophie & her cousins unwrap the pile of presents under our Christmas tree, I’ll relate Elizabeth’s remembrance when she was 8-years-old (Sophie’s age) and children excitedly opened their one present–a stocking with “a little paper of candy, one of raisins, another of nuts, a red apple, an ‘olie-koek,’ and a bright silver quarter of a dollar in the toe.” Happy holidays to all of you!!