An Unconventional History

'Timely and fascinating' Amanda Foreman, bestselling author of Georgiana, Duchess of DevonshireWhat was mothering like in the past?When acclaimed historian Sarah Knott became pregnant, she asked herse

The Olmecs are renowned for their massive carved stone heads and other sculptures, the first stone monuments produced in Mesoamerica. Seven decades of archaeological research have given us many insigh

The Olmecs are renowned for their massive carved stone heads and other sculptures, the first stone monuments produced in Mesoamerica. Seven decades of archaeological research have given us many insigh

┤「為人母」這般生命大事在歷史中是否留下了什麼印痕？若有，它的軌跡該是什麼樣子？├ ★英國牛津大學博士、美國印第安那大學歷史學者揉合自傳式書寫與歷史知識耙梳之作★《浮華一世情》作者艾曼達‧佛曼（Amanda Foreman）盛讚：「成書正是時候；一部迷人之作。」 為人母孕育、生養人類下一代這件事，自有人類以來就時刻參與著我們的歷史。然而隨一代又一代的文化與社會變遷，這至為重要且基本的體驗又歷經怎樣的發展？母性的歷史為何？懷胎、分娩，以及母親與嬰孩相處的歷史又為何？我們能追蹤母親這個角色於歷史進程中留下的痕跡嗎？若能，又該從何溯源、追蹤起？ 歷史學家莎拉．諾特在本書中創造了專屬於她的一種歷史寫作文類，以此打造諾特個人新的歷史詮釋方式。她將回憶錄和歷史融為一體，並從軼事中汲取靈感。這本書把過去和現在的光景活靈活現地展現於文字中──既有親密感，論述面向又不失廣度；既有個人書寫的抒情，也不失學者述作的精準。 以歷史作品的角度來說，本書借鑒了十七至二十世紀末英國和北美的情形。作者針對過去社會中一連串的素材進行研究：從美洲原住民克里族和奧吉布韋族婦女，到阿帕拉契山麓區的佃農；從南卡羅來納州稻米種植園上的奴隸，到紐約和倫敦東區的廉價公寓居民──上述種種皆是她的研究對象。調查物件包括日記、信件、法庭記錄、醫療手冊、衣物。當然，同步並行的是，她也探索、記錄了自己產下孩子之後身為一位母親的經歷。 在書中，作者細看「為人母」過程中的各種階段與親職面向── ˙古時節育觀念為何？養子、育兒，多少才算適當？生幾個小孩由什麼因素決定？˙現代醫學尚未介入的時代，怎麼知道自己懷胎？甚至，要怎麼計算妊娠週數？˙女子分娩大事，在過去主要由「產婆」經手的時代是什麼樣的情形？古、今產子過程有哪些危險或哪些程序是相同、或相異的？˙夜半哺乳、看顧小孩、安撫襁褓嬰兒啼哭……這些為人母的辛苦只有深沉的夜幕知道－－古往今來，夜中哺育、照料孩子的母親們在方法與的心態上都一模一樣嗎？˙「親餵」與「聘請乳母」，孰優孰劣？當代大為推崇的親餵母乳，在過去被賦予怎麼樣的價值判斷？以親身養育後代這件事，在歷史上有那些演變進程？ 若以回憶錄來看，讀者亦可視本書為一種提出新問題、探究人類喪失了哪些歷史的手段。這麼做是要將最小甚至最平凡的人類經歷，網羅進歷史殿堂中，賦

Blending history and memoir, a beautiful and innovative portrait of motherhoodIn Mother Is a Verb, a highly original interpretation of mothering, the writer, feminist and historian Sarah Knott weaves

An eminent scholar unearths the captivating history of the two-lobed heart symbol, shedding light on how we have expressed love since antiquityThe symmetrical, exuberant heart is everywhere: it gives

District Comics is a graphic anthology featuring lesser-known stories about Washington, DC, from its earliest days as a rustic settlement along the swampy banks of the Potomac to the modern-day metrop

This is a unique, groundbreaking study in the history of philosophy, combining leading men and women philosophers across 2600 years of Western philosophy, covering key foundational topics, including e

This is a unique, groundbreaking study in the history of philosophy, combining leading men and women philosophers across 2600 years of Western philosophy, covering key foundational topics, including e

We wake up in the morning and put on our striped socks and our plaid shirts, sit down to breakfast at a gingham tablecloth, perhaps eyeing the wallpaper with its fleur-de-lis. Patterns are everywhere-

The American cowboy has long been a popular figure in fiction, motion pictures, and studies of the West, but over the years inaccuracies have crept in, distorting the image of the real cowboy. Philip

Draws on decades of experience and the popular team-taught courses at the University of California at Santa Barbara to trace the cultural, political, economic and environmental aspects of surfing whil