Toby Riddle: “Pocahontas of the Lava Beds” ?

Last week I was stunned to read this tweet from the Women’s History Museum of California:(1) Toby Riddle was one of the first Native American women acknowledged by US Congress for her actions in time of war. In 1891 Congress granted her a pension of at “the rate of twenty-five dollars per month” for her…

Read More

In which I finally review Adrienne Mayor’s The Amazons

Over the last year and a bit, I’ve mentioned Adrienne’s Mayor’s The Amazons more than once here on the Margins, always with a quick note to the effect that a) it’s excellent and b) I really need to review it. (1) In some ways a review here is superfluous. A lot of you may have…

Read More

Stopping to Give Thanks

It’s almost Thanksgiving here in the United States and I’m closing down shop for a couple of days to visit with family. As is true of all the best traditions, it is always the same and always different. Before I walk away from the computer, I want to take a moment to thank all of…

Read More