Title: Quoting Matilda
Subtitle: The Words and History of a Forgotten Suffragist
Author: Susan Savion
Publisher: Litfire Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1682567371
Genre: Non-Fiction / Women’s issues
Reviewed by: Katherine Kobito

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The fight for equality for all people, in America and the world, has been an ongoing battle for decades. People have been vying for this cause, and for the freedom of all people for generations and in today’s society, there are more rights thanks to some really magnificent people. Activists, leaders and people from many different backgrounds would hold meetings, host public speaking events, as well as promote the cause through positive outlets such as posters and books. The following are those who positively impacted this cause and made such a difference. They will be familiar to some and well-known to many. These people are as follows, though there are a significant amount more who helped implement positive changes, that are taking effect today, and they are: Martin Luther King. Jr., Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, to name a few.

There are many women’s rights activists as well as equality for all humanity activists, in the 19th century, and one that may not be as familiar or well-known is Matilda Joslyn Gage. In Quoting Matilda: The Words and History of a Forgotten Suffragist, author Susan Savion writes the accounts of just one woman who made a huge difference on the cause of equality are at our disposal to enjoy and be amazed at. The history of her life, as well as the things she did, were documented in this book, and it is truly incredible to behold.

In fact, each chapter of this book, there are 87 of them, has a quote which she was said to have spoken, as well as more details on the cause and what occurred. The chapters cover her opinions, actions, and feelings on the topics of: Slavery, Freedom, Tactics, Financing, Ancestors, Religion and Women’s Rights, plus others. Of course, the first chapter was on Women’s Rights, but that was not all she was interested in.

She fought for not just for women to have the same rights as men, but for also Native Americans, enslaved citizens, and anyone else at the cruel disposal of governmental control in that time. It was harrowing, really, to imagine what it must have been like to be a woman, especially as a woman of mixed race, and it was inspiring to read about the life of Matilda Joslyn Gage. She wrote several books, alongside Elizabeth Cady Stanton, named The Woman’s Bible. Though her peers and nay-sayers would deem her actions and life “too radical,” it is clear that she made a positive difference on the cause of equal rights, then and now. The book conveys the strength and courage that Matilda Joslyn Gage demonstrated throughout her life. This is a timeless book that should be in everyone’s bookshelf.