Violets and Vinegar
Cover | |
| Editor |
|
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Women |
| Genre | Dictionary of quotations |
| Publisher | G. Allen & Unwin |
Publication date | 1980 |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Website | www |
Violets and Vinegar: an Anthology of Women's Writings and Sayings is a 1980 dictionary of quotations by women edited by English author Jilly Cooper and editor Tom Hartman. The volume was conceived when Cooper and Hartman realised that most dictionaries of quotations were approximately 90% male in their content. The book was mostly reviewed positively, with critics praising the wide range of topics and authors included in it.
Background
The volume was conceived when Cooper and Hartman realised that most dictionaries of quotations were approximately 90% male in their content.[1] Hartman worked with Cooper's husband Leo, as an editor.[2] The book is divided into 24 themes,[1] including children, houses and friendship.[3]
Reception
Upon publication, the Evening Standard described the volume as a "perfect glossy bathside book: full of bubbles and old soap, yet worthy of many a dip".[4] The reviewer, Bel Mooney, praised the book as a move towards gender equity, but also expresses some scepticism, since in her mind women are less represented because they have written less across time.[4] The Eastern Daily Press also questioned who the audience for the book was and suggested that the quotations included were either too common or too obscure.[5] The Arizona Republic reviewed the book as "delightful", comparing it to other dictionaries of quotations which are "usually 90 per cent male-inspired".[6] It also referred to the wide range of women quoted, including both Queen Victoria and comedian Phyllis Diller.[6] The Sydney Morning Herald described it as a "delicious collection" and recommended it as a Christmas present.[1]
The Age described the book in 1982 as "an amusing anthology", selecting a quotation by Margaret Thatcher and one on artificial insemination as most memorable.[7] In the same year the Houston Chronicle also reviewed the book, noting its focus on English writers was a weakness.[8] The following year The Observer praised the range of voices in the book, citing quotations from Simone de Beauvoir, Enid Blyton, Germaine Greer and Gwen Raverat.[9] A similar review by The Daily Times also noted the inclusion of sayings by Zsa Zsa Gabor and Willa Cather.[3] Commenting on the volume in 1989, The Daily Gleaner also praised the anthology's wide-ranging content.[10]
References
- ^ a b c "A choice of reading to suit all tastes". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 November 1980. p. 100. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
- ^ "Leo Cooper Archive (publisher)". University of Reading. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
- ^ a b Truitt, Rosemary (2 September 1984). "Steinem essays collected in 'outrageous acts'". The Daily Times. p. 48. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
- ^ a b Mooney, Bel (28 October 1980). "Bathside reading". Evening Standard. p. 17. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
- ^ Phillips, Carla (31 October 1980). "Jilly goes obscure". Eastern Daily Press. p. 8. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
- ^ a b "World press". The Arizona Republic. 28 December 1980. p. 105. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
- ^ Flanagan, Joan (1 May 1982). "Changes unfocus insular lives". The Age. p. 156. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
- ^ Byrne-Dodge, Teresa (22 August 1982). "Flowery epigrams with a bitter edge". The Houston Post. p. 84. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
- ^ "Bibliophile Books". The Observer. 2 January 1983. p. 47. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
- ^ "Jilly Cooper: a Mirror Held Up to Life". Daily Gleaner. 20 October 1989. p. 28. Retrieved 14 December 2025.