How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle Reflections of an Influential 19th Century Woman

"Willard's name may not ring any bells now, but in the late 1800s she was famous for her pioneering social reforms. The introduction to this clever little book contains a lively synopsis of Willard's unusual life, from her tomboy childhood on the Wisconsin prairie to her years as the charismatic & influential head of the women's temperance movement. Willard admitted that her reforms 'tended more toward the liberation of women than toward the extinction of the saloon.' Originally published in 1895, Willard's pointed account of her learning to ride a bicycle at age 53 becomes a metaphor for life, encouraging women to learn to live more fully in the world. Willard praises the freedom bicycling brings, as well as the feeling of accomplishment. Rounded out with an essay on the history of women & bicycling, this delightful, uplifting, & unique bit of history is bound to attract both browsers & researchers." BOOKLIST. "daring little classic" WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD. "charming & disarming memoir" LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK REVIEW. "touching, brave, & hilarious mini-memoir" MS. MAGAZINE.Willard, Frances E. is the author of 'How I Learned to Ride the Bicycle Reflections of an Influential 19th Century Woman', published 1991 under ISBN 9780933271050 and ISBN 0933271050.