The Female Dramatist Profiles of Women Playwrights from Around the World from the Middle Ages to the Present Day by Elaine T. Partnow, Lesley A. Hyatt

The Female Dramatist is a biographical dictionary of women playwrights that starts with Hroswitha of Gandersheim, a German nun who lived in the 10th Century and whose works have been preserved, to the most renown of today's playwrights, women like Lorraine Hansberry, Caryl Churchill and Timberlake Wertenbaker. It includes familiar giants like Lady Augusta Gregory, who founded the fame Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Lillian Hellman and Enid Bagnold, alongside those who, famous in their day, have been forgotten: Susan Centlivre and Aphra Behn of the seventeenth century, Hannah Cowley and Elizabeth Inchbald of the eighteenth century, and Susan Glaspell and Rachel Crothers of the nineteenth. It spans the globe, gathering playwrights from Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Japan, Nigeria, Ghana, Latvia, Norway, Sweden, Italy, and more, as well as all the English speaking countries.

Arranged alphabetically, the approximately 205 profiles highlight personal as well as professional achievements; some include critical commentary, placing the playwright in context with the theater and dramatic criticism of her day and, perhaps, addressing issues of feminism. Each profile concludes with a bibliography of the artist's plays and other works as well as a brief list of works about the playwright. Also included is a time-line, placing women along a continuum in the context of the "male dramatic canon." A thumbnail index citing another 200 women playwrights follows the profiles

Editorial Reviews
From American Reference Books Annual, June 3, 1999: "This volume fills an empty niche for biographical material on women dramatists. . . It is marvelous to see so many creative and influential women gathered together in one spot."
From Booklist, August 19, 1998 : "Female playwrights have been largely overlooked in anthologies and criticism, so this reference work on more than 200 such women is a delight. ... The writing is accessible--clear and concise, not pedantic. ...a welcome addition in high-school, public, and academic libraries."

THE QUOTABLE JEWISH WOMAN Wisdom, Inspiration and Humor from the Mind and Heart Edited & Compiled by Elaine Bernstein Partnow

The Quotable Jewish Woman contains more than 2400 quotes culled from over 300 Jewish women of different countries and backgrounds who share their insights on a wide range of topics: Aging, Body Image, Civil Rights, Education, Family, Feminism, Food, Humor, Inspiration, Israel, Judaism, Life, Love, Nature, Peace, Holidays and Celebrations, Spirituality and Faith, War, and much more...

These quotations–derived from novels, articles, songs, poems, and interviews–range from the humorous to the serious to the glorious. They will provide inspiration and comfort to any woman searching for support and identity in the Jewish world and the world at large.

Among the 300 included are: Bella Abzug, Judy Blume, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, Sasha Cohen, Nora Ephron, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, Justine Frischman, Ruth Gruber, Carole King, Francine Klagsbrun, Anne Landers, Fran Liebowitz, Golda Meir, Bette Midler, Cynthia Ozick, Dorothy Parker, Marge Piercy, Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Natalie Portman, Gilda Radner, Winona Ryder, Rita Rudner, Gertrude Stein, Gloria Steinem, Barbra Streisand, Kerri Strugg, Rosalyn Sussman, Henrietta Szold, Sophie Tucker, and many, many more.

THE QUOTABLE WOMAN The First 5000 Years by Elaine T. Partnow

The new edition (the 5th) of The Quotable Woman contains close to 19,000 quotations from the works of almost 3,700 women of 160 nationalities. An inclusive work, it embraces women of color and women from non-English speaking nations, women in the humanities, the sciences, politics, sports and business. There are 4 indexes: 1) Biographical, 2) Subject, 3) Nationality & Ethnicity, and 4) Profession or Occupation.

Elaine started work on the first edition of The Quotable Woman back in 1974. At that time her only professional experience was as an actor, and the longest paper she'd ever written was a twenty page dissertation for an English Lit class at UCLA. Elaine says that, for her, "research was like a rope that I climbed up, hand over hand, leg-up over leg-up: Learning about hundreds of women, most of whom I'd never of heard before, pulled me out of a dark hole into which I'd fallen. It has always been my greatest hope that the words collected here would serve a similar purpose for others -- as well as, of course, give visibility to our invisible past." Her research is on-going; already she is collecting for the next edition.

The Quotable Woman has been twice singled out by the American Library Association as an "outstanding reference work of the year," and is considered to be the standard in its field.

Editorial Reviews
"No other source approaches its representation." — Bookviews
"An excellent book...more than a reference, it's a reading experience as well....A necessity in every standard reference collection." — The Los Angeles Times
"A book to dip into and enjoy" — Working Woman Magazine
"Weighty is a literal word for this volume, but it is a tribute also to the substantial worth of The Quotable Woman...Miss Partnow's excellent collection will be of value to men as well..." — The Wall Street Journal
"Deserves a place alongside your Bartlett." — John Barkham Reviews
"The strength of this reference tool lies mainly in its depth...The Quotable Woman should be very useful and welcome to many libraries." — Booklist
"Those who have searched the standard quotation dictionaries for sayings of notable women will greet this work with enthusiasm...A helpful source for speakers and writers and an important and necessary addition to any collection of quotation dictionaries." — Choice
"No other source approaches its representation..." — Library Journal
(and--a later edition) "This remains the only definitive quotation book of its kind, and its reference value is enhanced greatly by the addition of the nationality and occupation indexes. Recommended for most libraries." — Library Journal
"A unique reference book...These quotations give a real sense of voices too little listened to or even heard before. This excellent tool...should be in every public and high school library." — The Bookwoman
"Highly Recommended" — Reference Quarterly
"Through their chronological order, the quotations tell the history of women both mighty and humble..." — Wilson Library Bulletin
" What Barlett's missed." — The Boston Globe

 

EVERYDAY SPEAKING FOR ALL OCCASIONS

Do you tend to avoid speaking in public? Or are you a seasoned speaker looking for ways to polish and rejuvenate your skills? Whatever your current level of expertise, here's your chance to cultivate a more powerful speaking voice, master the art of fielding questions, and learn to think on your feet. You may be wondering, “What has public speaking got to do with me and the speaking I do every day?” What you'll learn from this invaluable guide is that all speaking is public speaking.

Here you'll find strategies for all occasions, from intimate gatherings around the dining table to school-board meetings, church functions, graduation ceremonies and work-related assemblies. There are foolproof tips for impromptu or formal situations, for short talks and long presentations, for memorials and celebrations. Unlike most books on speaking, which focus on the business world, Everyday Speaking for All Occasions is designed to help you personally, whether the improvement you seek is purely private or necessary for a successful career. You'll learn how to:

* achieve confident speaking skills using simple techniques
* conquer nervousness and transform it into dynamic energy
* master your telephone technique
* deliver a captivating presentation
* develop a rich, engaging speaking voice
* use humor and visual aids
* build on your charisma and much more.

Everyday Speaking for All Occasions will inspire you to embrace future opportunities to speak — and to get your message across with poise, clarity and conviction.
Co-author Susan Partnow is owner of Partnow Communication Workshops and is a consultant specializing in personal and organizational effectiveness. http://www.PartnowCom.com

REVIEWS FOR HEAR US ROAR
PRAISE FOR THE PRODUCTION
"The female voice... vibrantly comes to life in Elaine Partnow's ploy. She provides timeless pieces of wisdom for both men and women - a real tour de forcel" Kathy Bellon, Committee for Children, Seattle
"The show had a magical and revelatory quality... and the theme of transformation is certainly meaningful both as a theatrical and feminist concept." Madna Heung, Director, Women's Center, University of New Orleans
"Should please a wide range of audiences ... A noteworthy achievement." Dorothy Brown. Ph. D., Loyola University
“HEAR US ROAR brought women's history alive in a magic evening of theatre that was funny. moving and very entertaining. I highly recommend it for all audiences." Dr. Larry Gray, Department of Theatre, Southeastern Louisiana University

PRAISE FOR THE PERFORMER
"Evoking laughter and tears....... this talented performer kept the audience enchanted..." Judith Meltzer-Smith, Multi-Arts Resource Specialist, Seattle Public Schools
"Partnow reveals a great amount of expertise in portraying outstanding women through the ages......'' Shirley Harrison, Jewish Civic Press
"Partnow speaks with.... a sincerity that can be unsettling.” Richard Dodd, The Times-Picayune
"If you only wish to see one evening of entertainment in a year... Do NOT MISS ELAINE PARTNOW. You only have to see her once to remember her forever. She showed us, thank God, why a woman, is a woman, is a woman!" Todd Johnson, Qjo de Lago, Guadalajara/Chapala, Mexico

Audio & Video
Hear Us Roar
Speak Like a Star
Movers & Shakers

Key Note Presentations & Performances
Movers & Shakers
A Visit with Emily Dickinson
A Visit with Edna St. Vincent Millay
Hispanic Women Speak
Hear Us Roar
Speak Like A Star
Bios of Movers and Shakers

Home
About Elaine B. Partnow
Contact Elaine B. Partnow

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