Books in Women in the Arts series

In 1851 Olive Oatman was a thirteen-year old pioneer traveling west toward Zion, with her Mormon family. Within a decade, she was a white Indian with a chin tattoo, caught between cultures. The Blue Tattoo tells the harrowing story of this forgotten heroine of frontier America. Orphaned when her family was brutally killed by Yavapai Indians, Oatman lived as a slave to her captors for a year before being traded to the Mohave, who tattooed her face and raised her as their own. She was fully assimilated and perfectly happy when, at nineteen, she was ransomed back to white society. She became an instant celebrity, but the price of fame was high and the pain of her ruptured childhood lasted a lifetime.Based on historical records, including letters and diaries of Oatman’s friends and relatives, The Blue Tattoo is the first book to examine her life from her childhood in Illinois—including the massacre, her captivity, and her return to white society—to her later years as a wealthy banker’s wife in Texas.Oatman’s story has since become legend, inspiring artworks, fiction, film, radio plays, and even an episode of Death Valley Days starring Ronald Reagan. Its themes, from the perils of religious utopianism to the permeable border between civilization and savagery, are deeply rooted in the American psyche. Oatman’s blue tattoo was a cultural symbol that evoked both the imprint of her Mohave past and the lingering scars of westward expansion. It also served as a reminder of her deepest secret, fully explored here for the first time: she never wanted to go home.

Professional writing has traditionally been a male occupation, but despite restrictions exceptional women produced important and influential poetry, stories, novels, and plays. From ancient Sumerian priestess Enheduanna's poetic praises for her patron goddess, Inanna, to 19th-century English novelist Jane Austen's witty romances that quietly challenged social convention, and from Beatrix Potter's whimsical and timelessly popular animal tales to Harlem Renaissance writer Zora Neale Hurston's vivid and powerful portrayals of the African-American experience, the written word has been an effective way for women to express their own perspective on such universal themes as love, relationships, faith, death, and the meaning of life.

The film industry has a wide variety of opportunities for talentedwriters, directors, and actors. Women in Film introduces readers to some of the most influential women in the industry, including Ava DuVernay,Lupita Nyong'o, and Kathryn Bigelow. Easy-to-read text, vivid images,and helpful back matter give readers a clear look at this subject.Features include a table of contents, infographics, a glossary,additional resources, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Core Library is an imprint of AbdoPublishing, a division of ABDO.

Pioneers in the fashion industry have launched worldwide trends with their styles. Women in Fashion introduces readers to some of the most influential fashion designers, including Vera Wang, Tracy Reese, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Easy-to-read text, vivid images, and helpful back matter give readers a clear look at this subject. Features include a table of contents, infographics, a glossary, additional resources, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Core Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.