Violets and Vinegar

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Violets and Vinegar
Cover of Violets and Vinegar by Jilly Cooper and Tom Hartman.jpeg
Editor Jilly Cooper
Tom Hartman
LanguageEnglish
SubjectWomen
GenreDictionary of quotations
PublisherG. Allen & Unwin
Publication date
1980
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Website https://www.jillycooper.co.uk/books/violets-and-vinegar/

Violets and Vinegar: anAnthology 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, praising the wide range of topics and authors included in it.

Contents

Background

The volume was conceived when Cooper and Hartman realised that most dictionaries of quotations were approximately 90% male in their content. [1] They came up with 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, 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 quesitoned who the audience for the book was and suggested that the quotations included were either to 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 continued to praise 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 at the same time 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

  1. 1 2 3 "A choice of reading to suit all tastes". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1980-11-30. p. 100. Retrieved 2025-12-14.
  2. ↑ "Leo Cooper Archive (publisher)". Special Collections. Retrieved 2025-12-14.
  3. 1 2 Truitt, Rosemary (1984-09-02). "Steinem essays collected in 'outrageous acts'". The Daily Times. p. 48. Retrieved 2025-12-14.
  4. 1 2 Mooney, Bel (1980-10-28). "Bathside reading". Evening Standard. p. 17. Retrieved 2025-12-14.
  5. ↑ Phillips, Carla (1980-10-31). "Jilly goes obscure". Eastern Daily Press. p. 8. Retrieved 2025-12-14.
  6. 1 2 "World press". The Arizona Republic. 1980-12-28. p. 105. Retrieved 2025-12-14.
  7. ↑ "Changes unfocus insular lives". The Age. 1982-05-01. p. 156. Retrieved 2025-12-14.
  8. ↑ Byrne-Dodge, Teresa (1982-08-22). "Flowery epigrams with a bitter edge". The Houston Post. p. 84. Retrieved 2025-12-14.
  9. ↑ "Bibliophile Books". The Observer. 1983-01-02. p. 47. Retrieved 2025-12-14.
  10. ↑ "Jilly Cooper: a Mirror Held Up to Life". Daily Gleaner. 1989-10-20. p. 28. Retrieved 2025-12-14.
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