Review: Sisters In Arms by Julie Wheelwright

Synopsis: A history of female combatants, from those who joined the military disguised as men to the current role of women in the armed forces. The book follows the evolution of women in combat, from the Scythian women who begat the Amazonian myth, to the passing women in the eighteenth century, and on to the re-emergence of women as proud members of the armed forces in various countries in the 20th and 21st centuries. The book also explores the formalization of women’s military roles and questions the contemporary relationship between masculinity and combat.

I'll begin with a quote: "Beginning with the founding myth of the Amazons--in reality female warriors of a nomadic tribe to whom the Greeks attributed super-heroic powers--Julie Wheelwright explores the history of women in arms. " Not my advanced copy.

Whilst ever so briefly mentioning the Amazons, this lengthy tome focuses heavily on the period from the 18th Century onwards and predominantly on the UK, USA and USSR (for want of a better collective term). It covers quite succinctly the areas of gender disguise and open enlistment, the maintenance of the fiction (ie: women disguised as men), the fear of discovery and punishment, and the experiences of these women upon their return from active duty and their new-found celebrity. I, however, was looking for more of the historical aspect rather than the more "recent" history.

It is the final chapters that looks at the continuity between historical and contemporary female warriors, but again within the parameters as set out above. There is a good section on sources, notes and extensive bibliography for those wishing to explore this topic further.

This will still make for a good sourcebook for those wishing to explore more - again, within the actual parameters.