THE EXTRAORDINARY SUZY WRIGHT

Susanna “Suzy” Wright, an English Quaker, traveled to her family’s new home in Pennsylvania in 1714 at the age of 16 and grew into a highly intelligent, well-educated, and influential woman.

Lavishly adorned with period paintings, maps, etchings, and contemporary photographs, this thoughtful and insightful biography explores the life of a most unusual woman for her time. In 1726, the unmarried Suzy (as Kanefield calls her throughout) relocated from the relative comfort of Philadelphia to the frontier, where she purchased land and had a home constructed. From Wright’s Ferry, on the bank of the Susquehanna River, Suzy practiced law, influenced politics, defended Native American rights, wrote poetry, corresponded with and influenced important men of her time including Benjamin Franklin, and developed horticultural and scientific practices that helped her become a successful businesswoman. This presentation of her fascinating story is enhanced by the attractive design, with primary source material neatly interwoven into the text, highlighted in a dark red, oversized, and italicized type that draws attention to its value in the narrative. These primary materials, including Suzy’s poems and letters, give her a voice that time had threatened to still. Fine source notes and references, along with an afterword that helps explain how Suzy and the Quaker movement influenced American history into the 20th century, add valuable context.

An excellent resource that shines a spotlight on a previously little-known but highly meritorious woman.