Many are familiar with the historical accounts of the 1800s, but most of us find it difficult to translate the past from a list of dates, names, and events into something more personal, something with which we feel emotional and personal ties. Through records, we can reconstruct many of an individual's actions-but what escapes us are the thoughts, feelings, and passions of the living, breathing people who made up the intricate tapestry of the nineteenth century.
One such person was Thomas M'Clintock, a fascinating, passionate reformer whose descendent has honored him by immortalizing his story in The Memories of Thomas M'Clintock: A Quiet Warrior for Women's Rights and the Abolition of Slavery. In M'Clintock's own voice (supplemented by that of M'Clintock's daughter), this firstperson account pulls us into the day-to-day of a historical time-and, in the process, gives us a rare glimpse into the thoughts of a man from our nation's past, a man who toiled for the freedoms that we all enjoy today.