Amazons and military maids, Women who dressed as men in the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness

Drawing on memoirs, letters and diaries, exposes the hidden history of women who chose to live, work and love as men. It reveals for the first time a long, popular tradition in Western culture, tracing these heroines from the height of their popularity in the 1700s to their re-emergence as a nation's pride and joy during the First World War. Wheelwright uncovers tales of adventure as women embark on great journeys, search for lost lovers or simple escape the dull confines of domestic life. She shows the price these women paid for their freedom, and how changing concepts of masculinity and femininity still marshal our behavior today.--From publisher description.