Sisters of Influence

The family life of three sisters, Zina, Amy, and Rose Fay, is well presented within Sisters of Influence. More than once I had to remind myself that this book is not fiction. Andrea Friederici Ross’ writing is captivating and consistently documented with the inclusion of existing letters and detailed historical research.

You may ask how a book about three women beginning during the 1800s extending into 1946 could be memorable and rewarding to read. This biography enriched my understanding, not only of this period, but by exploring the stamina of women living and pursuing progressive ideas with their bold actions. Zina, Amy, and Rose kept company with Listz and Longfellow, Paderewski and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Two sisters married into a cultural and intellectual circle with husbands Theodore Thomas, the founder of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Charles Pierce, the brilliant scientist/logician.

The book’s structure is chronological as the chapters are presented in small segments. For example, the wedding of Rose and Theodore in the middle of the biography, 1889-1890, is one chapter, a mere four pages. These small bites of memorable events help the reader follow the sisters’ lives throughout a focused parallel system.

The research accomplished by Ross is rewarding to the reader, accentuating the historical events with precise accuracy and yet keeping the reader intrigued with emotion and descriptive expression. For example, Amy’s first love, Ben, becomes terminally ill and the letter written to her by Zina brings Amy’s response, “Oh! If I could have married him and taken care of him I believe he would be alive …” (p 101). Twenty-four pages of notes document the details of each letter, the statistics, and the facts that make Sisters of Influence truly a work of exemplary exploration.

The sisters, extended family, and influencers are portrayed in a supremely relatable style. Settings are vividly described to keep the reader involved and interested. Rose became aware of the abuse of animals and wrote, “I once saw a woman’s cloak which contained the skins of a thousand gray squirrels. It made me quite ill to look at and think of all the pretty creatures that had gone into its vast superfluities. A thousand painful deaths in one garment…”(183). This chapter is titled “Anti-Cruelty Society 1899-1904.”

Fourteen pages of well preserved photos enhance the book and characters. Also, subsections highlighting each sister begin with her photo and subtitle. Rose’s is subtitled “Concerto Grosso;” Amy has “Scherzo” and “Allegro Agitato” is assigned to Zina. Such descriptives would be a great book club discussion as “each woman carved a path uniquely her own” (p. 235).

You will be rewarded when reading this book. My respect for these women as they “personified the critical roles women could play” (187) was enlightening and intriguing. I highly recommend Sisters of Influence, a biography well researched and written with a compelling drive throughout.