'This is an excellent successor to Helen Davies’ very favourably-reviewed study of Emile and Isaac Pereire, published by Manchester University Press in 2015...This thoroughly researched and well-judged study, which sets out a very complex story clearly, is essential reading for specialists in nineteenth-century European and religious history and a vital and innovative detailed work of reference for anyone interested in the role of French Jews.' Pamela Pilbeam, Modern and Contemporary France 'The lives of Herminie and Fanny Pereire as presented in this study amply illustrate some of the “broad and weighty themes” of nineteenth-century French history. Through their lives we observe the rise of a grande bourgeoisie in which women played roles vital to family success. We also observe the unfolding impact on the Jewish community of the emancipation extended by the French Revolution and the variety of ways in which Jewish families responded to its demands and possibilities… Yet the final image she leaves is that of the courage and resourcefulness of two remarkable women as they pursued its possibilities.'Susan Foley, Napoleonica the journal'Herminie and Fanny Pereire offers a window onto economic, technological, and political changes in France, as well as the social dynamics of the Jewish community and the role of women in nineteenth-century French society. Mobilizing a variety of archives and perspectives, Davies follows the trajectories of Herminie Pereire (née Rodrigues) and her daughter Fanny, deftly tracing how these two pioneering women navigated their families and social and economic responsibilities across two empires, the restoration of the monarchy, and two nascent republics... Davies’ research paints a portrait of two women whose contributions to French society and pioneering efforts serve as a testament to the evolving role of women in shaping modern French history, and to the significant, yet often hidden, influence of women in the history of French Jewish life.'Gayle Zachmann, Journal of Jewish IdentitiesYou can read a blog about Herminie and Fanny Pereire by the author Helen M. Davies on The University of Melbourne's SHAPS Forum website.
