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Rating: 
Summary: It enlightens one!
Review: I liked this book :) Unbiased and clear, Ruth Barton uses the only resources available about Singer's life -- marraige licenses, birth certificates, patent certificates, newspaper articles, a few anecdotes from his acquaintances, etc. -- to make an enlightening, revealing biography. She does this by placing everything she says within deep context. I haven't read very many biographies so I don't know whether this is standard, but everything she mentions is researched in great depth. For example, she even notes how the Singer family is *not* mentioned in the newspaper of the tiny farming town from the town that Singer was born in. Also, Singer himself is so interesting: he cared for "the dimes, not the invention" and thought the sewing machine was a silly invention: sewing was the only thing that kept women quiet! Why leave them free to do God knows what?! Anyway, I'm really surprised that this book hasn't gotten any reviews yet. Anyone interested in sewing or anything about the mid-1800s should read it. I know I never think about my sewing machine the same way.
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