Obstinate Daughters Quick and Dirty Trailer
We are less than a week out from the launch of my wife’s new book, OBSTINATE DAUGHTERS: The Rebels, Writers, and Renegade Women Who Ignited the American Revolution (Penguin Random House, June 23, 2026.) Her publisher put together a cute, 17-second video—with music!—to promote the book. Watch it right here! In other news:
Who is in the book?
How can I get my hands on a copy?
Check out another cute t-shirt!
History told through the women who shaped it.
While textbooks often focus on the generals and signers, Obstinate Daughters by Denise Kiernan reveals the rebels, writers, enslaved women, and community leaders who actually ignited the American Revolution. From the riot at Bowling Green where King George III's statue was melted down into bullets, to Mary Katherine Goddard—the only woman whose name appeared on the Declaration of Independence—this story is about the "obstinate" figures history tried to forget.
See the official trailer and discover the untold stories that defined a nation.
Available now wherever books are sold.
Why would you want to read the book? I can think of 9 reasons:
The enslaved woman who sued for her freedom...and WON.
The women who donned their husbands’ cast-off clothing, and captured British couriers as they rode through their hometown.
The woman who raised the equivalent of $4 million today for Washington’s army all by publishing an inspiring essay urging women nationwide to raise money going door‑to‑door.
The Native American woman who taught Continental soldiers at Valley Forge how to forage for sustenance in the wilderness.
The woman who went to war disguised as a man—and kept a friendship with her commanding general even after he learned of her secret.
The woman who wrote poems about liberty—while she herself lived in bondage.
The woman who printed the first copy of the Declaration of Independence to feature the names of the signers.
The women and girls who turned a statue of King George III into tens of thousands of bullets for the Continental Army.
The woman—and British courier—who was held under house arrest at George Washington's headquarters in New York, and accused of poisoning his peas!
If you enjoy “recovered history,” you might want to get this book for your summer reading. I have looked into this a fair amount, and right now it looks like Denise’s may be the only book of its kind coming out in time for 2026’s “SisterCentennial.”
If you need a refresher: In 2026 the United States marks its 250th anniversary, which is linked to July 4, 1776, the date that most Americans associate with the nation’s founding.
Click image to pre-order book at Amazon. (affiliate link)
Here’s the cover in all its glory…
Click, clicky, Yankee Doodle Dandy!
Two ways to get the book:
Unless Denise is coming to a bookstore near you, the best way to get a signed copy is to order from Malaprop’s, the indie bookstore in our hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. They are a great small business, and they have been delivering Denise’s books to happy customers for something like 15 years without a hitch. So you can’t go wrong. If you think you would like the book inscribed a certain way to a friend or family member, I personally, recommend phoning the store to make sure they have all those details down correctly.
Have You Seen the New Obstinate Daughters T-Shirts?
Click the image to visit the store!
Yes, we went there! We’re selling cool new “Obstinate” shirts at our new Joe & Denise store. Eight different designs, and ton of different colors. I’ll talk about the store some other time, but suffice to say, you won’t want to miss what we’ve got going on over there.
