Obstinate Daughters: The Rebels, Writers, and Renegade Women Who Ignited the Revolution
Denise Kiernan
(Dutton, 2026)

History has celebrated the “Founding Fathers,” yet we rarely hear of the many women who kept the colonies running and liberty alive. Obstinate Daughters rewrites the story of America’s birth by revealing the courageous, resourceful women whose actions shaped an emerging nation. From the battlefields to the printing press, from the plantations to the pulpit, these women fought, spied, published, preached, farmed, and organized. From the front lines to the home front, from the colonies to the frontier, these unsung heroines turned the tide of the American Revolution.

Event funded in part by the generous support of the American Association of University Women of Delaware.

This event is presented in partnership with Delaware Historical Society and Historic Lewes.

About the Author
Denise Kiernan is an author, journalist, producer, and host of “CRAFT: Authors in Conversation.” Among her multiple works of narrative history for adults and young people, The Last Castle and The Girls of Atomic City were both bestsellers. Kiernan lives in North Carolina with her husband, author Joseph D'Agnese.

Purchase the book
Please help support local independent bookstores by purchasing this book at Browseabout Books, official bookseller of the History Book Festival. Online sources and digital versions are tempting; however, supporting local brick and mortar shops helps to preserve our vibrant main streets. Drop by Browseabout, order books online, or call the store at 302-226-2665. You also may purchase a copy at biblion in Lewes.

About the Festival
The History Book Festival is the first and only book festival in the United States devoted exclusively to history. With the help of our presenting funding partner —  The Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices | PenFed Realty — as well as our program and community partners, volunteers, and donors, the 2026 History Book Festival will be full of great discussions with authors of newly published narrative nonfiction and historical fiction. 

Thanks to all our donors, especially our education and outreach funding partners: Carolyn & Aaron Nayer, Jen Mason & Clare Hancock, the Red Wagon Foundation, and Browseabout Books. HBF authors visit classrooms in Delaware, and HBF provides their books to schools, libraries, and community organizations.

Our Keynote event is presented by Griswold Home Care for Sussex & Kent Counties and Groome Church; our Closing event is presented by the Delaware Community Foundation. The Spirited Discussion, our gathering for attendees and presenters to celebrate and discuss their day, is presented by Dogfish Head Beer & Benevolence.

Special thanks to our Program Partners for their continuing support: the Lewes Public Library for event promotion and production; Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, official bookseller of the History Book Festival; and Historic Lewes for event promotion and author hospitality. Thanks also to the Lewes Chamber of Commerce for event promotion, and the Cape Gazette and Delmarva Public Media, our media partners.