“Sofia Diana Gabel, an Australian writer with dual U.S. citizenship, lives in southern California and is a 3rd degree Master Mason in the International Order of Freemasonry for Men and Women, Le Droit Humain, co-founded by Maria Deraismes, a 19th century French feminist and protagonist in Gabel’s debut historical novel.
Gabel wrote A Woman’s Way (March 2011/Piraeus Books), based on Deraismes’ life as a determined woman who strove to bring equality to Paris during the turbulent and violent 1870s in France.
The novel originated from Gabel’s desire to bring attention to the fact that history repeats itself with reference to the struggle for equality and how to this day equality is an issue that is still not resolved. As a Freemason, Gabel supports and promotes equality and human rights for all people around the globe.
“I think a woman like Maria Deraismes should serve as an inspiration for women everywhere,” Gabel said. “Her views on equality led her to push for the Freemasons to allow women as initiates, a very controversial idea at the time, and even today.”
A Woman’s Way is set amid Paris’s historical 1870’s era of civil unrest where Maria, a French feminist writer and speaker, joins the people’s government, the Paris Commune, to fight for France’s new socialist government, mistakenly believing the bloody struggle will lead to equality not only for women, but for men as well. Joining her fight is the infamous rebel and author Victor Hugo, who openly supports the Commune. When government troops smash through barricades and overthrow the Paris Commune, a blood-soaked battle ensues and Maria is imprisoned and sentenced to death.”
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This book is by one of my lodge sisters. She gave a POA in lodge on Saturday entitled “Character & the Master Mason: Taken from the 2nd Charge in the 3rd Degree”. (FIY…she writes under a pseudonym)
"veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols"
