Author: Cathy Newman
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Being a woman is no easy feat. Being a woman looking to change the world is even more of a struggle. And yet there have been many pioneering women who have made their mark on history. Many of them, though, have failed to be recognised and do not spring to mind when conjuring up the names of world-changers.
Cathy Newman, in a year in which we celebrated 100 years since the first women were granted the right to vote in the UK, took it upon herself to counteract this forgetfulness. And so Bloody Brilliant Women came about, aptly subtitled “The Pioneers, Revolutionaries and Geniuses your History Teacher Forgot to Mention”.
What an important service she has provided to all of us. I have to admit I had no knowledge of some of these incredibly inspiring women who had crucial roles in the fields of genetics, workers’ rights or the preservation of nature, amongst others. History has been recorded mainly by men and maybe that is the reason behind this “forgetting” phenomenon. But there will always be people to remember and educate the rest of us.
In Bloody Brilliant Women, broadcast journalist Newman pays tribute to all those women who might have eventually slipped through the cracks of History who fought against the status quo, carved out their place in their field of choice and strove to make a difference.
Newman has traced the role of women in modern history with great care and in a tone that makes for fun reading. This book is not just educational, it is also inspirational and highlights how, even when everything seems to be working against you, one’s desire to change the world can prevail. A must-read for people looking for HERstory rather than HIStory!
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> Naomi Round
