Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way)

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way)

3.88 of 5 stars 3.88 · rating details · 374 ratings · 133 reviews

NCSS—Notable Social Studies Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies 2012

School Library Journal Best Books of 2011

Finalist YALSA Excellence in Non Fiction for YoungAdults

SLJ’s 100 Magnificent Children’s Books of 2011

Amelia Bloomer List

Take a lively look at women's history from aboard a bicycle, which granted females the freedom of mobility and helped empower women's libe...more

Hardcover, 96 pages

Published January 11th 2011 by National Geographic Children's Books

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan

YALSA 2012 Best of the Best List

31st out of 82 books — 49 voters

Paddle-to-the-Sea by Holling Clancy Holling

Tree in the Trail by Holling Clancy Holling

Microhistories For Juveniles – Social Histories of Things, Events and People

6th out of 45 books — 16 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 1,026)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jan 16, 2011 Carol rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

I was absolutely delighted by Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way). Of course there are other books that outline the history of the bicycle but the unique quality of Macy’s is her look at how it changed and shaped the woman’s world in the 1800’s wheeling us right into the present day.

I was surprised to see that our library is the only library that owns this book in the state of Connecticut and that’s a shame as there is a lot to be learne...more

3 likes · like · see review

Dec 04, 2012 Ed added it · review of another edition

Macy, Sue. (2011). Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way). Washington D.C.: National Geographic. 96 pp. ISBN 978-1-4263-0761-4 (Hard Cover); $18.95.

Impeccable research, vintage archival images, and an engaging narrative flow characterize Macy’s scintillating and often humorous look at how the bicycle pumps up our view of women in our society. I especially enjoy the long list of “don’ts” for women wheelers in the Omaha Daily Bee. “Don’t carr...more

like · see review

Oct 09, 2012 Erin Mccall added it

An easy-to-read, colorful and heavily illustrated nonfictional read, Wheels of Change provides a fresh, new take on the history of the bicycle and how important an instrument it was in helping women break out of their gender roles as early as the mid 1800s. The book is organized chronologically, although I did tend to find when it came to national and international competitive races nearing the end that it was difficult to comprehend the time frame. Wheels of Change uses straightforward vocabul...more An easy-to-read, colorful and heavily illustrated nonfictional read, Wheels of Change provides a fresh, new take on the history of the bicycle and how important an instrument it was in helping women break out of their gender roles as early as the mid 1800s. The book is organized chronologically, although I did tend to find when it came to national and international competitive races nearing the end that it was difficult to comprehend the time frame. Wheels of Change uses straightforward vocabulary and is conceptually simple, so I would recommend this book for the younger spectrum of young adult readers. The text would be especially helpful as a nonfiction resource in middle school and high school collections for students looking for an introduction to the feminist movement.
I kept waiting to read about how the bicycle was integrated into civil rights and feminist movements of the 20th century, because throughout school these are the woman’s movements that we become the most familiar with, jumping over the subtleties that we so very often take for granted in this age. But this book sheds light on the details that textbooks tend to jump over entirely, such as the ability for women to use transportation (cycling was especially a conflict in that a rider needs to exert energy; in the 1800s men frowned upon women taking part in physical activity). We’re also given a fresh perspective of the progression in dress, as Macy suggests that the initial purpose of bloomers was to keep a woman’s long, layered skirt from tangling in the spokes.
The fact that I was only able to retrieve this text from a local state college and not from any public library branches may be indicative of the fact that it serves more educational purpose than it does pleasure reading, but because of the heavy incorporation of 19th century advertisements I can see it being resourceful for its visuals as well. Ultimately the time period which Wheels of Change covers does not reflect most of the feminist movements in the U.S. including contraception, suffrage and equality in the workplace. Of course because the history essentially revolves around the bicycle, the time frame of the book is short-lived and only covers up to the early 1900s, or to the introduction of the automobile. Therefore this book provides a really great introduction to the feminist movement for teens wondering how it started at the local level. Coming from a credible publishing team, the list of sources for quotes, text and photographic content is extensive.
(less)

like · see review

Jul 24, 2012 Colleen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: great-ya-books

Macy, Sue. Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (with a Few Flat Tires Along the Way). Washington, D.C: National Geographic, 2011. Print. 96 p. 9781426307621

This historical nonfiction book analyzes the way bicycles helped empower women. It describes the first bicycles (can you believe some women actually rode bicycles side saddle?!) and it details how bicycles allowed women to ditch hoop skirts for pantaloons!

What I found really interesting is that there were many female athl...more

like · see review

May 12, 2012 Rebecca Binks rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wheels of Change was a finalist in the Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction category for YALSA-ALA in 2011. It uses blended-narrative form to reveal the impact that the bicycle has had on the lives of women. Women today take a lot of their freedoms for granted, but the bicycle was key in terms of both increase self-reliant mobility and less restrictive clothing for women. Many would be shocked to know that the bicycle was initially considered to lead girls “into paths that lead directly to sin.”...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 12, 2012 Christina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction, read-in-2012

A fun look at the history of bicycles, and also at how bicycling helped give women more freedom. Illustrated with many photographs, advertisements, cartoons, and even sheet music of popular songs about bicycling (did you know there were many pop songs about bicycling *other* than "Daisy" the song about a bicycle built for two? I didn't, until I read this book!). Bikes were a big deal, from the very early "high wheel" models looking like tricycles with large front wheels, to later "safety" bikes...more

like · see review

Feb 11, 2012 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

Why are the two books released in 2010 related to women and cycling both classified as children's books? This book is pretty great, and I suspect would be equally educational and otherwise valuable to most adults. The research is top-notch (I discovered something I could use in my thesis, so I know it's good material!), the writing done well, the design interesting, and the illustrations rich.

A couple of very minor complaints: some of the background illustrations are placed in such a way that ma...more

like · see review

Nov 30, 2011 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ncbla, strong-women

This is an incredibly informative book that is a treat to read. I've always been a history buff despite the dearth of material on women in the history books I studied in school. Had I been lucky enough to have seen this book as a middle grader, I would have snapped it up. Macy shows how the invention and subsequent popularity of the bicycle led to more freedom for women. Suddenly, women were able to move from place to place on their own, and with that mobility came a need for more freedom, often...more

like · see review

Sep 20, 2011 Danielle Larca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, non-fiction

"Let me tell you what I think about bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel." -Susan B. Anthony (1896)

Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way) documents the rise of the bicycle in American culture and the social impact it had on women. Cycling was fun, good for your health (once they fixed the design so you wouldn't take a header!),...more

like · see review

Aug 24, 2011 Kathryn rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: cycling enthusiasts and those interested in an important chapter in the women's rights movement

Shelves: biographies, childrens-picture-books, history, middle-grade, non-fiction, photography

"Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel." -- Susan B. Anthony, February 2nd, 1896.

Though Ms. Anthony was too advanced in years by the time the cycling craze came about to ride one herself, she saw in it a grand advancement for women's rights as the bicycle led them to more freedom of mind, body and spirit. This, then, is the story of how women "rode t...more "Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel." -- Susan B. Anthony, February 2nd, 1896.

Though Ms. Anthony was too advanced in years by the time the cycling craze came about to ride one herself, she saw in it a grand advancement for women's rights as the bicycle led them to more freedom of mind, body and spirit. This, then, is the story of how women "rode the bicycle to freedom." And what a delightful, engaging and inspiring story it is!

I wouldn't call myself a "cycling fan" though I rode bikes as a kid and teen, yet this book utterly thrilled me. I had no idea there was such a cycling fad in the late 1800s, nor that the bicycle was such an important instrument in advancing women's rights. This book is as much a love story to the bicycle as it is a fanfare for women of the late-1800s and early-1900s who dared perch upon the "steel horse" and ride their way toward a more fun and fulfilling life. Macy charts the history of the cycling fad from 1817 when Baron Karl von Drais of Germany built the first "running machine" (prototype bicycle) to the dawn of the 20th century and the automobile, focusing on the bicycle's influence on women and highlighting several famous women cyclists of the day.

Though many physicians, religious leaders and other individuals championed the health benefits women received from riding, there were naysayers, too. Some doctors worried that all that riding would damage women's reproductive systems. Some ministers worried that it was not quite good for the soul (and it certainly wasn't good for church attendance since now people had something *else* to do on Sundays!). Even some champions of women's rights felt that the bicycle took things too far; "Many a girl has come to her ruin through a spin on a country road," said Charlotte Smith (who had spent over a decade fighting for the rights of female workers), "...the bicycle is the devil's advance agent..." When women's fashion adapted itself for cycling, calling for women to abandon bulky long skirts and suffocating corsets, many men were alarmed: "These ladies assert their claim to rights, which we of bifurcated [two pant legs] raiment are charged with usurping... they design to evict us. They will enter per force the walks of fame, and honor, and wealth, we now occupy, to compete with us, and strip us of our monopoly," said the editors of The New York Times in 1852 -- hum, it seems that, rather than truly believing women were the "weaker sex," many men were starting to worry about them being superior and taking over their roles! ;-)

I could go on and on about the many charming and fascinating stories contained in this book, but instead I urge you to read it for yourself! In addition to the stellar history, the book is a visual delight, full of vintage advertisements and photographs featuring women cycling. Special segments include "Cycling slang," "Cycling songs," ("Bicycle Built for Two" is the only of the hundreds and hundreds of songs composed about cycling to stand the test of time), "The Cycling Press" (newspapers devoted to cycling), and "Selling with Cycles" (advertisements). A timeline at the back features "Highlights in Cycling and Women's History."

Highly recommended to anyone interested in the history of cycling, but even more so to those interested in exploring a fascinating and eye-opening chapter in the history of the women's rights movement.
(I think adults will love it. It's a bit too advanced for younger picture book readers, but should be suitable for older elementary on up.)
(less)

7 likes · like · see review

May 19, 2011 Veronica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Do you remember the freedom you felt once you were old enough to get a two-wheeled bike and allowed to zoom around your neighborhood? Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat tires Along the Way) by Sue Macy recalls when women first got their own set of wheels and set off unescorted into the world.

And that whole unescorted thing really ticked off conservatives at the time. As Macy notes in chapter 2, The Devil's Advance Agent, in the late 1800s women and men dated...more

like · see review

Mar 27, 2011 Rebecca H. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction

This weekend I had the pleasure of reading a book about women and cycling called Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way) by Sue Macy. It’s a wonderful book. It’s a fast read, at only 96 pages with lots of pictures and not a lot of text; it’s aimed at a young adult market, but great for anybody interested in the subject.

The pictures themselves were wonderful: pictures of cool old bicycles, of old advertisements for bikes and cycling gear, of w...more This weekend I had the pleasure of reading a book about women and cycling called Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way) by Sue Macy. It’s a wonderful book. It’s a fast read, at only 96 pages with lots of pictures and not a lot of text; it’s aimed at a young adult market, but great for anybody interested in the subject.

The pictures themselves were wonderful: pictures of cool old bicycles, of old advertisements for bikes and cycling gear, of women on their bikes, of the clothes women wore while riding. I’ve always wanted posters of women cyclists from back in the early days of cycling, although I haven’t yet collected any, and I saw tons of images in this book that would be perfect for the purpose.

The text, although short, is fascinating. It focuses on the last couple decades of the nineteenth century when the bicycle first became popular and when women began riding, often as a way to find more freedom and independence. Macy first discusses the invention of the bicycle, and then moves on to debates over the safety, propriety, and morality of women riding. Some writers applauded the new opportunities for exercise and freedom the bicycle offered women, while others worried about what women might get up to with that new freedom or whether they would bother to attend church anymore if they could be out cycling instead. Some tried to regulate and monitor women’s behavior on the bicycle, as did, for example, an article from the Omaha Daily Bee from 1895 with a list of “Don’ts for Women Wheelers.” Some “don’ts” from this list include:

* Don’t be a fright.
* Don’t carry a flask.
* Don’t attempt a “century.”
* Don’t say, “Feel my muscle.”
* Don’t criticize people’s “legs.”
* Don’t boast of your long rides.
* Don’t go to church in your bicycle costume.
* Don’t imagine everybody is looking at you.
* Don’t ask, “What do you think of my bloomers?”
* Don’t try to ride in your brother’s clothes “to see how it feels.”

Read the rest of the review at Of Books and Bicycles (less)

like · see review

Jan 26, 2012 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reading-challenges, non-fiction

Why I picked it up: I was interested in the topic. It had honestly never occurred to me how much the bicycle increased women’s freedoms.

This is a historical look at the history of the bicycle in the US, especially as it relates to women’s history. There are lots of historical images that make just browsing through it fun.

I enjoyed it! It’s longer than it looks, and there is a lot of information. I’m glad there are so many images in the book; they add a lot to the content and help break up the te...more

like · see review

Feb 26, 2011 Mark McGinty rated it 5 of 5 stars

The celebration of International Women’s Day 2011, a global day to recognize the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future, is perhaps a perfect time to look at how the bicycle changed women’s lives in the late 19th Century and helped them ride to freedom. Sue Macy and National Geographic bring us Wheels of Change, an excellent full-color book on the history of the bicycle’s impact on society and the lives of women. To men, the bicycle was a toy but to women i...more The celebration of International Women’s Day 2011, a global day to recognize the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future, is perhaps a perfect time to look at how the bicycle changed women’s lives in the late 19th Century and helped them ride to freedom. Sue Macy and National Geographic bring us Wheels of Change, an excellent full-color book on the history of the bicycle’s impact on society and the lives of women. To men, the bicycle was a toy but to women it was “a steed upon which they rode to a new world.”

Filled with black and white photographs, full color paintings and advertisements from the day and a wonderful eye-catching design, Wheels of Change reads more like a magazine than a history book. Your eyes flash across the page, from an anecdotal narrative to the vivid pictures inserted seemingly on every page, to the poems, songs and newspaper articles from the day, all celebrating (and often times challenging) how the women of the time embraced the bicycle.

But history it is. Rich in detail, both educational and humorous, with a tone that is always upbeat and positive. These glossy pages are a reminder of where we’ve been, a reflection on the present. This is the type of book that leaves you enlightened by the past, optimistic about the world, and empowered for the future. Should we expect anything less from National Geographic?

The bicycle was not always just for transportation, exercise or leisure. To this day, in some parts of the world, the bicycle brings children to school, transports goods to the market, takes the sick to clinics, and imports medicine to places that need it. It saves lives. And in the late 1800′s and early 1900′s, the bicycle saved women from the constraints they had always faced.

The book is filled with amusing stories about the female celebrity cyclists of the day, lessons on cycling slang, bicycling songs and poems, and advertisements portraying how women embraced the bicycle. From the early velocipede to the rubber-tired steel-framed high-wheeler, to the modern version with two wheels of equal size and tires filled with compressed air, we learn the evolution of the bicycle along with the evolution of fashion, industry and advertising. As women switched from skirts to bloomers, and riding become more popular, the consumer culture reacted and soon repair shops were opened, manufacturers began making bicycle bells and lights, bike paths were constructed and bicycles were modified to suit a female rider. Did you know women once rode side-saddled with both legs on the same side of the bicycle? This reviewer didn’t.

We learn about Annie Oakley, who could ride her bike no-handed while shooting at targets, and Belva Lockwood the first women to appear on an official ballot for U.S. President who rode a tricycle to work. Then there’s a great story about Annie Cohen Kopchovsky, who attempted to ride her bicycle around the world in order to settle a bet….and get this: she didn’t know how to ride a bicycle! And there was another catch – she was challenged to start with $0 and return with $5,000, a fortune for that day and age. Did she make it? How much money did she raise? It’s worth picking up Wheels of Change to find out!

Like nearly every social craze, cycling by females met the usual opposition. Denounced as the downfall of women’s health and morality, the medical community quickly recognized the benefits to health but warned women: no racing! And did the women of the day pay attention? Of course not. We are rewarded with a wonderful section on female bicycle racing and how they used to race on an indoor track in front of thousands of spectators (mostly women). In an effort to settle the growing popularity of the bicycle, The Omaha Daily Bee presented women with a list of bicycling Don’ts. Don’t carry a flask. Don’t stop at road houses. Don’t wear clothes that don’t fit (this one still applies!) and most importantly: Don’t powder your face on the road.

The worries over women’s health and detriment to religious devotion were unfounded and the bicycle gave women increased independence, better health, freedom from restrictive clothing and even helped them gain the right to vote. But don’t take it from me. Sue Macy’s Wheels of Change is diligently researched, flawlessly designed and expertly executed. A wonderful book on all counts.

Mark McGinty is the award winning author of The Cigar Maker and Elvis and the Blue Moon Conspiracy. His work has appeared in Cigar City Magazine and La Gaceta.(less)

like · see review

Apr 02, 2012 Penny Johnson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-yalsa-best-of-the-best

This was a quick and fascinating read. As a bicyclist myself I really enjoyed learning about the history of cycling in past centuries. I once again marveled at how far we have come in regard to women's rights. I am so grateful for generations before me that fought for equality.

The illustrations were fun just by themselves: depictions of advertisements, trading cards, cigar boxes, and more all celebrating women on wheels. Bicycling even influenced women's fashions, as they found the heavy pettico...more

like · see review

Dec 09, 2012 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: award-winning, nonfiction, ya

Told with humor and full of factual details, this book outlines not only the rise of the bicycle in the United States, but also the rise of women’s rights. The book reveals many thought provoking details, as it gives readers fascinating information about the history of the bicycle. There are photographs, reproductions of vintage advertisements, quotes from famous people and anecdotes, adding considerable interest to the facts themselves. In addition, there are excerpts from newspapers and magazi...more

like · see review

Oct 23, 2012 Caitlin rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is a historical book about the emergence of the bicycle and its affect on women's rights. It follows who first invented the bicycle and its evolution from the boneshaker to the modern day bike. It also touches on the popular beliefs in those days about women and how people used to believe exercise was harmful to women. The bicycle not only was a great pastime for women, it also helped create a way for them to gain independence from restrictive ways of life and restrictive clothing.

I e...more

like · see review

Sep 10, 2012 Jesse rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction

While this book's subject is not usually of interest to me, I picked this up to familiarize myself with my library's teen nonfiction section. I can say I was most pleasantly surprised! What I expected to be a history of the bicycle, with a few inclusions of famous women riders, was in fact a genealogy of women's suffrage and advances as evidenced by their use of bicycles and wardrobe alterations, and what both of those meant for the gender.

The book itself is well-written and interesting, with co...more

like · see review

Dec 08, 2011 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-nonfiction

I appreciated the slightly cheeky tone, colorful design, and short, meaty chapters of this unusual history book. Teen girls will find the section where health professionals of the day were concerned that “the shape of the bicycle seat, or saddle, could damage or overstimulate the pelvis” particularly amusing:)

1 like · like · see review

Jun 23, 2011 Ann rated it 5 of 5 stars

Because this book is intended for young readers, adults may miss it--a big mistake, for there is no other book like it! The 1890s were the heyday of bicycles, and women were riding them. They were also racing and competing in endurance rides. As I struggle to complete just 100 miles with the most up-to-date clothing and equipment, I am in awe of these women who rode much farther in long skirts, on 40-lb. bicycles. Unimaginable! There were even women who received patents for the invention of part...more

like · see review

Jun 24, 2011 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: gentlewomen on wheels

Recommended to Kate by: J 796.6082 M

Shelves: childrensbooks, biking

September 1, 1895

Don'ts for Women Wheelers:

Don't be a fright.
Don't carry a flask.
Don't faint on the road.
Don't wear a man's cap.
Don't attempt a "century."
Don't coast. It is dangerous.
Don't say, "Feel my muscle."
Don't criticise people's "legs."
Don't wear loud-hued leggings.
Don't go to church in your bicycle costume.
Don't imagine everybody is looking at you.
Don't tempt fate by riding too near the curbstone.
Don't ask, "What do you think of my bloomers?"
Don't try to ride in your brother's clothes "t...more

like · see review

May 21, 2013 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 53-in-2013

Bicycle history and first-wave feminism are deftly woven into a five-chapter narrative tracing the impact of the "silent steed" on 19th-century America. The historical tour begins in the 1870s, when Albert Pope imported the bicycle industry from England, and then navigates the social commentary of the 1890s concerning women on bicycles. Next the book delves into the significant fashion changes wrought by this new form of transportation and the daring exploits of the first female competitive cycl...more Bicycle history and first-wave feminism are deftly woven into a five-chapter narrative tracing the impact of the "silent steed" on 19th-century America. The historical tour begins in the 1870s, when Albert Pope imported the bicycle industry from England, and then navigates the social commentary of the 1890s concerning women on bicycles. Next the book delves into the significant fashion changes wrought by this new form of transportation and the daring exploits of the first female competitive cyclists. The concluding chapter situates the bicycle amid the broad social change at the turn of the century. Stops along the way feature women inventors, activists, and athletes, and also highlight the role of bicycles in the pop culture of the era. Fascinating archival images illustrate the text at every turn, and the author carefully attributes each quote and picture in captions and appendices. The intriguing focus of this history may provide a strong draw, but it is the rich detail that will ultimately captivate readers and inspire further exploration in a number of directions.

I love the way this book got me excited about history from so many different angles: bicycle design, transportation infrastructure, fashion, women's suffrage, poster art, and biographies galore! It also inspired me to look at the present world with renewed curiosity and enthusiasm. I can't wait to introduce it to many potential readers.

The only disappointing aspect is its somewhat restrictive design. The scrapbook layout works hard to cram as much content as possible into a slim volume of 100 pages and average height, with the result that many background images are compromised. I wish the publisher had let the format expand in height or girth and allowed the rich detail room to breathe.

My Wheels of Change haiku:

ladies wear bloomers
a controversial fashion
bicycle to blame

And my Wheels of Change book trailer (both created for the young adult literature course at the University of Washington Information School): http://youtu.be/h5Zc67m02cA (less)

like · see review

Apr 23, 2013 Susan Menk rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: award-winner, 645-library-materials-for-children, non-fiction

Tags: Amelia Bloomer Award, woman's suffrage, bicycles, freedom, social change, gender roles, freedom, National Geographic, non-fiction

A non-fiction book that looks at how the invention and promotion of the bicycle lead to many changes for women; freedom of movement, freedom from restricted clothing, freedom from strict gender roles and finally freedom of equality. The movement of women riding bicycles changed how women viewed themselves and showed them that they could and should compete in what...more

like · see review

Jun 27, 2011 Joan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history, ya-books, herstories-history-of-women, yalsa-best-nonfiction

This was an informative, entertaining history of how biking helped free women from their traditional constraints of being in the home, being stupidly dressed and being subordinate to men. Some of the magazines being shown weren't as clear as they could be due to being used as background to other pictures which is the main reason for not granting 5 stars. More also could have been said about current state of affairs bringing the history up to the 21st century or close to it. Instead it pretty muc...more

like · see review

Jan 14, 2012 Amy Beth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: histories, history-of-emotions, non-fiction, young-adult-youth, art-culture

Enjoyable fast read. I wasn't sure I agreed that the bicycle was such a huge influence in the emancipation of women, but it seemed to help changes that were coming due to other factors as well. The bicycle boom lasted for about ten years in the US before manufacturers moved on to planes and cars (Wright brothers were first bicycle mechanics). I felt like I was learning a bit about a missing link between Victorian times and early twentieth century. It was interesting to see women and men adapting...more

like · see review

Mar 02, 2011 Reader rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-february-2011

Ye gods, this book is awesome!! Macy does a spectacular job at writing a title that really doesn't have an adult equivalent out there. Examining the history of the bicycle in terms of changing women's rights, Macy examines everything from clothing to the vote to the practical mechanics of the bikes themselves. She loads the reader up with facts, and even manages to find more than one photograph of young African-American women with their bikes just after the turn of the century. Beautifully writt...more

like · see review

May 28, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: yalsa-best-of-the-best, 2012

Eight years ago, I went from completely unathletic to completing a century around Lake Tahoe. And it changed my life. So there was a definite connection for me to this book.

This was a fascinating look at how the bicycle changed things, but especially for women. From fashion to athletics to politics. The information is presented in an engaging fashion. And I enjoyed the breaks between chapters for trivia related to cycling, especially the songs and terminology.

While the objections to the change i...more

like · see review

Jan 23, 2012 Nicole Harding rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, fun, non-traditional-role-for-lead-chara, political, strong-female-character, tolerance, recent-favorites

This book by Sue Macy and published by National Geographic is a YALSA (Young Adult Library Service Association) Award Non-Fiction Finalist. I LOVE it! It is a book that will appeal to anyone who likes history, but especially girls upper elementary school age and older. I learned so much from this book about how the bicycle allowed women mobility and yet introduced thrills and danger to the lives of previously sedentary women. Both the bicycle and fashion changed each other and in the process cha...more

like · see review

Nov 11, 2012 Christine Edison rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a fun read! I remember watching "The 1900 House" (in which a family pretended to live in 1900 for a few months) and being amazed that the mother was so taken with being able to ride a bicycle. Now I know why! I had no idea that the bicycle was so linked with women's suffrage and independence. I give a great deal of credit to the female athletes of the time who were able to ride hundreds of miles on those early bicycles. It was shocking to read about the prejudice women faced for daring to d...more

like · see review

Mar 06, 2012 Kermit rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-nonfiction

4.3 stars

This was a finalist for the YALSA 2012 Book of Excellence. How interesting to see how the bicycle changed so many things for women. It gave them more freedom to travel where they wanted, it helped change their clothing to become less restrictive and uncomfortable, it provided them with a wider variety of social activities, it opened up job opportunities, and more. A quote from Susan B. Anthony in 1896: "Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate wo...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 34 35 next »

History

42 users

Childrens > Middle Grade

9 users

Sports And Games > Sports

8 users

Feminism

7 users

Childrens

6 users

Sports > Cycling

6 users

Young Adult > Teen

5 users

Childrens > Picture Books

5 users

Womens

5 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Books by Sue Macy

Basketball Belles: How Two Teams and One Scrappy Player Put Women's Hoops on the Map

A Whole New Ball Game: The Story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League

Bull's-Eye: A Photobiography of Annie Oakley

Girls Got Game: Sports Stories and Poems

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Wheels of Change:...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom
avg rating	preview: Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom Goodreads rating: 3.88 (374 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9227270-wheels-of-change?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320486621l/9227270.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9227270-wheels-of-change?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom by Sue Macy[/url]

Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (3)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Books by Sue Macy

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Wheels of Change:...

Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way)

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

combineOther Editions (3)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Books by Sue Macy

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Wheels of Change:...

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (3)