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We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America
A vivid portrait of the unsung American women from 1776 to today who changed the course of history in their fight for freedom and helped shape a more perfect union
“This terrific book reveals the central, though often hidden role that women have played at every stage of our country’s history.”—Doris Kearns Goodwin
Over a decades-long, distinguished career, award-winning journalist Norah O’Donnell has made it her mission to shed light on untold women’s stories. Now, in honor of America’s 250th birthday, O’Donnell focuses that passion on the American heroines who helped change the course of history.
We the Women presents a fresh look at American history through the eyes of women, introducing us to inspiring patriots who demanded that the country live up to the promises made 250 years ago in the Declaration of “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Since the signing of that document, the pressing question from women has Why don’t those unalienable rights apply to us?
Through extensive research and interviews, as well as historical documents and old photos, O’Donnell curates a compelling portrait of these fierce fighters for freedom. From Mary Katherine Goddard, who printed the first signed Declaration of Independence, to the Forten family women, who were active in the abolition and suffrage movements and were considered the “Black Founders” of Philadelphia, to the first women who served in the armed forces even before they had the right to vote, O’Donnell brings these extraordinary women together for the first time, and in doing so writes the American story anew.
“This terrific book reveals the central, though often hidden role that women have played at every stage of our country’s history.”—Doris Kearns Goodwin
Over a decades-long, distinguished career, award-winning journalist Norah O’Donnell has made it her mission to shed light on untold women’s stories. Now, in honor of America’s 250th birthday, O’Donnell focuses that passion on the American heroines who helped change the course of history.
We the Women presents a fresh look at American history through the eyes of women, introducing us to inspiring patriots who demanded that the country live up to the promises made 250 years ago in the Declaration of “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Since the signing of that document, the pressing question from women has Why don’t those unalienable rights apply to us?
Through extensive research and interviews, as well as historical documents and old photos, O’Donnell curates a compelling portrait of these fierce fighters for freedom. From Mary Katherine Goddard, who printed the first signed Declaration of Independence, to the Forten family women, who were active in the abolition and suffrage movements and were considered the “Black Founders” of Philadelphia, to the first women who served in the armed forces even before they had the right to vote, O’Donnell brings these extraordinary women together for the first time, and in doing so writes the American story anew.
11 pages, Audiobook
First published February 24, 2026
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January 26, 2026
I read to 47% and just could not get myself to finish the rest!
I was hoping that each of these women’s stories would be told in a more story like fashion, but they read almost completely as factual, dictionary, excerpts of a lot of dates and information about their lives, but they did not feel emotionally compelling at all.
While I enjoyed getting to hear about little known women throughout the history of the United States, who had a massive impact on its development, I didn’t feel like their stories were told in an emotionally compelling way I felt like I was mostly given the facts and the details of what they did and when and I wanted this to be a more evocative emotional experience.
But maybe my expectations were off in starting this book because I don’t typically read history. However, even the biographies & memoirs I have read had a much more story like and emotional connection than this one did. I felt like I was reading out of a history textbook and I just got bored very easily with that
I would still recommend to my audience based on just the powerful little known stories that were being pulled to the light to give empowerment to women’s strong role in our nations history, but since I did not love this myself, and it’s not really the type of book format that I enjoyed I’m giving it three stars..
I was hoping that each of these women’s stories would be told in a more story like fashion, but they read almost completely as factual, dictionary, excerpts of a lot of dates and information about their lives, but they did not feel emotionally compelling at all.
While I enjoyed getting to hear about little known women throughout the history of the United States, who had a massive impact on its development, I didn’t feel like their stories were told in an emotionally compelling way I felt like I was mostly given the facts and the details of what they did and when and I wanted this to be a more evocative emotional experience.
But maybe my expectations were off in starting this book because I don’t typically read history. However, even the biographies & memoirs I have read had a much more story like and emotional connection than this one did. I felt like I was reading out of a history textbook and I just got bored very easily with that
I would still recommend to my audience based on just the powerful little known stories that were being pulled to the light to give empowerment to women’s strong role in our nations history, but since I did not love this myself, and it’s not really the type of book format that I enjoyed I’m giving it three stars..
February 27, 2026
In the introduction the author says she does not focus on the most well known women in American history like Abigail Adams because, well, they're already pretty well known. She focuses on the women that she never heard of, or knew little about. As a seasoned news correspondent she presumes that we haven't heard of them either, or know little about them if we have. That's pretty much true.
The glaring exception is Eleanor Roosevelt. Because nobody who focuses on women in American history can resist writing about her, right?
The book is structured chronologically by roughly 50-year time periods, with each period offering sketches of a few pages per woman. This means we get a summary of each life, not much in depth detail. But this is made up for by the copious numbers of women she gets into this book.
The sketches read as a little breezy, with the author inserting bits of exclamatory commentary at different points in italics. Like this!
This conversational style, and the brevity of each sketch, would make this an excellent book to give to a teenager or young woman to provide a quick survey of the different periods of the development of women's rights in America. Roughly speaking, we move from the Revolutionary period, to the mid-19th century and Seneca Falls Convention, to the Suffragists in the late 19th and early 20th century, to Second Wave Feminism in the mid-20th century. There's also a final section on more contemporary women that covers the author's lifetime.
The glaring exception is Eleanor Roosevelt. Because nobody who focuses on women in American history can resist writing about her, right?
The book is structured chronologically by roughly 50-year time periods, with each period offering sketches of a few pages per woman. This means we get a summary of each life, not much in depth detail. But this is made up for by the copious numbers of women she gets into this book.
The sketches read as a little breezy, with the author inserting bits of exclamatory commentary at different points in italics. Like this!
This conversational style, and the brevity of each sketch, would make this an excellent book to give to a teenager or young woman to provide a quick survey of the different periods of the development of women's rights in America. Roughly speaking, we move from the Revolutionary period, to the mid-19th century and Seneca Falls Convention, to the Suffragists in the late 19th and early 20th century, to Second Wave Feminism in the mid-20th century. There's also a final section on more contemporary women that covers the author's lifetime.
March 10, 2026
We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America
So those who know me well will ask,
“why did you pick a book that is
a. Non-Fiction
b. over 900 pages
c. so far from your favorite genre?”
Answer: Because I needed to satisfy the last reading challenge requirement in the winter series and no other book caught my interest.
This book by Norah O’ Donnell highlighted all the women that have helped shape our country in the last 250 years. Many of the women at the beginning of the book I had never heard of but their contribution was incredible. I learned a lot and even took notes (in case I needed some answers while playing Jeopardy)! At the halfway mark I recognized many more and found out more about their accomplishments. They all were very brave and would not give up. I found myself caring so much more about the issues they fought so hard for. However, I got a bit tired. Towards the end I hurried through because I wanted to move to another book. There was so much information that I wasn’t retaining the names and stories. But I am proud of myself that I committed to a challenging read. I am giving this 3 stars but I think anyone who loves history and 250 years of incredible women, and a long attention span, would give it 5 stars!
So those who know me well will ask,
“why did you pick a book that is
a. Non-Fiction
b. over 900 pages
c. so far from your favorite genre?”
Answer: Because I needed to satisfy the last reading challenge requirement in the winter series and no other book caught my interest.
This book by Norah O’ Donnell highlighted all the women that have helped shape our country in the last 250 years. Many of the women at the beginning of the book I had never heard of but their contribution was incredible. I learned a lot and even took notes (in case I needed some answers while playing Jeopardy)! At the halfway mark I recognized many more and found out more about their accomplishments. They all were very brave and would not give up. I found myself caring so much more about the issues they fought so hard for. However, I got a bit tired. Towards the end I hurried through because I wanted to move to another book. There was so much information that I wasn’t retaining the names and stories. But I am proud of myself that I committed to a challenging read. I am giving this 3 stars but I think anyone who loves history and 250 years of incredible women, and a long attention span, would give it 5 stars!
March 3, 2026
We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America
By: Norah O'Donnell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre/tags: History, women time forgot
What I liked:
This non-fiction read like fiction. I listened to it on audio while doing yard work.
Good to know before picking this up:
While there were some new women introduced in this, there were a fair amount I was familiar with because I read a historical fiction of their lives.
By: Norah O'Donnell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre/tags: History, women time forgot
What I liked:
This non-fiction read like fiction. I listened to it on audio while doing yard work.
Good to know before picking this up:
While there were some new women introduced in this, there were a fair amount I was familiar with because I read a historical fiction of their lives.
March 11, 2026
Why don’t those unalienable rights apply to women?
We loved Norah on the news, and I was excited to read her book. And, wow, was I inspired by the strong, smart, amazing women featured here!
I was also pleased to see names of women about whom I’d read and seen in movies.
Perfect for America’s 250th anniversary.
We loved Norah on the news, and I was excited to read her book. And, wow, was I inspired by the strong, smart, amazing women featured here!
I was also pleased to see names of women about whom I’d read and seen in movies.
Perfect for America’s 250th anniversary.
March 6, 2026
This was so informative but a little too history book for me. I still loved learning about all the women, though!
March 9, 2026
4.5 ⭐️s…great her-story of amazing women throughout our country’s 250 years. Despite having a degree in history and an interest in sharing these types of historical accounts with my own girls, I had not heard of many of these remarkable women, but I have a great roadmap to learn more.
March 14, 2026
I loved this book. O'Donnell highlights women I had never hear of before and of course some who I had. I don't recommend you listen to it. I don't think she was the best reader for this book. Also, I think reading it would give one the opportunity to pause and reflect on some of these women's stories and the challenges they had in asserting their independence. First, this starts with women in 1776 who changed the course of history in their fight for freedom and helped shape a more perfect union. We have certainly come a long way since 1776 but boy, we are still fighting some of the same discrimination and biases women were fighting in 1776. Our current administration wants us to return to being barefoot and pregnant in the 21st C. Never going to happen but they will try by limiting birth control options, making abortions illegal, etc. I bookmarked several quotes that I probably can't find as this was an audio book. A few that particularly resonated with me:
"All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.” -Ruth Bader Ginsburg arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court, quoting abolitionist Sarah Grimké.
"If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair" is a iconic quote by Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress. Jeannette Rankin (1880–1973), a Republican from Montana, became the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress in 1916.
The Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, adopted at the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, was a foundational U.S. women's rights document modeled on the Declaration of Independence. Written primarily by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, it declared that "all men and women are created equal," demanding suffrage, property rights, and social, educational, and religious equality. I had never heard of this. Look at the date! We have been fighting the good fight for a very long time.
I highly recommend this book. It will motivate us to continue to fight to retain what we and our foremothers have achieved and not take the freedoms we, as women have, for granted.
"All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.” -Ruth Bader Ginsburg arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court, quoting abolitionist Sarah Grimké.
"If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair" is a iconic quote by Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress. Jeannette Rankin (1880–1973), a Republican from Montana, became the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress in 1916.
The Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, adopted at the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, was a foundational U.S. women's rights document modeled on the Declaration of Independence. Written primarily by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, it declared that "all men and women are created equal," demanding suffrage, property rights, and social, educational, and religious equality. I had never heard of this. Look at the date! We have been fighting the good fight for a very long time.
I highly recommend this book. It will motivate us to continue to fight to retain what we and our foremothers have achieved and not take the freedoms we, as women have, for granted.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
So important. So informative. But also so dry.
We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America by Norah O'Donnell enlightens readers about many “hidden heroes” throughout American history, era by era. Some names will be familiar, but others will feel like long-overdue introductions. O’Donnell does an excellent job shedding light on women often left out of traditional history books. She shares stories of women of all races, across socioeconomic backgrounds, and at varying levels of prominence.
I particularly enjoyed learning more about Constance Baker Motley. I had encountered her name while studying the civil rights movement and teaching Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” but I had no idea just how lasting her impact was on our judicial system.
Eunice Newton Foote was a name I had never encountered prior to this book—which is a shame, as she was the first known American woman to have her discoveries published in scientific journals in the field of physics. Her work on the greenhouse effect predated findings later attributed to a male scientist. Beyond her scientific endeavors, she was also a signer of the Declaration of Sentiments advocating for women’s rights.
The stories of these remarkable women are clearly well researched, though often brief, as O’Donnell works to include as many noteworthy figures as possible across nearly 250 years of history. By the end, I had a running list of women I’d love to read more about—perhaps in a richer, more immersive narrative (I’m a historical fiction junkie, after all).
This book serves as a strong introductory survey of many important women who deserve far more space in our collective history.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Norah O’Donnell for the advanced copy of the book. We the Women is out February 24th. All opinions are my own.
http://www.instagram.com/passionforprose
We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America by Norah O'Donnell enlightens readers about many “hidden heroes” throughout American history, era by era. Some names will be familiar, but others will feel like long-overdue introductions. O’Donnell does an excellent job shedding light on women often left out of traditional history books. She shares stories of women of all races, across socioeconomic backgrounds, and at varying levels of prominence.
I particularly enjoyed learning more about Constance Baker Motley. I had encountered her name while studying the civil rights movement and teaching Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” but I had no idea just how lasting her impact was on our judicial system.
Eunice Newton Foote was a name I had never encountered prior to this book—which is a shame, as she was the first known American woman to have her discoveries published in scientific journals in the field of physics. Her work on the greenhouse effect predated findings later attributed to a male scientist. Beyond her scientific endeavors, she was also a signer of the Declaration of Sentiments advocating for women’s rights.
The stories of these remarkable women are clearly well researched, though often brief, as O’Donnell works to include as many noteworthy figures as possible across nearly 250 years of history. By the end, I had a running list of women I’d love to read more about—perhaps in a richer, more immersive narrative (I’m a historical fiction junkie, after all).
This book serves as a strong introductory survey of many important women who deserve far more space in our collective history.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Norah O’Donnell for the advanced copy of the book. We the Women is out February 24th. All opinions are my own.
http://www.instagram.com/passionforprose
March 9, 2026
2.5 stars
If I was not reading this book as part of the Goodreads winter challenge it would have been a DNF.
This was essentially a reference manual written by a journalist. While the premise was interesting it was not a deep or thought-provoking read. Each chapter highlighted a different unsung female hero through four different time periods since our country’s technical inception in 1776. Each chapter felt like a brief 60 minutes feature on one of these women. Yet you had to watch 20 of them back to back. At one point I was thinking if I was a movie producer in Hollywood looking for my next movie treatment of an unsung hero I might read this book to find a story I want to learn more about. And lo and behold the chapter on the eight triple six. Which was turned into a movie by Tyler Perry as seen on Netflix. That clarified my perception that each chapter feels like someone telling you about a movie that they watched in the broad strokes and why it was meaningful.
Another premise of the book is we were going to focus on unsung female heroes across our 250 years as a nation. And while we did, the author still wrote a chapter on Eleanor Roosevelt. And there was nothing new in that section to highlight there was something hidden about her we didn’t know in fact most of us know far more than what was presented in that chapter. And many of the lines between the different periods of history were through women we do know about: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Billie Jean King, Susan B Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton. etc. I think this was the author’s way of getting to talk about celebrated women who we do know about who still deserve mention.
Overall it’s hard to describe this as a book. It’s a collection of mini biographies of women you might not know about who made a big impact in history. It’s something I feel like I could go to ChatGPT and ask for and then go to the Wikipedia pages on each of them and learn about them. And then decide if I want to dig deeper.
If I was not reading this book as part of the Goodreads winter challenge it would have been a DNF.
This was essentially a reference manual written by a journalist. While the premise was interesting it was not a deep or thought-provoking read. Each chapter highlighted a different unsung female hero through four different time periods since our country’s technical inception in 1776. Each chapter felt like a brief 60 minutes feature on one of these women. Yet you had to watch 20 of them back to back. At one point I was thinking if I was a movie producer in Hollywood looking for my next movie treatment of an unsung hero I might read this book to find a story I want to learn more about. And lo and behold the chapter on the eight triple six. Which was turned into a movie by Tyler Perry as seen on Netflix. That clarified my perception that each chapter feels like someone telling you about a movie that they watched in the broad strokes and why it was meaningful.
Another premise of the book is we were going to focus on unsung female heroes across our 250 years as a nation. And while we did, the author still wrote a chapter on Eleanor Roosevelt. And there was nothing new in that section to highlight there was something hidden about her we didn’t know in fact most of us know far more than what was presented in that chapter. And many of the lines between the different periods of history were through women we do know about: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Billie Jean King, Susan B Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton. etc. I think this was the author’s way of getting to talk about celebrated women who we do know about who still deserve mention.
Overall it’s hard to describe this as a book. It’s a collection of mini biographies of women you might not know about who made a big impact in history. It’s something I feel like I could go to ChatGPT and ask for and then go to the Wikipedia pages on each of them and learn about them. And then decide if I want to dig deeper.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I absolutely loved the late ABC News/NPR journalist Cokie Roberts’ books on women in American History. Picking up the torch, CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell, along with best-selling author Kate Anderson Brower have presented their own list of admirable women in United States history.
Unless you have already read Roberts’ books, you may not have read a lot about women’s history. I happened to be watching Ken Burns’ American Revolution while reading this book, and one of the names that everyone on my social media was heralding was Phyllis Wheatley, the black poet, as well as Mercy Otis Warren. I had read about Wheatley and Warren previously, so she wasn’t a surprise. I learned a bit more about them, and I think many people will be picking up this book as a continuation on the American History they learned on PBS
These and many more lost stories are coming to light at the perfect time. More needs to be done to amplify the sacrifices and contributions women made in our nation’s history. There are only a few women statues in the U.S. Capitol, yet many of the women featured in this book SHOULD have statues made to honor them.
Just as an aside, I requested this book from NetGalley before Norah O’Donnell’s exclusive interview with 🍊🤡 and was appalled by the capitulation and lack of pushback from her. It seems she is not quite the heroic woman like the ones she and Anderson Brower write about. I applaud this book, but at the same time, I’m very disappointed.
I absolutely loved the late ABC News/NPR journalist Cokie Roberts’ books on women in American History. Picking up the torch, CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell, along with best-selling author Kate Anderson Brower have presented their own list of admirable women in United States history.
Unless you have already read Roberts’ books, you may not have read a lot about women’s history. I happened to be watching Ken Burns’ American Revolution while reading this book, and one of the names that everyone on my social media was heralding was Phyllis Wheatley, the black poet, as well as Mercy Otis Warren. I had read about Wheatley and Warren previously, so she wasn’t a surprise. I learned a bit more about them, and I think many people will be picking up this book as a continuation on the American History they learned on PBS
These and many more lost stories are coming to light at the perfect time. More needs to be done to amplify the sacrifices and contributions women made in our nation’s history. There are only a few women statues in the U.S. Capitol, yet many of the women featured in this book SHOULD have statues made to honor them.
Just as an aside, I requested this book from NetGalley before Norah O’Donnell’s exclusive interview with 🍊🤡 and was appalled by the capitulation and lack of pushback from her. It seems she is not quite the heroic woman like the ones she and Anderson Brower write about. I applaud this book, but at the same time, I’m very disappointed.
February 25, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC of "We the Women" by Norah O'Donnell and Kate Anderson Brower, it is much appreciated!
"We the Women" offers fascinating snapshots of women history has tried to forget. Some of these women were familiar to me from my Women's Studies classes in college as well as my own reading. Other women, such as the Revolutionary-era wax sculptor and spy Patience Lovell Wright; Civil War heroine Dr. Mary Edwards Walker; Susan and Susette La Flesche, advocates for First Nation Peoples; and the female teams of telephone switchboard operators of World War I, were completely new to me.
How is it that these and many other women featured in this book are missing from history books? I minored in Women's Studies and never heard of some of these women. What is wrong with this society where the work of women--some in service to this country--is completely passed over so we only learn about men and their achievements (or failures and wrongdoings)? Women make up more than half of the human race globally, and yet we and our foremothers continue to struggle to be seen in the shadows.
Read this book, learn the names, and give these women their due. They helped to make this country, they helped win wars, they made lasting change.
"We the Women" offers fascinating snapshots of women history has tried to forget. Some of these women were familiar to me from my Women's Studies classes in college as well as my own reading. Other women, such as the Revolutionary-era wax sculptor and spy Patience Lovell Wright; Civil War heroine Dr. Mary Edwards Walker; Susan and Susette La Flesche, advocates for First Nation Peoples; and the female teams of telephone switchboard operators of World War I, were completely new to me.
How is it that these and many other women featured in this book are missing from history books? I minored in Women's Studies and never heard of some of these women. What is wrong with this society where the work of women--some in service to this country--is completely passed over so we only learn about men and their achievements (or failures and wrongdoings)? Women make up more than half of the human race globally, and yet we and our foremothers continue to struggle to be seen in the shadows.
Read this book, learn the names, and give these women their due. They helped to make this country, they helped win wars, they made lasting change.
March 10, 2026
Again … I read it for the bookmark. I appreciate those challenges because I get out of my usual box and this book was no exception to that.
Being not a feminist but someone who does believe wholeheartedly that every person on Earth was created in the image of God and should be equally loved, provided for, and encouraged, I found this book fascinating. I loved learning about pioneers from our past who paved the way for more equal rights in today’s society. It’s astounding to me how far some people will go to retain power and how hard they’ll work to keep others down. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about these women who fought against that oppression.
I also just enjoyed the format of this book with and intro to each part and then a quick chapter on each figure. It was a great, easy listen.
I’m looking forward to introducing my daughters to the women in these stories, as appropriate, and helping them to see how remarkable it can be to not just be the first but to be the next. To continue legacies laid before you as a way to create progress and honor those who came before.
Being not a feminist but someone who does believe wholeheartedly that every person on Earth was created in the image of God and should be equally loved, provided for, and encouraged, I found this book fascinating. I loved learning about pioneers from our past who paved the way for more equal rights in today’s society. It’s astounding to me how far some people will go to retain power and how hard they’ll work to keep others down. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about these women who fought against that oppression.
I also just enjoyed the format of this book with and intro to each part and then a quick chapter on each figure. It was a great, easy listen.
I’m looking forward to introducing my daughters to the women in these stories, as appropriate, and helping them to see how remarkable it can be to not just be the first but to be the next. To continue legacies laid before you as a way to create progress and honor those who came before.
November 11, 2025
What an incredible look at a few of America's unsung women who shaped and paved our country into the land of the tree and home of the brave. They finally get the recognition they deserve in this book and I wish their stories are shared in schools today so their legacies will never die. As a mom who will be homeschooling, I'll be adding to this in my chapter of the American Revolution once my daughter is old enough to understand and be in school. As someone who is a huge history buff (my username has the word history in it for a reason), this book is a great reference and very well researched and sourced and I'm so very grateful I had to the chance to read this book for myself!
I would absolutely LOVE to buy a physical copy once it's fully released to add to my home library! This would be perfect and I can't wait!!
I would love to take this opportunity to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC book in exchange for an honest review.
I would absolutely LOVE to buy a physical copy once it's fully released to add to my home library! This would be perfect and I can't wait!!
I would love to take this opportunity to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC book in exchange for an honest review.
March 13, 2026
We the Women by Norah O’Donnell with Kate Andersen Brower is the perfect book to read as we approach America’s 250th birthday. I found myself feeling really inspired by the strong, smart, and incredible women featured throughout the book. Many of the names aren’t the ones we typically hear in history books, which made discovering their stories even more fun. It’s clear the author did her homework, this book feels very well researched and thoughtfully put together. Spanning from the 1700s to the 1900s, it highlights women whose contributions helped shape history, even if they weren’t always given the recognition they deserved. Overall, this was a fascinating and inspiring read that introduced me to some incredible women whose stories deserve to be known. Thank you to Ballantine | Ballantine Books for the eARC. All opinions shared are influenced by nothing other than my own reading experience.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Net Galley and Ballantine Books for this ARC.
What a perfect read to celebrate that start of Women’s History Month in a few weeks!
I commend the authors for all of the time and research they dedicated to telling the important stories of these women.
Women have played an incredibly important role in American history, and it isn’t discussed nearly enough.
The book was structured and well-organized, with details about women from the 1770s to 1970s.
I appreciate that the authors chose to feature women who are lesser known, I unfortunately hadn’t heard of about 75% of the women in this book. You won’t find Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, or RBG, but you will find Charlotte Forten, Mary Katherine Goddard, and Patsy Mink.
A very important, inspirational, and eye-opening read!
What a perfect read to celebrate that start of Women’s History Month in a few weeks!
I commend the authors for all of the time and research they dedicated to telling the important stories of these women.
Women have played an incredibly important role in American history, and it isn’t discussed nearly enough.
The book was structured and well-organized, with details about women from the 1770s to 1970s.
I appreciate that the authors chose to feature women who are lesser known, I unfortunately hadn’t heard of about 75% of the women in this book. You won’t find Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, or RBG, but you will find Charlotte Forten, Mary Katherine Goddard, and Patsy Mink.
A very important, inspirational, and eye-opening read!
March 2, 2026
It will never not upset me the way that the history of anyone who isn't a white man gets pushed aside when this book is proof that the history of women is just as and perhaps even more important to highlight.
I was pleasantly surprised by this because sometimes when picking up a history book the writing can be dry. Just like sometimes when a book proclaims to be a history of women it ends up being a history of WHITE women only. So I was happy to discover that the writing was engaging and informative without veering towards dry and that the book highlighted women of all races, ages and economic backgrounds.
I also appreciated how this chose to focus on the history of lesser known women (there were a few chapters that focused on more famous women). Not only did I enjoy this, but I also learned a lot.
I was pleasantly surprised by this because sometimes when picking up a history book the writing can be dry. Just like sometimes when a book proclaims to be a history of women it ends up being a history of WHITE women only. So I was happy to discover that the writing was engaging and informative without veering towards dry and that the book highlighted women of all races, ages and economic backgrounds.
I also appreciated how this chose to focus on the history of lesser known women (there were a few chapters that focused on more famous women). Not only did I enjoy this, but I also learned a lot.
March 13, 2026
It was so refreshing to read about the women trailblazers in history, many I never heard of until this book.
I have experienced sexism first hand in the 70’s trying to buy a car. I had to upfront money in a credit card both to establish credit but also to show my financial worthiness.
I think about my grandmother who was born in 1905 and wondered how she felt when she was finally able to vote.
I liked how the book was broken into different eras from the American revolution till now.
I have been writing my own story and reflecting on the pandemic and other world events so my granddaughter will know how I felt and how we survived and thrived.
I hope to see a female president in my lifetime.
I’m sure there are many more women who deserve to have their stories told. Why wait, write your own!
I have experienced sexism first hand in the 70’s trying to buy a car. I had to upfront money in a credit card both to establish credit but also to show my financial worthiness.
I think about my grandmother who was born in 1905 and wondered how she felt when she was finally able to vote.
I liked how the book was broken into different eras from the American revolution till now.
I have been writing my own story and reflecting on the pandemic and other world events so my granddaughter will know how I felt and how we survived and thrived.
I hope to see a female president in my lifetime.
I’m sure there are many more women who deserve to have their stories told. Why wait, write your own!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is an important book about some really remarkable women in American history that most of us have never heard about. Paraphrasing Norah O'Donnell, "None of these people were in any of my history books!" I am in awe of the bravery, pioneering spirit, and perseverance of these women in the face of systemic sexism, and racism, throughout American history. This book, written in an easy to read conversational style, consists of 35 realtively short chapters, each devoted to individual women who shaped history from the American Revolution to the present. As the subtitle states these are "The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America." This should be required reading. Highly recommended
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced reader copy
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced reader copy
March 9, 2026
For every woman that history celebrates as influential, some 100s contributed to the advancement of history but are never celebrated. Norah O'Donnell is a celebrity journalist who has always promoted the accomplishments of everyday people who make positive changes in the lives of many. In WE THE WOMEN, she provides short informational stories of women helping women to succeed. The silent achievements of many are representative of how one dedicated person can make a difference. I've always loved learning and sharing stories such as these. It makes it much easier to appreciate what we have. This is an excellent book to share with the younger women in your life. They should know how far the world has travelled to reach the rights and privileges they often take for granted.
February 25, 2026
This book opened my eyes to how much of American history I was never taught. We the Women shines a light on the courageous, often overlooked women who helped shape the country while fighting to claim the very rights promised in its founding documents.
I appreciated how human and accessible the stories felt well researched but never heavy. Learning about figures like Mary Katherine Goddard and the Forten family women added powerful depth to the narrative of America’s past.
It’s inspiring, thought-provoking, and a meaningful reminder that the fight for equality has always included women at the forefront, even when history forgot to mention them.
I appreciated how human and accessible the stories felt well researched but never heavy. Learning about figures like Mary Katherine Goddard and the Forten family women added powerful depth to the narrative of America’s past.
It’s inspiring, thought-provoking, and a meaningful reminder that the fight for equality has always included women at the forefront, even when history forgot to mention them.
March 10, 2026
Hey,
I came across your story recently and really enjoyed reading it. Your writing paints such clear images in the mind, and it made the story feel very cinematic. Because of that, I couldn’t help but imagine how amazing it could look as a webtoon or comic.
I’m a commissioned comic artist, and I’d love to create visuals inspired by your story if that’s something you'd ever be interested in exploring. Absolutely no pressure, I simply wanted to reach out because your story left a great impression on me.
If you'd ever like to chat about the idea, you can reach me on Discord (lunapuresoul) or Instagram (lunaartsoul).
Best regards,
Luna
I came across your story recently and really enjoyed reading it. Your writing paints such clear images in the mind, and it made the story feel very cinematic. Because of that, I couldn’t help but imagine how amazing it could look as a webtoon or comic.
I’m a commissioned comic artist, and I’d love to create visuals inspired by your story if that’s something you'd ever be interested in exploring. Absolutely no pressure, I simply wanted to reach out because your story left a great impression on me.
If you'd ever like to chat about the idea, you can reach me on Discord (lunapuresoul) or Instagram (lunaartsoul).
Best regards,
Luna
March 12, 2026
This is a terrific book. It deserves a place on our high school history shelves. O'Donnell chose 35 women from 1776-1976 whose lives and accomplishments shaped U.S. history in a multitude of ways. Some are relatively unknown like Mary Katherine Goddard who printed the first Declaration of Independence in her own printing business in Baltimore (her name is printed at the bottom of the document). Others are very well known like Eleanor Roosevelt. She chose black, Native American, Asian, Latina and white women. These stories encourage and uplift while describing the continual discrimination against women in our history, which still continues today. Thank you Norah O'Donnell..
March 13, 2026
Hey,
I hope everything’s going well. I recently stumbled upon your story and wanted to say that it’s seriously impressive. Your writing pulled me in, and I could easily imagine it as a comic or webtoon while reading.
I’m an artist who works on comics, manga, webtoons, character art, and book covers. I think your story would look amazing in a visual format, and I’d love to be commissioned to help make that happen.
No pressure at all just wanted to reach out. If you’d like to talk more or see my work, you can contact me on Discord (bennett_lol) or Instagram (eve_verse_).
Regards,
bennett.
I hope everything’s going well. I recently stumbled upon your story and wanted to say that it’s seriously impressive. Your writing pulled me in, and I could easily imagine it as a comic or webtoon while reading.
I’m an artist who works on comics, manga, webtoons, character art, and book covers. I think your story would look amazing in a visual format, and I’d love to be commissioned to help make that happen.
No pressure at all just wanted to reach out. If you’d like to talk more or see my work, you can contact me on Discord (bennett_lol) or Instagram (eve_verse_).
Regards,
bennett.
March 10, 2026
I loved this book! 35 remarkable women’s stories are told throughout this book. They had guts. They were brave. They were mostly overlooked. And their stories moved and inspired me. Some of these women I was already familiar with, but many were new to me. I will always be a fan girl of books who tell the world about strong women.
"You come from strength. You come from resilience. You come from women who refused to be silenced"
"I wonder how my own sense of self, power, and courage might have been shaped if I had learned more about these women as a young girl"
"You come from strength. You come from resilience. You come from women who refused to be silenced"
"I wonder how my own sense of self, power, and courage might have been shaped if I had learned more about these women as a young girl"
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an advanced copy of this book.
This is a collection of stories about women who have shaped America through their perseverance, courage, and ambition. Some of these women are known, but the readers are likely to read stories of history that are unknown to them. These women will provide inspiration are you learn more about how they worked to ensure equality and rights for all. Each story in contained in a single chapter and is easy to read.
This is a collection of stories about women who have shaped America through their perseverance, courage, and ambition. Some of these women are known, but the readers are likely to read stories of history that are unknown to them. These women will provide inspiration are you learn more about how they worked to ensure equality and rights for all. Each story in contained in a single chapter and is easy to read.
February 27, 2026
An excellent book about the many women that have shaped the history of America. These unsung hero’s are so deserving of the recognition that Norah has so thoughtfully curated. Each chapter is an education for the reader and a page turner mixing the past with the present. Everyone should know who these women are and the impact they have made to our country. Norah O’Donnell has done just that with her powerful prose.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Ballentine Books and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.
This book was excellent! I learned so much about the women that shaped our country. I had heard of some of these women, but some were brand new to me. All I can say is it was a fantastic read, and everyone should read it!
This book was excellent! I learned so much about the women that shaped our country. I had heard of some of these women, but some were brand new to me. All I can say is it was a fantastic read, and everyone should read it!
February 28, 2026
Obviously not every significant woman in history could be profiled in this book, but I was surprised by some omitted, including Madam CJ Walker. Others who only received honorable mentions should have been expounded upon too, like Sandra Day O’Connor and Shirley Chisholm in place of those better known like Eleanor Roosevelt.
March 8, 2026
Was so excited to read this book especially because it’s March, which is women’s history month. A great time to celebrate women. Audiobook narration by Nora was excellent. Unfortunately, the book was not. Too many chapters about too many women and too little time spent on them. It was a basic, quick overview with not much substance was bored and skipped around. Would not recommend.
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