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Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors, and Trailblazers Who Changed History
You may think you know women’s history pretty well, but have you ever heard of. . .
· Alice Ball, the chemist who developed an effective treatment for leprosy—only to have the credit taken by a man?
· Mary Sherman Morgan, the rocket scientist whose liquid fuel compounds blasted the first U.S. satellite into orbit?
· Huang Daopo, the inventor whose weaving technology revolutionized textile production in China—centuries before the cotton gin?
Smart women have always been able to achieve amazing things, even when the odds were stacked against them. In Wonder Women, author Sam Maggs tells the stories of the brilliant, brainy, and totally rad women in history who broke barriers as scientists, engineers, mathematicians, adventurers, and inventors. Also included are interviews with real-life women in STEM careers, an extensive bibliography, and a guide to women-centric science and technology organizations—all to show the many ways the geeky girls of today can help build the future.
· Alice Ball, the chemist who developed an effective treatment for leprosy—only to have the credit taken by a man?
· Mary Sherman Morgan, the rocket scientist whose liquid fuel compounds blasted the first U.S. satellite into orbit?
· Huang Daopo, the inventor whose weaving technology revolutionized textile production in China—centuries before the cotton gin?
Smart women have always been able to achieve amazing things, even when the odds were stacked against them. In Wonder Women, author Sam Maggs tells the stories of the brilliant, brainy, and totally rad women in history who broke barriers as scientists, engineers, mathematicians, adventurers, and inventors. Also included are interviews with real-life women in STEM careers, an extensive bibliography, and a guide to women-centric science and technology organizations—all to show the many ways the geeky girls of today can help build the future.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2016
About the author
Sam Maggs
119 books948 followersSAM MAGGS is a bestselling writer of books, comics, and video games, including Marvel Action: Captain Marvel, The Unstoppable Wasp: Built on Hope, Tell No Tales, Con Quest!, and Marvel's Spider-Man PS4. A Canadian in Los Angeles, she misses Coffee Crisp and bagged milk. Visit her online at sammaggs.com or @SamMaggs!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 441 reviews
May 29, 2019
ughhhh.
this is like if tumblr circa 2011 wrote a book. and god help us if tumblr circa 2011 ever gains the sentience to do something like that.
all of the language in this is extreme Tryhard Quirky Internet Slang, and it's grueling. also, grating. also, trivializes the incredible work of 25 women who suffered and struggled to make a difference in one way or another.
and like...if it trivializes the work of the women it's supposed to be upholding and praising...what is the goddamn point, pray tell?
bottom line: this was VERY DISAPPOINTING.
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will i ever get tired of reading anthologies of powerful women in history? let's find out
this is like if tumblr circa 2011 wrote a book. and god help us if tumblr circa 2011 ever gains the sentience to do something like that.
all of the language in this is extreme Tryhard Quirky Internet Slang, and it's grueling. also, grating. also, trivializes the incredible work of 25 women who suffered and struggled to make a difference in one way or another.
and like...if it trivializes the work of the women it's supposed to be upholding and praising...what is the goddamn point, pray tell?
bottom line: this was VERY DISAPPOINTING.
-------
will i ever get tired of reading anthologies of powerful women in history? let's find out
December 24, 2016
First, the bad news, of the 25 featured women in this book I knew of only one – Bessie Coleman. And of the total 67 women included in the book, each a hero in her own right, I had heard of only 4 others prior to reading Wonder Women (Marie Curie, Grace Hooper, Erica Baker and Amelia Earhart). Just 7% - miserable.
I’m no historian but I do read a fair amount of history so I was surprised at my dismal results with knowing so few of these names and their major impact on society and history.
I guess that’s the point Sam Maggs makes with her book and what she is out to tackle. The fact that so many women over came gargantuan obstacles and odds to accomplish great things yet remain virtually unknown to most people. And even worse, in a number of cases we know the names of the men that took the credit for these women’s work. Outrageous.
Now the good news, I’ve learned about 67 remarkable women from this wonderful and remarkable book. A book I am delighted to share and recommend to everyone, including the most special young woman in my life – my daughter.
Before I continue my review, allow me to provide a little backstory. I was fortunate enough to attend Book Expo America and take advantage of obtaining some sample books from the plethora available as well as see and meet some of the world’s most gifted authors. It was an amazing week.
As I explored Chicago’s expansive McCormick Place Convention Center I picked up some books for my wife and me, however, I was really hunting for a great book for my daughter.
If she was still a child it would have been easy – the children’s selection was, like the show itself, overwhelming. But she’s not 8 anymore; rather 18 and sourcing the right book for her proved to be a bit more challenging (at least for a dad). Until, that is, I found myself at the Quirk Books booth.
While there, I was impressed by a personable woman with a streak of bright blue in her dark hair, Sam Maggs, happily signing copies of her new book with a long line of enthusiastic fans. I was fortunate enough to score my own copy and as soon as I saw the title and description I knew I had found the perfect book for my daughter.
What I did not know is how much I did not know, specifically about these women in history.
Wonder Women tells incredible stories about incredible women through time. How Maggs managed to identify and research all of these women is pretty incredible as well.
I also enjoyed the author’s modern and fun voice in describing these women, their situations and their achievements making this a fresh, fun, and fantastic, or “totally rad” read. ☺
In addition I liked the way the book is organized. There are 5 specific sections with related short stories such as Women of Medicine or Women of Adventure. The stories are followed by additional snippets on more stand-out women in each category. This is then followed by a related Q&A interview of a present day woman.
One of my favorite interviews is with Erica Baker of Slack. If you work in Silicon Valley you are probably familiar with Slack and maybe Erica, too. If you don’t you may not have heard of the company or Erica yet but, I bet you will. In addition to helping make Slack an awesome app, Erica is doing important work to promote diversity in tech. This includes advising and mentoring with a number of fantastic organizations like Black Girls Code among others.
I am lucky enough to know and work with many wonder women too and one of the beauties of Goodreads is the ability to recommend a book to friends. Wonder Women is going to be getting a record number of personal recommendations from me and I highly recommend it to you.
It’s a great book and it’s an important book. And I think Sam Maggs is a hero for writing it.
I’m no historian but I do read a fair amount of history so I was surprised at my dismal results with knowing so few of these names and their major impact on society and history.
I guess that’s the point Sam Maggs makes with her book and what she is out to tackle. The fact that so many women over came gargantuan obstacles and odds to accomplish great things yet remain virtually unknown to most people. And even worse, in a number of cases we know the names of the men that took the credit for these women’s work. Outrageous.
Now the good news, I’ve learned about 67 remarkable women from this wonderful and remarkable book. A book I am delighted to share and recommend to everyone, including the most special young woman in my life – my daughter.
Before I continue my review, allow me to provide a little backstory. I was fortunate enough to attend Book Expo America and take advantage of obtaining some sample books from the plethora available as well as see and meet some of the world’s most gifted authors. It was an amazing week.
As I explored Chicago’s expansive McCormick Place Convention Center I picked up some books for my wife and me, however, I was really hunting for a great book for my daughter.
If she was still a child it would have been easy – the children’s selection was, like the show itself, overwhelming. But she’s not 8 anymore; rather 18 and sourcing the right book for her proved to be a bit more challenging (at least for a dad). Until, that is, I found myself at the Quirk Books booth.
While there, I was impressed by a personable woman with a streak of bright blue in her dark hair, Sam Maggs, happily signing copies of her new book with a long line of enthusiastic fans. I was fortunate enough to score my own copy and as soon as I saw the title and description I knew I had found the perfect book for my daughter.
What I did not know is how much I did not know, specifically about these women in history.
Wonder Women tells incredible stories about incredible women through time. How Maggs managed to identify and research all of these women is pretty incredible as well.
I also enjoyed the author’s modern and fun voice in describing these women, their situations and their achievements making this a fresh, fun, and fantastic, or “totally rad” read. ☺
In addition I liked the way the book is organized. There are 5 specific sections with related short stories such as Women of Medicine or Women of Adventure. The stories are followed by additional snippets on more stand-out women in each category. This is then followed by a related Q&A interview of a present day woman.
One of my favorite interviews is with Erica Baker of Slack. If you work in Silicon Valley you are probably familiar with Slack and maybe Erica, too. If you don’t you may not have heard of the company or Erica yet but, I bet you will. In addition to helping make Slack an awesome app, Erica is doing important work to promote diversity in tech. This includes advising and mentoring with a number of fantastic organizations like Black Girls Code among others.
I am lucky enough to know and work with many wonder women too and one of the beauties of Goodreads is the ability to recommend a book to friends. Wonder Women is going to be getting a record number of personal recommendations from me and I highly recommend it to you.
It’s a great book and it’s an important book. And I think Sam Maggs is a hero for writing it.
November 4, 2016
I read this and then passed it to my thirteen-year old daughter who read it right after me. This is a combination review from both of us: myself on content, hers on its delivery.
I'm always intrigued by books that celebrate women. As a mother who loves to read, when I come across something that could be empowering to my young daughter, that intrigue intensifies. I loved that Maggs put forward many women who aren't very well known (or, frankly, who aren't known at all) in Wonder Women.
Sadly, all of this was lost on my teen daughter because she couldn't get past the writing. Wonder Women was tossed aside with a sigh and a simple statement: "The writing is like when Grandma pretends to talk to me like we're the same age." When Grandma does it, she's just being silly and knows she sounds ridiculous. When it's done in Wonder Women, it's embarrassing.
It's impossible to rate a book above two stars when the people it's meant to educate (tweens, teens, and young women) won't read it because it's trying too hard to sit at the cool-kid table. Sadly, all the good that could have come from this book is lost when my daughter (a voracious reader herself) refuses to finish it.
I'd like to thank Net Galley and the publisher, Quirk Books, who furnished an ARC of this book for my honest opinion, which this certainly is.
UPDATE: I have to add something here, as I received an unusual comment on another forum attempting to contradict this review. Here's a note to publishers, authors, and their friends and family: It is generally considered in bad taste by most casual readers - and certainly by all professional reviewers - to have reviews argued over online by people who (whether true or not) will be presumed to be affiliated with the author. This is particularly true when it appears the commenter is on a personal crusade to try and invalidate the opinion of a 13-year old girl, as was the case here.
I'm always intrigued by books that celebrate women. As a mother who loves to read, when I come across something that could be empowering to my young daughter, that intrigue intensifies. I loved that Maggs put forward many women who aren't very well known (or, frankly, who aren't known at all) in Wonder Women.
Sadly, all of this was lost on my teen daughter because she couldn't get past the writing. Wonder Women was tossed aside with a sigh and a simple statement: "The writing is like when Grandma pretends to talk to me like we're the same age." When Grandma does it, she's just being silly and knows she sounds ridiculous. When it's done in Wonder Women, it's embarrassing.
It's impossible to rate a book above two stars when the people it's meant to educate (tweens, teens, and young women) won't read it because it's trying too hard to sit at the cool-kid table. Sadly, all the good that could have come from this book is lost when my daughter (a voracious reader herself) refuses to finish it.
I'd like to thank Net Galley and the publisher, Quirk Books, who furnished an ARC of this book for my honest opinion, which this certainly is.
UPDATE: I have to add something here, as I received an unusual comment on another forum attempting to contradict this review. Here's a note to publishers, authors, and their friends and family: It is generally considered in bad taste by most casual readers - and certainly by all professional reviewers - to have reviews argued over online by people who (whether true or not) will be presumed to be affiliated with the author. This is particularly true when it appears the commenter is on a personal crusade to try and invalidate the opinion of a 13-year old girl, as was the case here.
June 17, 2018
এই বইটি এমন কয়েকজন নারীকে নিয়ে, যাদের নাম আমি জানতাম না। একদমই জানতাম না! কিন্তু যেসব কাজের পেছনে তাঁদের অবদান আছে, সেগুলোর অধিকাংশই খুব চেনা-জানা। কি অদ্ভুত ব্যাপার, তাই না? একজন অনেক কষ্ট করল পৃথিবীকে নতুন কিছু উপহার দেওয়ার জন্য, কিন্তু তাঁর নাম হারিয়ে গেল সময়ের কোন এক ব্ল্যাক হোলে!
নারীরা যে শুধু এই আধুনিক যুগে এসে জ্ঞান-বিজ্ঞানের বিভিন্ন ক্ষেত্রে অবদান রাখছে, তা কিন্তু নয়। অনেক আগে থেকেই তাঁরা দারুণভাবে অবদান রেখেছেন তাঁদের নিজ নিজ ক্ষেত্রে। কিন্তু সব ক্ষেত্রেই নারীদের বৈষম্যের শিকার হওয়ার ঘটনা নতুন কিছু ছিল না, নতুন কিছু নয় এখনও। আর তাই তো আমরা সেই গুণী মানুষগুলোর নাম জানি না। অনেক ক্ষেত্রেই তাঁদের কাজের কৃতিত্ব নিজের ঝুলিতে ভরে দেশে-বিদেশে নাম-খ্যাতি কুড়িয়েছেন অন্য কেউ! *লজ্জা*
কিন্তু এই অদম্য নারীরা থামেননি। কারণ খ্যাতির আশায় তাঁরা কখনও কিছু করেনি। তাঁদের প্রত্যেকটি পদক্ষেপের পেছনে ছিল নিজ নিজ কাজের প্রতি তাঁদের ভালবাসা। আর তাই তো তাঁরা এগিয়ে চলেছেন নতুন উদ্যমে।
বইটি মূলত পাঁচটি অধ্যায়ে বিভক্ত।
- Women of Science
- Women of Medicine
- Women of Espionage
- Women of Innovation
- Women of Adventure
লেখিকা খুব সুন্দর করে গুছিয়ে লিখেছেন প্রত্যেকটি অংশে (যদিও কিছু লাইনের শেষে ব্র্যাকেটের ভেতর আলাদা করে তাঁর ক্ষোভ প্রকাশের ধরণটা খুব একটা ভালো লাগেনি আমার!)। বইয়ের শেষে আবার উল্লেখিত নারীদের সব পাব্লিকেশনের লিস্ট পর্যন্ত দেওয়া আছে! অনেক লেখাপড়া করতে হয়েছে লেখিকাকে, সেটা বুঝতে অসুবিধা হয় না। কৃতজ্ঞতা এবং ভালবাসা তাঁর জন্য।
নারীরা যে শুধু এই আধুনিক যুগে এসে জ্ঞান-বিজ্ঞানের বিভিন্ন ক্ষেত্রে অবদান রাখছে, তা কিন্তু নয়। অনেক আগে থেকেই তাঁরা দারুণভাবে অবদান রেখেছেন তাঁদের নিজ নিজ ক্ষেত্রে। কিন্তু সব ক্ষেত্রেই নারীদের বৈষম্যের শিকার হওয়ার ঘটনা নতুন কিছু ছিল না, নতুন কিছু নয় এখনও। আর তাই তো আমরা সেই গুণী মানুষগুলোর নাম জানি না। অনেক ক্ষেত্রেই তাঁদের কাজের কৃতিত্ব নিজের ঝুলিতে ভরে দেশে-বিদেশে নাম-খ্যাতি কুড়িয়েছেন অন্য কেউ! *লজ্জা*
কিন্তু এই অদম্য নারীরা থামেননি। কারণ খ্যাতির আশায় তাঁরা কখনও কিছু করেনি। তাঁদের প্রত্যেকটি পদক্ষেপের পেছনে ছিল নিজ নিজ কাজের প্রতি তাঁদের ভালবাসা। আর তাই তো তাঁরা এগিয়ে চলেছেন নতুন উদ্যমে।
বইটি মূলত পাঁচটি অধ্যায়ে বিভক্ত।
- Women of Science
- Women of Medicine
- Women of Espionage
- Women of Innovation
- Women of Adventure
লেখিকা খুব সুন্দর করে গুছিয়ে লিখেছেন প্রত্যেকটি অংশে (যদিও কিছু লাইনের শেষে ব্র্যাকেটের ভেতর আলাদা করে তাঁর ক্ষোভ প্রকাশের ধরণটা খুব একটা ভালো লাগেনি আমার!)। বইয়ের শেষে আবার উল্লেখিত নারীদের সব পাব্লিকেশনের লিস্ট পর্যন্ত দেওয়া আছে! অনেক লেখাপড়া করতে হয়েছে লেখিকাকে, সেটা বুঝতে অসুবিধা হয় না। কৃতজ্ঞতা এবং ভালবাসা তাঁর জন্য।
April 15, 2018
4.5* A book sharing the stories and lives of a diverse group of amazing, badass and ridiculously smart women, what’s not to love? This put a smile on my face on numerous occasions, whether that be because of the amazing things these women conquered or because of the kickass things they did and said to conquer them. The structure of the book made for a quick and easy read I could dip in and out of with I really enjoyed. I adored reading about each and everyone of these awesome women and have already pushed this into the hands of my mum who’s already started reading it!
June 27, 2017
5 Words: History, feminism, science, engineering, spies.
This book took me a long time to read. Not because I didn't want to pick it up, but because each time I read about another of the extraordinary women I ended up lost in research, because I wanted to know more.
I would say that this is quite a quirky book. I loved the care and attention that went in to the design, the illustrations, the quotations. I loved the almost dry, sarcastic tone.
This book took me a long time to read. Not because I didn't want to pick it up, but because each time I read about another of the extraordinary women I ended up lost in research, because I wanted to know more.
I would say that this is quite a quirky book. I loved the care and attention that went in to the design, the illustrations, the quotations. I loved the almost dry, sarcastic tone.
March 22, 2017
Prior to reading this book, I'd only heard of a couple of the women mentioned (Marie Curie and Amelia Earhart). I might not have paid attention to lot of my history classes in school but I would have remembered these women if I had been taught about what they've done for the world.
The fact that so many of women's impact on history has been throw aside and disregarded upsets me so much. But thanks to Sam Maggs, we can educate ourselves on some of the women that changed the world. Sam clearly did a ton of research for this book and it shows. It's extremely well written and fun to read. I've learned so much about history because of this book and I can't recommend it enough.
The fact that so many of women's impact on history has been throw aside and disregarded upsets me so much. But thanks to Sam Maggs, we can educate ourselves on some of the women that changed the world. Sam clearly did a ton of research for this book and it shows. It's extremely well written and fun to read. I've learned so much about history because of this book and I can't recommend it enough.
May 19, 2017
Um livro lindo e importante <3
Fiz um vídeo especial ~sem spoilers~ falando sobre ele https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbmUX...
Fiz um vídeo especial ~sem spoilers~ falando sobre ele https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbmUX...
July 4, 2017
I've read a fair few of these biography compilations, and this is one of the best. The full-lengthy biographies are of women who will likely be new to most readers (I'd only heard of a handful of them before myself) and the more obvious names like Marie Curie and Nellie Bly are instead covered in the short, one-paragraph bios at the end of each chapter. Each chapter also features an interview with a woman currently working in the field spotlighted in that chapter. Maggs went out of her way to showcase a diverse and fascinating group of women, and she does so in a conversational, easy-to-read style.
May 18, 2016
I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
YES YES YES SO MUCH YES TO THIS BOOK. I've been waiting for this basically ever since I read my e-galley of Sam Maggs's first book "The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy" because I loved how feminist and awesome that was and so I could not wait for her to release something else. And I was NOT disappointed by this.
In this book, Sam Maggs tells us about different women throughout history from all around the world who you will probably never have heard of, and there are also interviews with women who work in the sciences, and it's all very encouraging to pursue a career in the sciences as well (if only just to piss so-called "men's rights' activists" off) - I got a little sad when I realised that I cannot grasp most scientific concepts at all, no matter how hard I try, I just cannot wrap my head around it. Regardless though, I absolutely loved this book and would 100% recommend it to all of you. It hits shelves on October 18, so this is a super early review, I know, but I will be doing a video review closer to the release date as well.
YES YES YES SO MUCH YES TO THIS BOOK. I've been waiting for this basically ever since I read my e-galley of Sam Maggs's first book "The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy" because I loved how feminist and awesome that was and so I could not wait for her to release something else. And I was NOT disappointed by this.
In this book, Sam Maggs tells us about different women throughout history from all around the world who you will probably never have heard of, and there are also interviews with women who work in the sciences, and it's all very encouraging to pursue a career in the sciences as well (if only just to piss so-called "men's rights' activists" off) - I got a little sad when I realised that I cannot grasp most scientific concepts at all, no matter how hard I try, I just cannot wrap my head around it. Regardless though, I absolutely loved this book and would 100% recommend it to all of you. It hits shelves on October 18, so this is a super early review, I know, but I will be doing a video review closer to the release date as well.
November 9, 2016
Sam Meggs’ Wonder Women takes a look at many women throughout history that have had their accomplishments either long since buried or stolen by a member of the opposite sex. Twenty-five women are featured - with an additional forty-two in blurbs - in the categories of science, engineering, mathematics, adventuring, and inventions. Each mini-biography is written with equal parts snark and research and while Meggs tries to keep things light through her conversational tone, it’s disheartening to hear just how difficult it was for women to be viewed as equal to men throughout history. I’m not naive in saying that in 2016 we’ve solved that problem, but we’ve certainly come a long way from the days of barring women in America from getting an education. Given the talent, brilliance and perseverance of the women on display here, think how much further ahead our society would be if we just embraced equality.
Wonder Women is a fascinating read for men and women alike; an important look at some of the great women who quietly revolutionized our world.
Wonder Women is a fascinating read for men and women alike; an important look at some of the great women who quietly revolutionized our world.
July 30, 2016
While I was very interested in this topic, the writing style defeated me. This is marketed as an adult book, but I think it would be more appealing to teens -- breezy, informal, and full of exclamations. I appreciate that the author is trying to make history more accessible to a generation that finds history a deadly dull subject; I am just not the target audience.
October 13, 2017
I didn't know many of the women featured in this book & I'm deeply ashamed.
MORE PEOPLE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK!
MORE PEOPLE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK!
August 18, 2018
I love all the women in this book, and they are all heroes. And that is so many more heroes than I knew existed before. And I want to learn more! I’m also so mad for these women who often did not get the credit they deserved, their contributions frequently claimed by men, or even just sold to white guys because the women of color believed society would not accept their work if they knew who it was from. This books opens up so many doors to role models and each woman featured deserves an entire biography if they don’t have one already. I had already added Spy Princess: The Life of Noor Inayat Khan to my list, as well as Nelly Bly’s work, but I want to explore more, like Maria Sibylla Merian! The only thing I wish it had was a section for artists. Some reviews complain of the writing style, but it fits right in with my nerd girl demographic, and I’d take that any day over dry boring style non fiction.
September 12, 2017
Such an interesting read. I'd heard of exactly 1 of the 25 featured women, and I didn't know much about her, so I learnt a LOT from this book. Not much else to say except that it is fascinating and everyone should read it!
December 28, 2017
This book is a compilation of short biographies of some very impressive women. I really love reading inspirational stories of women who beat the odds and become very successful at what they love to do (and even more so if they succeed in predominantly male areas), so I should have loved this book. Yet, l'm a bit disappointed.
The tone of this book is very colloquial. That is not a bad thing per se, but the author tried to find "that sweet spot somewhere between textbook and Tumblr", which is not for me. It is a little bit too much on the Tumblr side, making it hard to take the stories seriously. What bugged me even more was, that the style is not just informative, but that the author gives her own opinion on everything (explicitly by writing things like "that's cool" and "this is so impressive, considering ..." and implicitly by choosing to almost only write positive things about these ladies). This makes it hard for the reader to form their own opinion (because yes, a person can do remarkable things and be very successful while having to fight the patriarchy, and still be unlikeable!).
Furthermore, the "man-hating" tone in most stories was a bit too much. Almost every man is "some dude" and the author chooses to highlight the bad men over the good ones (she does, for example, not even mention David Hilbert by name, although he is crucial to Emmy Noether's success and definitely one of the good guys). This is done, of course, to emphasize just how remarkable these women were, but I think that it is possible to marvel at their achievements without looking down on men.
All in all, this book seems to be overly motivated to "sell" these female accomplishments. This is not necessary, because the accomplishments are great enough on their own, they do not need this over-selling.
Another (although small) downside is, that there are some typos and incomplete sentences throughout this book.
On a positive note: I really like the look of the book, and the cute illustrations. I also like that it does include women scientists, doctors, spys, inventors and adventures (although the choice for one field seems quite random and is never really explained). The women mentioned in this book all really did very impressive things and most of their stories are very inspirational. I also liked the interviews with women who are working in the respective fields today, and would have liked more than one interview per field (although, again, the choice of interview partner seems quite random).
This book is best suited for young women who already are in a predominantly male profession or studying something in a "male" field, and who are going through a tough phase. In this (quite specific) circumstances, this book might have the power to motivate them and lift them up. They should hurry, though, because the Tumblr tone will be outdated quite soon ;).
The tone of this book is very colloquial. That is not a bad thing per se, but the author tried to find "that sweet spot somewhere between textbook and Tumblr", which is not for me. It is a little bit too much on the Tumblr side, making it hard to take the stories seriously. What bugged me even more was, that the style is not just informative, but that the author gives her own opinion on everything (explicitly by writing things like "that's cool" and "this is so impressive, considering ..." and implicitly by choosing to almost only write positive things about these ladies). This makes it hard for the reader to form their own opinion (because yes, a person can do remarkable things and be very successful while having to fight the patriarchy, and still be unlikeable!).
Furthermore, the "man-hating" tone in most stories was a bit too much. Almost every man is "some dude" and the author chooses to highlight the bad men over the good ones (she does, for example, not even mention David Hilbert by name, although he is crucial to Emmy Noether's success and definitely one of the good guys). This is done, of course, to emphasize just how remarkable these women were, but I think that it is possible to marvel at their achievements without looking down on men.
All in all, this book seems to be overly motivated to "sell" these female accomplishments. This is not necessary, because the accomplishments are great enough on their own, they do not need this over-selling.
Another (although small) downside is, that there are some typos and incomplete sentences throughout this book.
On a positive note: I really like the look of the book, and the cute illustrations. I also like that it does include women scientists, doctors, spys, inventors and adventures (although the choice for one field seems quite random and is never really explained). The women mentioned in this book all really did very impressive things and most of their stories are very inspirational. I also liked the interviews with women who are working in the respective fields today, and would have liked more than one interview per field (although, again, the choice of interview partner seems quite random).
This book is best suited for young women who already are in a predominantly male profession or studying something in a "male" field, and who are going through a tough phase. In this (quite specific) circumstances, this book might have the power to motivate them and lift them up. They should hurry, though, because the Tumblr tone will be outdated quite soon ;).
January 10, 2017
I really loved the author's engaging writing style. She presented each of the women's stories in such a unique and fun way. It saddens me that out of the 67 women mentioned, I had only heard of 12 of them. What a shame so many remarkable women are virtually unknown! I'm so glad I picked this book up. This is an important and needed book and I will definitely be recommending it whenever I can.
January 2, 2017
Fantastic short articles/essays about amazing women from all over the world. This is one of those books where you constantly say "Hey, did you know that . . . ." The style and tone of the book was very fun and contemporary -- made this an engaging read for all ages. Great first read for the new year.
March 2, 2017
Ladies need real inspiration for the next time we find ourselves doubting our ability to invent something, the next time we fear learning how to code, the next time we feel like we just don't belong.
I know I'm in trouble writing a review when my bookmarks get into the third page.
I reviewed Sam Maggs' first book, The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy, and fell pretty hardcore for her. She's snarky and funny, and while I understand other reviewer's complaints about her writing style, I don't mind it at all. I find her amusing, and punny. You can always win me over with a good pun.
So, going into this, I was prepared to love it. And she didn't let me down at all. The women in this book are so freaking amazing. And I can guarantee there's way too many whose names you've never heard before.
The chapters are divided by individual specialty, whether it's women in science, women in medicine, women explorers, women inventors. There's so much to read, so much to take in. These are women who fought for themselves, fought for their fellow woman. These women not only overcame their own adversity, they helped others in enormous ways.
The chapters are short, but crammed with so much information. Some of which will make you REALLY ANGRY. The number of times these women were told no, nope, not happening. Get back in the kitchen, go make babies, you're too old to be unmarried and you're definitely too stupid to know how to be a doctor. You want to travel the world, well, your husband won't like that. Riding a bicycle? You wanton strumpet.
Nevertheless, they persisted.
Get thee to Amazon or your local bookstore or library, check out this book, and fall in love with 25+ amazing historical women. It's marvelous. And you will learn so much that you've never, ever heard before.
I know I'm in trouble writing a review when my bookmarks get into the third page.
I reviewed Sam Maggs' first book, The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy, and fell pretty hardcore for her. She's snarky and funny, and while I understand other reviewer's complaints about her writing style, I don't mind it at all. I find her amusing, and punny. You can always win me over with a good pun.
So, going into this, I was prepared to love it. And she didn't let me down at all. The women in this book are so freaking amazing. And I can guarantee there's way too many whose names you've never heard before.
The chapters are divided by individual specialty, whether it's women in science, women in medicine, women explorers, women inventors. There's so much to read, so much to take in. These are women who fought for themselves, fought for their fellow woman. These women not only overcame their own adversity, they helped others in enormous ways.
The chapters are short, but crammed with so much information. Some of which will make you REALLY ANGRY. The number of times these women were told no, nope, not happening. Get back in the kitchen, go make babies, you're too old to be unmarried and you're definitely too stupid to know how to be a doctor. You want to travel the world, well, your husband won't like that. Riding a bicycle? You wanton strumpet.
Nevertheless, they persisted.
Get thee to Amazon or your local bookstore or library, check out this book, and fall in love with 25+ amazing historical women. It's marvelous. And you will learn so much that you've never, ever heard before.
July 8, 2017
Wow. It should definitely be translated into every language on Earth and added to school's curriculum. Especially fragments when it clearly says how men used to stole women inventions and patent them as their own...
I fell in love with this book from the beginning but it completely stole my heart with those lines:
"Ginko was born to the Ogino family in 1851, just two years before the start of the Meiji Restoration (aka a time when white folks showed up and started ordering Japanese people around, a move you may be familiar with from similar historical story lines all over the world for all of time)."
Nothing surprising 'cause it connects with my field of study, but believe me, those comments in brackets - well, that's the essence of this book. They are wonderful and it's everything you want to say yourself while reading stories of those women.
If anyone should wonder: "to start reading or to not start reading", here's a perfect quotation that should make you read the book immediately:
"When in 1944 the Nazis failed to meet her as agreed in Madrid (a meeting at which she might have been interrogated about the whole Bay of Biscay incident), she wrote them the angriest, most spoiled entitled-girl letter that has likely ever been penned: "Absolutely livid about the uselessness of the journey which was expensive and disagreeable. You let me down." To the Nazis! Who then apologized and asked very nicely to keep working with her! What a queen." [I bet you don't know about who the author is talking here, ha!]
And, of course, there is Marie Skłodowska-Curie in there, so get the book and start reading!
I fell in love with this book from the beginning but it completely stole my heart with those lines:
"Ginko was born to the Ogino family in 1851, just two years before the start of the Meiji Restoration (aka a time when white folks showed up and started ordering Japanese people around, a move you may be familiar with from similar historical story lines all over the world for all of time)."
Nothing surprising 'cause it connects with my field of study, but believe me, those comments in brackets - well, that's the essence of this book. They are wonderful and it's everything you want to say yourself while reading stories of those women.
If anyone should wonder: "to start reading or to not start reading", here's a perfect quotation that should make you read the book immediately:
"When in 1944 the Nazis failed to meet her as agreed in Madrid (a meeting at which she might have been interrogated about the whole Bay of Biscay incident), she wrote them the angriest, most spoiled entitled-girl letter that has likely ever been penned: "Absolutely livid about the uselessness of the journey which was expensive and disagreeable. You let me down." To the Nazis! Who then apologized and asked very nicely to keep working with her! What a queen." [I bet you don't know about who the author is talking here, ha!]
And, of course, there is Marie Skłodowska-Curie in there, so get the book and start reading!
March 8, 2017
Yay women!
Here's to all the women who have gone against what society thinks is "proper" and gave a big screw you to men that tried to hold them back. Not only did they stand up for themselves, fought for what was right, but, oh yeah, ended up changing the world.
What!? I didn't know women could do all that!*
Mainly because, sadly, I had never heard of these women.
If any mention of these women is made in history books it's probably on a sidebar that no one is actually reading. I must say I find it kind of sad that we have to have books just about women in history, because no one else is telling their stories. We need to be reminded that they existed and made aware that they too had a hand in major moments and movements in the world. Without books like that it would all be a big "Who?".
As upsetting as I sometimes find it; I do love and appreciate that books like this are being written. I have always been a history fan and in recent years realized that it was time to focus on the women, because not only did they have a big part in it, but they were pretty awesome while doing whatever it is they did.
This book is must for everyone. I loved reading it so much and discovering new people I otherwise would have never known.
(*Note: I was totally aware women were capable of all that because, well duh.)
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Here's to all the women who have gone against what society thinks is "proper" and gave a big screw you to men that tried to hold them back. Not only did they stand up for themselves, fought for what was right, but, oh yeah, ended up changing the world.
What!? I didn't know women could do all that!*
Mainly because, sadly, I had never heard of these women.
If any mention of these women is made in history books it's probably on a sidebar that no one is actually reading. I must say I find it kind of sad that we have to have books just about women in history, because no one else is telling their stories. We need to be reminded that they existed and made aware that they too had a hand in major moments and movements in the world. Without books like that it would all be a big "Who?".
As upsetting as I sometimes find it; I do love and appreciate that books like this are being written. I have always been a history fan and in recent years realized that it was time to focus on the women, because not only did they have a big part in it, but they were pretty awesome while doing whatever it is they did.
This book is must for everyone. I loved reading it so much and discovering new people I otherwise would have never known.
(*Note: I was totally aware women were capable of all that because, well duh.)
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 3, 2016
If you ever wanted to learn about some awesome women whose accomplishments have been mostly lost to history, you'll want to pick up Wonder Women. I had heard of very few of the women profiled in this book (and none of the main 25 women) though their accomplishments in math, science, espionage, the arts, and more are some that we talk about all the time.
Do you know who really invented the cotton gin? Or who made production of the paper bags we use every day more efficient? Which woman had a Nobel Prize stolen from her when her partner took her work and claimed it as his own? You'll find out all of that and more in this quick, entertaining read.
I was impressed by the diversity of the stories told here; the women included are from Europe, Asia, Africa, America. They are Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Japanese; Black Americans and White Americans; Homosexual and Heterosexual; Married and Single, With Children and Without; Muslim, Jewish, Christian.
Some people might be put off by the conversational style of the book (there are a lot of parenthetical asides that inject modern slang and humorous reactions) but I enjoyed the quips and fast-paced writing; plus I think it will be an extra incentive for younger teens and older middle school-aged kids to pick this one up and learn about some kick ass heroines.
*I received a galley from NetGalley*
Do you know who really invented the cotton gin? Or who made production of the paper bags we use every day more efficient? Which woman had a Nobel Prize stolen from her when her partner took her work and claimed it as his own? You'll find out all of that and more in this quick, entertaining read.
I was impressed by the diversity of the stories told here; the women included are from Europe, Asia, Africa, America. They are Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Japanese; Black Americans and White Americans; Homosexual and Heterosexual; Married and Single, With Children and Without; Muslim, Jewish, Christian.
Some people might be put off by the conversational style of the book (there are a lot of parenthetical asides that inject modern slang and humorous reactions) but I enjoyed the quips and fast-paced writing; plus I think it will be an extra incentive for younger teens and older middle school-aged kids to pick this one up and learn about some kick ass heroines.
*I received a galley from NetGalley*
August 8, 2016
The author uses a very direct, young, sometimes sarcastic, sometimes funny tone. But, she gets the point across. After reading the book, I am feeling ashamed that I did not do anything groundbreaking so far, worrying about false ceilings. Imagine, how much it will affect the girls or young women of today, if they read this book at the beginning of their lives. The book shows that there is absolutely nothing that can stop you if you are determined. Many of the women featured have fought tooth and nail and done un-womenly things like ‘teaching a class full of male students and driving her own chariot’ in the 4th century. They have suffered humiliation, denial and betrayal at every step of their way. They have only emerged stronger and victorious.
The book has been researched very well with lots of interesting tidbits about the women. It is a valuable read for all women and will make a great gift to that favorite girl/niece of yours. Full review on my blog www.kaapitimes.com.
The book has been researched very well with lots of interesting tidbits about the women. It is a valuable read for all women and will make a great gift to that favorite girl/niece of yours. Full review on my blog www.kaapitimes.com.
Read
June 21, 2017I'm not sure how to rate this. It's a great overview of awesome women (most of whom I hadn't heard of) but the style/tone is SO ANNOYING AND COY and full of dumb jokes that I am overwhelmed with irritation.
January 8, 2018
RATING: 4 STARS
(Review Not on Blog)
I am loving these kind of books that showcase women in the past that have changed and made history. It is great seeing women be successful and inspire women of today.
(Review Not on Blog)
I am loving these kind of books that showcase women in the past that have changed and made history. It is great seeing women be successful and inspire women of today.
December 30, 2021
I now have a ton of new role models :D
October 13, 2016
This review originally appeared on my blog, Books Without Any Pictures:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
Wonder Women by Sam Maggs is a collection of vignettes of inspirational women in science, technology, engineering, and math (or STEM). The book is divided into 5 main sections: Women of Science, Women of Medicine, Women of Espionage, Women of Invention, Women of Innovation, and Women of Adventure. These sections are interspersed with interviews from current female scientists, providing advice and perspectives for those interested in following in their footsteps.
This book is so important, because in the modern-day US, our STEM workforce doesn't look like our population, and people tend to think of scientists as cantankerous old white dudes in lab coats, and many people couldn't name a famous female scientist who isn't Marie Curie. But throughout history there have been tons of pioneering women whose contributions to science have been ignored. They've got some super interesting stories, and Sam Maggs is here to tell them.
Some you may have heard of in passing, like Ada Lovelace, the world's first computer programmer. Others were new to me, and were totally badass. Take Marie Equi, for example--when someone tried to cheat her lover out of wages she was owed, Marie chased him around town with a horsewhip and made him pay up. And I was doubly impressed that Wonder Women made sure to include plenty of queer women and women of color. My one disappointment is that so many cool people died young, but that's not the fault of the book, but rather of history.
Sam Maggs approaches history with a casual tone, talking to readers about her subjects as if discussing them at a bar, which means that Wonder Women is sure to be inviting even for folks who don't read a lot of nonfiction. And because each chapter is about someone different, it reads a lot like a collection of short stories.
This book was a particularly interesting read for me, because it represents a place where my personal/blogging life overlaps with my professional life, where I manage a collection of digital resources for people applying for/receiving grants to create STEM learning opportunities outside of the classroom. After spending my work days reading about how important role models are for shaping whether or not people identify themselves as being science-y people, it was cool to read a book about the kinds of kickass women who we all should look up to.
I also got to meet Sam Maggs last night! She was on a panel at my local-ish comic book store, and I was totally psyched. (Aside: I am a dedicated book addict, because I stayed in the comic book shop even after someone brought in a dog which triggered an asthma attack. #noregrets)
http://bookswithoutanypictures.com/20...
Wonder Women by Sam Maggs is a collection of vignettes of inspirational women in science, technology, engineering, and math (or STEM). The book is divided into 5 main sections: Women of Science, Women of Medicine, Women of Espionage, Women of Invention, Women of Innovation, and Women of Adventure. These sections are interspersed with interviews from current female scientists, providing advice and perspectives for those interested in following in their footsteps.
This book is so important, because in the modern-day US, our STEM workforce doesn't look like our population, and people tend to think of scientists as cantankerous old white dudes in lab coats, and many people couldn't name a famous female scientist who isn't Marie Curie. But throughout history there have been tons of pioneering women whose contributions to science have been ignored. They've got some super interesting stories, and Sam Maggs is here to tell them.
Some you may have heard of in passing, like Ada Lovelace, the world's first computer programmer. Others were new to me, and were totally badass. Take Marie Equi, for example--when someone tried to cheat her lover out of wages she was owed, Marie chased him around town with a horsewhip and made him pay up. And I was doubly impressed that Wonder Women made sure to include plenty of queer women and women of color. My one disappointment is that so many cool people died young, but that's not the fault of the book, but rather of history.
Sam Maggs approaches history with a casual tone, talking to readers about her subjects as if discussing them at a bar, which means that Wonder Women is sure to be inviting even for folks who don't read a lot of nonfiction. And because each chapter is about someone different, it reads a lot like a collection of short stories.
This book was a particularly interesting read for me, because it represents a place where my personal/blogging life overlaps with my professional life, where I manage a collection of digital resources for people applying for/receiving grants to create STEM learning opportunities outside of the classroom. After spending my work days reading about how important role models are for shaping whether or not people identify themselves as being science-y people, it was cool to read a book about the kinds of kickass women who we all should look up to.
I also got to meet Sam Maggs last night! She was on a panel at my local-ish comic book store, and I was totally psyched. (Aside: I am a dedicated book addict, because I stayed in the comic book shop even after someone brought in a dog which triggered an asthma attack. #noregrets)
September 26, 2016
Review originally posted on my book blog:https://enchantedreaders.wordpress.co...
Wonder Women is one of those stories that fill you up with courage and strength. It's the kind of story that will make you believe that you can do anything.
Wonder Women is a book about a lot of women who weren't afraid to demonstrate their intelligence. Women who were creating and discovering things even when they weren't receiving credit for their work.I think this is a powerful novel that every single person in this world (and others, you know... calling the aliens out there) should read. It's sad that we don't hear anything about these women because a lot of men stole the credit of their work. I'm so glad this book exists, and that Quirk Books contacted me because they wanted me to read it and review it.
This is a book every teacher should have in their classrooms for those students who really want to know the truth behind everything; the truth about these women who were involved in STEM even before that term "existed".
I admire Sam Maggs for all the research she did to make this book a big thing; to share the truth with all of us. I loveeeee the chapter about espionage so much. I like how this book filled me up with courage to do anything I want. Sometimes we feel like shit for stupid things and that's nothing to all the things these women had to go through.
I finished this book so quickly because I was so interesting with learning more about women I didn't know were so powerful, and that had a great mind. I wish we had more people like Sam Maggs out there who speak the truth no matter what. You can't start reading this book thinking it would be boring because it's history. Trust me, it's such an amazing book fill with a lot of important information for all of us.
Make sure to grab a copy, read it and then, recommend it to everyone around you... even your dogs. You won't regret it!
Wonder Women is one of those stories that fill you up with courage and strength. It's the kind of story that will make you believe that you can do anything.
Wonder Women is a book about a lot of women who weren't afraid to demonstrate their intelligence. Women who were creating and discovering things even when they weren't receiving credit for their work.I think this is a powerful novel that every single person in this world (and others, you know... calling the aliens out there) should read. It's sad that we don't hear anything about these women because a lot of men stole the credit of their work. I'm so glad this book exists, and that Quirk Books contacted me because they wanted me to read it and review it.
This is a book every teacher should have in their classrooms for those students who really want to know the truth behind everything; the truth about these women who were involved in STEM even before that term "existed".
I admire Sam Maggs for all the research she did to make this book a big thing; to share the truth with all of us. I loveeeee the chapter about espionage so much. I like how this book filled me up with courage to do anything I want. Sometimes we feel like shit for stupid things and that's nothing to all the things these women had to go through.
I finished this book so quickly because I was so interesting with learning more about women I didn't know were so powerful, and that had a great mind. I wish we had more people like Sam Maggs out there who speak the truth no matter what. You can't start reading this book thinking it would be boring because it's history. Trust me, it's such an amazing book fill with a lot of important information for all of us.
Make sure to grab a copy, read it and then, recommend it to everyone around you... even your dogs. You won't regret it!
April 17, 2017
A very enjoyable and engaging feminist read tackling the representation and lack of visibility of women in STEM (Science-technology-engineering-mathematics). Accompanied by lovely illustrations by Sophia Foster-Dimino (and it's so refreshing to see a 0% sexualized all-woman set of illustrations with expressions ranging from serious-concentrated, to assertive, happy, challenging and determined :D!), the book explores a selection of women in the fields of science and mathematics, medicine, espionage, technology and innovation, and adventure. Good job with the representation as well - The author's selection includes women from different nationalities, races and class backgrounds -, and I really liked the snarky feminist humour in an otherwise serious and well-researched text that aims to visibilize awesome women in history and motivate women of today. As a feminist and a scientist (and a woman), I totally recommend anyone reading this book.
January 27, 2021
This took me so long to get through and I'm disappointed to say it's because I really didn't enjoy it. I absolutely loved learning about so many women I had never heard of or been exposed to; however, the author's endless interjections were annoying and I felt detracted from the important stories she was trying to tell. The humor felt very "hello fellow youths" and I just didn't think most of the little asides were funny or really added anything to the book. That ultimately made it difficult to get through. I think in the future, focusing on the important women history usually left behind and kicking the "humor" to the curb would be beneficial.
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