Motor Girls: How Women Took the Wheel and Drove Boldly Into the Twentieth Century

by Danica Patrick (Foreword), Sue Macy

Come along for a joy ride in this enthralling tribute to the daring women – Motor Girls, as they were called at the turn of the century – who got behind the wheel of the first cars and paved the way for change. The automobile has always symbolized freedom, and in this book we meet the first generation of female motorists who drove cars for fun, profit, and to make a statement about the evolving role of women. From the advent of the auto in the 1890s to the 1920s when the breaking down of barriers for women was in full swing, readers will be delighted to see historical photos, art, and artifacts and to discover the many ways these progressive females influenced fashion, the economy, politics, and the world around them.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Middle Grade, Historical, Childrens, Teen, Womens

96 pages, Hardcover

First published February 7, 2017

About the author

Danica Patrick is best known as a trailblazing racecar driver (now retired), named in the TIME’s “100 Most Influential People” list, featured on the covers of various magazines, featured in 14 Super Bowl commercials. The list of her amazing accomplishment credits goes on.

Regarding her racing career: In 2005, Danica participated in her first Indianapolis 500 and finished in fourth place. She became the first woman to lead laps and score a top-five finish in the historic race. In 2008, Danica won the IndyCar Series Indy Japan 300. In 2013, Danica transitioned to the NASCAR Cup Series. In 2018, Danica completed her racing career and competed in two marquee events that were cornerstones of her career: the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500.

Danica's next chapter involves: good food, great wine, fitness and helping others achieve their goals.

Reviews

[Vera Godley]

To celebrate Women's History Month we are looking at how women drove boldly into the Twentieth Century. Various contributions of women to the events in history and in today's world is highlighted in a variety of manners. Chat With Vera celebrates and acknowledges the women who bravely jumped into the seats of early automobiles and challenged the roads that lead to their abilities to participate more in the events that changed the world. International Women's Day is on March 8.

Sixty plus pages of photographs and drawings placing various women in automobiles during the turn of the century coupled with text that states the facts of events as they unfolded showing women rolling boldly forward will enable the reader to share the history and excitement of these participants who paved the way so today's women, young and old, would have the opportunity to drive a vehicle themselves and in various capacities.

Theirs was not an easy road. They were faced with strong opposition because they were women and seemingly unsuited for such activities. They drove perilous roads in unstable cars fitted with narrow wheels and weak tires.

History buffs will really enjoy viewing the plethora of antique photographs that vividly tell the story of these strong, adventurous women. I personally found the fragile and open cars daunting and further admire these women who ventured forth in them.

These historic pictures show the lady on the left car is mired in the mud on the road. The man is trying to help her. The picture on the right shows a lady cranking the car to start it. A lot different from today's ignitions.

This book is surely a tribute to the daring women — Motor Girls, as they were called (and featured in a poem) at the end of the 1800s and early 1900s. Women who dared to change and who dared to learn new skills considered unsuited for them.

These ladies were ambulance drivers in World War I. Quite the controversary to have a woman that near battle and also to drive. But how brave they were and what a tremendously important task they undertook.

These women, "Motor Girls," chose to drive cars for a variety of reasons. It was fun. It liberated them from the constraints of culture of that time. They could earn money driving a vehicle. It gave them the opportunity to get "out 'n about" on their own.

A good book to have in any library. Be sure to see if your local library has a copy. If they don't, request it.

#GIVEAWAY - check http://chatwithvera.blogspot.com/2017... to enter - Begins March 3 & ENDS March 24 @ 12:01 a.m. EST. Open to USA addresses only

A girl with a book in a hammock,
As she gracefully swung to and fro,
Was the dream of the men in the summer,
A very few seasons ago.
The hammock gave way to lawn tennis,
And then came the "bike" for a whirl;
Like shadows in light they all fade out of sight,
giving place to the Motor Girl.
--"The Motor Girl," Lyrics by Charles J. Campbell ©1909

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are my own and I was not compensated.

[Sesana]

A sort of follow up to Wheels of Change, though not nearly as interesting. Being a National Geographic book, it naturally looks great, with lots of cool photographs and images. I did like the sidebars that reprinted period newspaper articles, to give the full context of the sorts of things that were being said and written at the time.

[Teresa Scherping Moulton]

Did you know that there have been more female drivers than male drivers in the United States since 2005? Did you know that a woman invented the windshield wiper? Women have had a long and complicated history with the automobile, as this short history makes clear. Learn about the first women to drive, race, and repair cars, as well as some of the discrimination they faced. You'll also learn how important women drivers were to the women's suffrage movement and the fight to win World War I. Turn the key (or push the button or crank the crank) to rev up your engines!

This was pretty interesting. I felt like it could have been longer, since it doesn't really go past World War I, and I also thought the beginning didn't focus all that much on women. But the photographs and newspaper clippings were great primary sources to get a sense of how women's relationship to the automobile has progressed over time. This would be great for anyone interested in history and cars or other vehicles.

[Colleen]

An interesting and informative look at how cars were marketed to and used by women, including to advance the suffrage movement. I found the side panels a little distracting, but I think kids who are used to reading graphic novels will love it.

[Mrs Mommy Booknerd http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com]

National Geographic knows how to write books that engage readers of all ages. In MOTOR GIRLS the reader hits the road with the bold, feisty and brave woman who changed history from behind the wheel. This book is jammed packed with pictures, facts and engaging stories about the woman who changed the role that woman played when it come to automotive advancements. This historically rich book not only illustrates the ways that woman changed the way we look at automotives, but also shines a light on this fascinating period of time. This is a must for every library, school and home...this book will not disappoint, but rather inspire, engage and entertain!

[Heidi]

This beautifully designed book presents the reader with a history of women and the automobile. It was fascinating to read about how women stepped forward from the beginning to enjoy this new technology, despite its flaws, and despite opposition from many people. Macy does a great job of introducing the reader to the basics of the creation of the automobile and how specific women were involved in the creation and development of the horseless carriage. The book documents how women enjoyed learning to drive as well as using their newfound skills to improve their lives and that of women everywhere. There are chapters about some of the women who proved that females were perfectly capable drivers by driving across the country. Stories about the first female race car drivers were intriguing. I especially appreciated the chapters on how women used their driving skills to help fight during World War I as well as working for women's rights. The illustrations and photographs are well chosen and nicely complement the text. The side notes include articles from the time period and the feature articles highlight interesting facts about women and cars. The back matter makes this a great resource for teachers as well as a fascinating read in and of itself. Short biographies of influential women are also included.

[Alex Baugh]

One of my favorite things to do when I first began to drive was to get in the car and just go. And I did go - here, there, and everywhere, crossing the continental united states eight separate times, each time taking a different route. Little did I know that I was part of a legacy of women who took to cars with the same love of driving that I had.

Motor Girls, Sue Macy’s latest book about women and mobility (see also Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom) traces that love from the very start of the automobile’s history, beginning in the 1890s and the very first prototypes of motorized cars.

Motorized cars were pretty exciting and irresistible stuff back then and men may have felt that automobiles should remain strictly their domain, convinced that driving and all the perils that were part of early automobiles (things like changing tires and getting stuck in mud) would not only threaten women’s femininity, but that they were just too fragile to handle such a big machine anyway, but women had a different idea. First of all, it didn’t take long for women to realize that driving meant freedom from their previous house-bound life, a way to get around on their own, and what a boon for the women driving to rallies and fighting for the right to vote as early as 1910. And as much as they were often not welcomed, women drivers even began participating in automobile races.

Macy introduces readers to many of the early pioneering women, such as Lillian Sheridan, first female tire salesperson in 1917, Alice Ramsey, first woman to drive cross country in 1909, Mrs. Olive Schultz, first female taxi driver, and Mary Dexter, a nurse who drove makeshift ambulances through war-torn France in World War I.

Using an incredible array of archival photographs, as well as clippings from old newspapers and magazines, Macy presents a well-researched, thoughtfully written historical document of women behind the wheel. In between chapters, she has also included some pretty interesting cultural items relating to the automobile, such as some odd motoring laws, the ideal clothing to wear while motoring, and one of my favorite parts - a look at early series books written for young readers, such as the The Motor Girls, The Motor Maids, and The Automobile Girls, all of which can be found on Project Gutenberg for anyone interested (though I should add that while they may be interesting look a driving in those early days, some of the references made may be offensive to sensitive readers).

A list of resources is included in the back matter, as is an interesting timeline and list of sources used by Macy.

Motor Girls is an ideal book for anyone like myself who loves to drive. Sometimes I think we take driving for granted and it is nice to read about how the automobile had such a tremendous impact on the lives of women in the late 19th and 20th centuries. This is a solid book that will be a welcomed addition to any nonfiction library.

This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book was sent to me by the publisher, National Geographic

This review was originally posted at Randomly Reading

[Stacie]

In the late 1800's, what began as horseless carriages or motor cars that held a driver and maybe one passenger with them exposed to the elements has led to over 130 years later having various types of vehicles on the road. Many of those early motor car inventors and salesmen would be shocked today to see the millions of women behind the wheel cars, trucks, and even semis. Motor cars began as steam or gas powered engines, but quickly also added electric cars. But, as people wanted to make longer trips, electric cars became more and more impractical. As things sometimes do, the electric cars have made a comeback and are a viable option for car owners today.

In MOTOR GIRLS, your child will be fascinated by the styles of cars, lack of laws for drivers, the bias in advertising against women, and how there were even manners of etiquette related to drivers and passengers of cars. I found so much of the information in this book to be new to me and became quite interested in it. I think about it often when I am driving now, how far women and the car industry have come in these last 100 plus years. During the same time women were trying to get the right to vote, they were also told they were incapable, too weak, or it wasn't ladylike for a woman to drive a car. Thank goodness for the women who got behind the wheel anyway and drove across the country, came up with the original idea of what we know as windshield wipers today, or proved they could race cars just as good as men.

This book includes profiles of women integral to the history of automobiles, numerous photos of cars from many generations, and fascinating articles teaching the progression of cars and driving through the years. The author makes this history lesson full of twists and turns and fun antidotes to keep kids and adults learning something new on every page.

Danica Patrick, a race car driver, offers the foreword, and her contribution to women and cars is also quite interesting. What a powerful message for young girls to show they can have an impact on the world whether it is behind the scenes or in the trenches. Finish up Women's History Month by reading this book with your daughter!

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer]

I read Macy's previous book about how women took to the bicycle, which gave them the freedom to travel. In this book women take to the automobile, which had a huge impact on their lives. It's hard to imagine a time when people were just learning to accept and use cars. Men actually felt that women weren't smart enough or strong enough to drive! Luckily, that didn't stop women from getting behind the wheel. Driving gave them even more freedom than the bicycle did, and that made men nervous. What I didn't know was the impact it had on the women's suffrage movement. Macy tells us about women like Lillian Sheridan, Alice Ramsey, Blanche Stuart Scott, Olive Schultz, Mary Anderson, Joan Newton Cuneo, and others who made firsts in motoring. She discusses how the automobile affected laws, clothing, and etiquette. I love this one: "A person who should run over or into another without stopping to inquire about the victim, and to offer assistance, could not expect to be considered a gentleman." (p.41). The author tells us how women entered the field of auto racing--and sometimes won! She talks about the rise of motoring magazines and children's books series featuring "motor girls." And she tells us how women drove ambulances in Europe during World War I, earning the respect of soldiers and civilians alike. Such a fascinating book! Macy did a lot of research here, and provided plenty of illustrations of these early female drivers. I highly recommend this book, along with her Wheels of Change, about women and the bicycle.

[Alicia]

Exploring another era in history in which women pushed the boundaries, Macy explores the automobile and women. But first she explains the history of the car, then women, then how the car played a role in women's suffrage and sportsmanship.

I thoroughly enjoyed the images and pictures, factoids and biographical profiles of pioneering women though the story itself felt a little lackluster- not for lack of content, but in the storytelling. It paced well UNTIL it abruptly ends!

The investigation and exploration of this era is entirely fascinating and curious minds will get a kick out of most of it.

... it's always a kick in the pants to know that NY really enjoyed being the first to capitalize with mandates including being the first to require license plates.

"[Women] as a whole, are utterly unfitted to pilot ships, command armies, or operate automobiles, and through no fault of their own. They were born that way." S.P Foster May 1914

Motoring milestones: auto repair shops, gas stations, electric traffic light (1914), drive-in restaurants, then the motel (1925) which is an abbreviation of motor hotel. Love it!

[Lisa]

In 1895, when people first started racing motor cars, no one imagined that women would be as interested as men were. This is the story of some of those early drivers, the problems they encountered because they were women, the rules put in force to keep women from participating, and where the women shifted their interest instead. Not away from driving, oh no, they entered long distance contests - Tiffany and Company had a special medal for people who drive coast to coast - many women earned it. They became cab drivers and ambulance drivers, and it was the motor car that propelled the suffragettes to success in obtaining the vote!

This book contains turn of the century (20th century) photographs, magazine and newspaper ads, and artwork from the period. The reader learns about manners and clothing, and the rules of the road. Sidebars include vignettes about specific rules or women driver experiences, and there are several full page tributes to some of our earliest motor girls. Includes an appendix, index and source material, with websites, museums and books. Although not a topic most 21st century kids would be interested in, this would go nicely with a study of women’s rights.

[Dotty]

Inspiring women fill the pages along with intriguing history of the automobile. So many things I didn't know. France banned women from driving in car races and the US had it's moments of exclusion as well. Pennsylvania was first to require license plates be replaced every year and Pittsburgh was home to the first gas station. An actress who starred in a film about a woman driver, was noted for speeding and the actress spent 10 days in jail for speeding, but there's more to that story...worth reading! Just so much about this book was fun and interesting and couldn't help but think of my dad who loved cars and kept a list of every car he ever owned and facts about each one. He would have enjoyed this book so much and would have had stories to tell of his own.

My only complaint is with the designers of the book. Font is small and I swear is gray in color against a white background. Needed really good light to read.

[Angie]

This is a fantastic look at how women took up driving despite men thinking they were not capable. Sue Macy does a great job describing early women drivers and the barriers they had to overcome to drive. I loved all the additional information she included like the text of articles and the short biographies of women drivers. Driving meant independence and freedom for women and they embraced it from the very beginning. I also thought it was really interesting to read about the competing types of cars. In the beginning there were electrical, steam and gasoline cars and they all competed to become the number one car on the road. I think it is interesting that we are moving back to electric cars now.

[Stephanie]

The photos in this books are great. The perspective it brings is a nice change of pace compared to many other automobile history books and it even (barely but there) had some women of color examples too. There were a few times where syntax got a little chewed up and if you knew enough about the automobile story you would know what was trying to be said but if you didn’t know the narrative you might take away some odd misconceptions. Lastly, crank starting and tire changing on antique automobiles is not difficult if you know what you are doing. I’m a total wimp and I can do both by myself easily and these historical ladies would have had no problems despite the perpetuating myth of difficulty.

[Megan]

A quick and very interesting read with lots of fascinating facts, historical photos and contextual sidebars. Reading about how arduous early motor travel was makes you appreciate our modern infrastructure and the safety and convenience factors that we take for granted in today’s cars. Its also a good reminder of what women went through to give us the right to drive, the right to vote, and the freedom to choose our own paths. Too bad we are still fighting many of the same insane prejudices today.

[Catherine Yezak]

I loved this book. It had some great facts that I didn't know. For example, it cost extra to have a speedometer installed in the first cars, that cars really helped women win the right to vote, and that there was a colored Motor Corp that transported African American soldiers from ships to hospitals during World War 1. Definitely a must read!

[Beth]

Fun older picture book/large chapter book showing women drivers (especially race drivers) during the beginning of the automotive age, and how society drove women out of racing because of a mix of misplaced chivalry (race organizers worried about the backlash if a woman crashed, even though they hadn't) and worries about losing. The text was a bit hard to read, being printed in a thin light font.

[Kathy]

Did you know that when cars were new, people thought that women shouldn't drive? But strong women tried driving and liked it, and even stayed "feminine" while they raced across the country an drove ambulances during WWI.

[Vanessa]

This was fun and so interesting, reading a history of women and automobiles. Sue Macy's work is well written and engaging. I always come away from one of her books with my interest piqued and looking to find more information on her subjects.

[Heather]

3.5 stars

Not as strong as Wheels of Change, but still very interesting

[Elizabeth]

So disappointing. I loved Sue Macy's book on women and bicycles, but this was kind of boring. I would have liked it better if it had more information on the women motorists of WWI.

[Brett]

Well, that was just all kinds of awesome.

[Brenda Kahn]

I just adore Sue Macy! She highlights such interesting accomplishments by women. Her books are immensely readable and chock full of great photos and backmatter. #automaticpurchase.

[Katie]

Decent overall. Might have appreciated more if cars were my thing. I liked the feminist message, but this is definitely a book for white feminists. There are a couple of mentions of black women who drove, but overall, the pages of this book are reserved for white ladies. Which driving at the time might have been, too, but I would have liked the author to address what the situation was rather than leaving me to assume.

[Shauna Yusko]

Probably 5 stars. Want to wait until I see the actual book layout, not just ebook. Really like this one. No surprise though, the author is fabulous.

[Jessie Springs]

very interesting bit of history

[Brooke]

Indepth look at women behind the wheel through out history to present day Danica Patrick! Shout out to Glencoe,IL on p. 27 in regards to Speeding. In 1902, when you went to fast you were arrested or they threw logs into the road to slow down speeding vehicles! Oh my!

[Amy]

Fascinating and comprehensive history of women's role in early automobile history. As cars gained in popularity in the first decades of the twentieth century, people were uneasy about women as drivers. Women were thought to be too weak (both mentally and physically) to drive and driving was thought to damage women's femininity! Sue Macy tells the intertwined stories of the early automobile and how women beat the odds to become drivers, racers, and salespeople of the automobile. I loved the photos, old fashioned automobile ads, and stories of women as auto pioneers peppered throughout the text. Women from suffragists driving across the country to gain support to President Theodore Roosevelt's bold daughter Alice adopted car driving early on. Macy also spotlights some the more interesting facts about early car driving from motoring laws, driver etiquette, and proper driving clothes. I found it interesting that a 1901 NYC driving law placed responsibility for speeding on both the driver and passengers. To be honest, I picked up this book because of more of an interest in women's history - not so much an interest in automobile, but Macy's text made that equally engrossing.

[Sarah Monsma]

Beyond the occasional “Hey look at that cool old car!” I never thought much about the history of cars—that is until I received a review copy of Motor Girls. This gorgeous book about the rise of the automobile industry and its relation to women and women’s rights is filled with primary source material, fabulous period photographs and advertisements, and information that makes a long ago blossoming of technology relevant to today.

Motor Girls relates the way women took to driving from the very first, starting with socialites and actresses and moving on into the middle class. Cars allowed women to get out of the home more and so women’s driving was controversial In addition, roads were rough and trips of any great length required skills at tire changing and repairs—skills many women proved themselves amply capable of. World War I allowed even more women to learn to drive as they supported the war effort, sometimes under dangerous conditions. In addition, public cross country drives became an important part of the women’s suffrage movement.

Interesting facts, anecdotes, and historical figures abound in this book. Sidebars include manners for motorists, fashion tips, race accounts, and many mini biographies.

An utterly delightful read, Motor Girls not only contains interesting historical content, but a message of women’s resistance that is very relevant today. Young readers may easily dip into sections or sidebars or read cover to cover. I’d recommend this for classroom, school, and home libraries, and for anyone who needs a feminist boost.

[K.L. Bernard]

Ford rolled the last Model T off the assembly line in 1927 after having sold over 15 million of them. Part of his success was that he marketed cars to women as well as men. Although articles had been written that women weren’t fit to drive, and women themselves stated driving made them nervous while others feared it would take away their femininity, that didn’t stop the social set of Washington including Miss Alice Roosevelt from driving. Mary Anderson patented a window cleaning device, an early windshield wiper, that never went into production. Mrs. Olive Schultz was a licensed chauffeuse and rented her car out as a public taxicab. Women were dressing appropriately to drive motor cars. Women were writing books for women teaching them all about motor cars. Women were racing, driving during the war and so much more in the early 1900s.

Author Sue Macy has put together an amazing fact filled adventure featuring women and the motor car. Stunning photos show off women and their cars, uniforms, goggles and transatlantic adventures and more. This guide to a history of women drivers is for anyone and everyone to enjoy and learn about the motor car and the women who sat behind the wheel. This guide comes full circle representing women race car drivers of the 21st century. The Appendix in the back offers more dates and figures for cars sold and the companies that produced them. There are also books and website resources for readers to learn even more.