Toksvig's Almanac 2021

by Sandi Toksvig

From the cover:

'Toksvig's Almanac is intended merely as a starting point for your own discoveries. Find a fabulous (or infamous) woman mentioned and, please, go looking for more of her story. The names mentioned are merely temptations. Amuse-bouches for the mind, if you like. How I would have loved to have written out in detail each tale there is to be told, but then this book would have been too heavy to lift.'

Let Sandi Toksvig guide you on an eclectic meander through the calendar, illuminating neglected corners of history to tell tales of the fascinating figures you didn't learn about at school.

From revolutionary women to serial killers, pirate nuns to pioneering civil rights activists, doctors to dancing girls, artists to astronauts, these pages commemorate women from all around the world who were pushed to the margins of historical record. Amuse your bouche with:

Belle Star, American Bandit Queen
Lady Murasaki, author of the world's first novel
Madame Ching, the most successful pirate of all time
Maud Wagner, the first female tattoo artist
Begum Samru, Indian dancer and ruler who led an army of mercenaries
Ines de Castro, crowned Queen Consort of Portugal six years after her death
Ida B. Wells, activist, suffragist, journalist and co-founder of the NAACP
Eleanor G. Holm, disqualified from the 1936 Berlin Olympics for drinking too much champagne

These stories are interspersed with instructive tips for the year, such as the month in which one is most likely to be eaten by a wolf, and the best time to sharpen your sickle. Explore a host of annual events worth travelling for, from the Olney Pancake Race in Wiltshire to the Danish Herring Festival, or who would want to miss Serbia's World Testicle Cooking Championship?

As witty and entertaining as it is instructive, Toksvig's Almanac is an essential companion to each day of the year.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Audiobook, Feminism, Historical, Biography, Humor

360 pages, Hardcover

First published November 12, 2020

About the author

Danish/British writer, presenter, comedian, actress and producer on British radio and television. She currently presents The News Quiz on BBC Radio 4 and 1001 Things You Should Know on Channel 4. In October 2012 she succeeded Sheila Hancock as Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth.

Reviews

[Melanie Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

My biggest complaint is that at 9 hours and 41 minutes this book isn't nearly long enough. Sandi Toksvig is a writing genius. If she'd taught me history at school, I'm sure I would have gone on to do something marvellous historically and then she'd have been able to include me in one of her future almanacs. Since falling hopelessly in love with Ms Toksvig after listening to her book, Between the Stops, (https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Between-...), which could well be the best audio book ever written in the history of audio books, I'll listen to anything she writes. She does not let s down with this book, packed full of education, unheard of yet vitally important woman and littered with an abundance of witty and acerbic asides, This book should be at the top of everyone's Christmas list. You don't need to be a woman or a feminist to enjoy if, you just need to appreciate people. I sincerely hope there will be more from the pen of Ms Toksvig and I, for one, will be head of the queue to purchase them. A brilliantly insightful book that goes from strength to strength. SUPERB

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toksvig’s Almanac runs through the year month by month detailing the associated names. festivals and traditions as well as women that Sandi Toksvig feels should be better known. Many of these women have made rarely and barely acknowledged contributions to humanity through art, science or their activity to change and improve society while others have simply lived interesting, and occasionally disreputable, lives.

I take great pleasure in listening to, and watching, Sandi Toksvig whenever I get the opportunity and I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook.
But this almanac is so jam-packed with facts and information it would be wonderful to have a hard copy on hand to dip into for a few minutes or to reference as a starting point for further study.

Highly recommended.

I received this audio-book from Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Split into monthly chapters, Toksvig’s Almanac presents fascinating anecdotes about interesting happenings throughout history during each month of the year. It focuses primarily on extraordinary women who did extraordinary things but that history has all but forgotten. I hadn't heard of most of the people featured, which is exactly the point of the book, and Sandi’s warm, witty humour shines through on every page. Informative, intriguing and eminently readable, this is wholly entertaining and comes highly recommended to those looking for a well written, quirky and enjoyable book.

[Stace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com

I adore Sandi Toksvig with her quick wit, comedy, and her knowledge so I was looking forward to hearing what she had to say about a year full of women from history that we don’t get to hear about very often, and most you will probably never have heard of.

The book is set into monthly chapters and then date order, with each date featuring a woman who was born or died on that day. Sandi has provided us with enough information about each woman and set the intrigue so that you then look her up and find out more about her life.

Some of the most impressive tales I read included Begum Samru who not only was female but also just 4’8″ tall and yet she led an army of 3000. She even called herself Joanna after Joan of Arc. Sofia Ionescu-Ogrezeanu was one of the world’s first female Neurosurgeons and Maria Teresa De Filippis the first woman to race in Formula One.

As well as the women, Sandi has also written an entry to each month telling you about some of the facts of that month including why it got its name, what it is also known as. She also includes festivals found within the month and a poem.

I started at the beginning of the year reading about a woman a day but as the days went on I found that it wasn’t enough I wanted to keep on reading and so we are now in March and I have finished it, though I will keep on re-reading sections throughout the year and probably beyond too.

The book is amazing. You can hear Sandi’s voice as you read as it has been written just as she speaks. It is entertaining, informative, engaging and I hope that she writes another book just like it, whether with more women or next time men.

[rebecca | velvet opus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sandi Toksvig's passion for history is inspring. I'm not a history buff but the history of women, and women's rights, is important to me. And this Almanac was an insightful look into women who have been sadly forgotten but who achieved incredible things. Toksvig as a narrator is outstanding, she intersperses humour with facts, so the audiobook was an absolute joy to listen to. I particularly enjoyed the poem of the month and highlighting why these incredible women were erased from history and how we can learn from that.

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley!

[Tracy Fenton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not sure how to review this book, so I will just state the facts.

I listened to this book via Audible.
It’s narrated by Sandi Toksvig.
She’s bloody hysterical.
I have no recollection of what she actually said except it’s a witty, fascinating and interesting book about women throughout history.
I think I learnt quite a lot, but I can’t remember what.
I would happily listen to Sandi narrate the phone book.

[Alys · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit of a beefy review I know, but honestly I did find this book very frustrating at times. I think an overlooked woman from history for every day of the year is a fantastic idea and by all means have it be in a fun and informal tone but I think the input from Sandi herself, along with some MAJOR grand sweeping generalisations ruined this book for me. I know that it was called Toksvig's almanac but I want to hear about the lives of the women, not about what Sandi thinks about the lives of the women (which always just seemed to be 'they're fab'). Should have been kept to 3rd person at all times and if she can't write in a personable way without interjecting her own thoughts in 1st person all the time then that's on her.
Lack of footnotes or reading list also bothered me because she must have HAD one so why not put it in...??? Unless it was just 'their wiki pages lol'.
I liked that it was women from around the world and throughout history, although I thought that American women were overrepresented.
Having said that, I do feel that I've learned a lot and at times I was inspired not to give a shit. Overall, fantastic concept, good variety, but not very well executed. Could have done with some very VERY harsh editing (cut everything in first person and seriously rethink the frequency of the word 'obvs').
I'm STILL marvelling at the introduction to one of the months in which Sandi put the 'Anglo-Saxon' word alongside the 'Old English' word and then observed that they were remarkably similar... If it was remotely funny I'd be more sure it was a joke...
Apologies to Sandi for this roast.

[Kinga · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an almanac of women and women’s history, much of it unknown and untold. Sandi Toksvig is an amazing storyteller and writer and this book is filled to the brim with facts. I savoured it by reading the entries for a week at a time, but felt that this was the week to finish it. I will be dipping into this book for many years to come. Brilliant.

[Paul Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toksvig, national treasure that she is, takes us through the year highlighting the lives of mostly - but not entirely - women from history, as well as interesting facts and events, all with her wonderful dry wit. She reads the audiobook herself, and listening to her is a pure delight.


While some of the people she mentions are well known - Ediths Piaf and Wharton, Betty Friedan, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Ida B, Wells, Benazir Bhutto - most are lesser known, especially considering their accomplishments. The running theme is of people denied education, status and recognition due to their sex, and often their colour


This is not just a celebration; showing only the good and the great or venerating these women would do them a disservice; it is impossible to mention Coco Chanel without mention that she was a Nazi spy, and Toksvig includes three female serial killers.


She begins by writing about how even the tools of literacy have so often been denied women, despite the fact that:

The first writer in the world of any kind that we know about was a woman. The earliest known poet whose name was recorded was Enhaduana, who lived in the Sumerian city-state of Ur in the 23rd century BC.

She also makes a point of saying that these are merely snippets introductory appetisers that should lead us into deeper reading. "Amuse-bouches for the mind", and I find myself both amused and intrigued.

[Maine Colonial · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating feminist history, told in the manner of an almanac. You'll want to take notes as you read or listen, so that you can look up more detailed information about some of these fascinating women.

I've been a longtime fan of Sandi Toksvig, so I got the book in audio form. She delivers her facts well, with a nice blend of admiration, humor, sarcasm and sometimes outrage on behalf of the ill treatment of many of these historical characters. Actually, some not-so-historical. In her Final Note, she reports that Donna Strickland, an optical physicist whose work has been recognized as invaluable in numerous fields. In 2018, an article about Strickland was submitted to Wikipedia, but an editor deemed her not important enough to have a Wikipedia page. She had to win a Nobel Prize before that was rectified.

In addition to the recognition of so many previously mostly-unheralded women, Toksvig frequently makes the point--with examples--that the writing of history has lead to many women being sidelines or forgotten. While in Pompeii, juvenile male graffiti is preserved, the recorders of world history often can't be bothered to name or even notice important women.

[Dsy Mkn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written and narrated by the wonderful Sandi Toksvig, this book takes a unique approach to educating/informing the reader about some of the brave and often forgotten womxn that made major contributions to society. The book highlights a day-by-day format that allows for bite-sized reading. As for the narration, Toksvig's usual level of enthusiasm and wit remains present right through to 31st of December which makes for easy listening. Throughout the book, Toksvig encourages further research into the lives of those mentioned and acts as an aperitif, leaving the reader hungry and curious for more tales that lie behind these pioneers.

Well worth the read for those who want to broaden their horizons in regards to notable (mainly female) figures in history.

[Maria Spillane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Almanac is a delight. It contains snippits of some of the most courageous and interesting women that for the most part, have been forgotten, or have not recieved recognition for their work or achievements throughout history. I can only imagine the amount of research that must have gone into this compilation, and Sandi encourages us to look up more about these unknown women (which I definitely did). Sandi's witty commentary is interspersed through the stories, also giving backgrounds to the naming of months and other traditions that occur across the world. This is definitely a book I will come back to again and again, I think everyone should read it.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An almanac with a slight difference as it focuses on oft-forgotten women from history. This was a great book to start the year off with written in an accessible and witty style. I learned a lot of new things and found there were some women I'd like to learn more about.

[Aimee Massey · Rating 2 out of 5]

In general, I love almanac or encyclopedia type books, and I love history, and I love trivia. This should have made the book a sure winner. But it didn't.
I found it repetitive, shallow (even for an almanac) and trying too hard to be funny. I also got tired of the author's constantly harping on how this or that woman didn't get as much publicity as men in her field. Even if it was true, I got tired of her going on about it, and in many cases, I didn't actually believe her. For instance, she claims that Edna St. Vincent Millay was never mentioned in her American high school, nor were, apparently any other female poets/writers. Not buying it. She went to high school on Long Island, when I do not know. I went to a small-town high school in Delaware and we definitely talked about several women writers, like Emily Dickinson, (we read more of her than any other, I think) Anne Bradstreet, Katherine Ann Porter, Virginia Woolf, and yes, Edna St. Vincent Millay. My mother, who attended the same high school in the early seventies, remembers reading and discussing Rachel Carson.
Another gripe I have is that the author is overawed with her subjects' achievements, often glossing over or outright dismissing less savory aspects of their character as either unimportant or cooked up by (male) historians. It's well-known that Empress Theodora had been a prostitute and performed what could now be classed as erotic dances (albeit as a form of religious ritual) and most of those old-time "actresses" did in fact start out (and sometimes continued as) courtesans/prostitutes. You don't have to approve or disapprove, but don't dismiss the facts, and don't act as if those facts will diminish your own regard for their later achievements.
Also, she often quite blatantly states that she doesn't know anything about this or that field one of the featured women was prominent in; fair enough. But she still acts awed and amazed. You don't have to be an expert on everyone else's field of expertise, but if you really can't say something interesting about it other than "Wow, a woman did this! Amazing!" you should not include it but should find a heroine in some other field that you can speak about with some familiarity. That's why I say the book is shallow.
This feels like it was written by a college sophomore just getting into Women's Studies 101.
I will say there was a lot of diversity in the subjects profiled. Women of every race, nationality, religious persuasion, ability level and orientation, and from antiquity to the present, in a wide array of fields.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be required reading for any girl with a reasonable reading ability. Failing that listen to it in Audiobook format with a notebook in hand. I tried to eke it out in bite size segments like an almanac should be read, but once begun it is hard to put down!

It would take several years to do the research that some of these brilliant women deserve to truly learn their stories. Sandi provides the most alluring titbits to trigger a deeper desire for more!

Sandi has long since been a favourite of mine and her tongue in cheek jovial style hides a steel trap intelligence and impressive grasp of desperately important issues affecting women today. I enjoyed the breadth of experience and brilliance of the fairer sex across history and the truly global exposure this book showcases Is gratifying.

It was educational, shocking, frustrating and edifying but most of all it was terrific fun!

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is beyond beautiful, I’m devastated to be finished it! Absolutely stunning cover, fantastic concept and flawless execution. I am so in love with this book, it is the ultimate collection of stories of fascinating yet forgotten people throughout history, with touches of Toksvig’s quirky humour throughout. It tells the stories of so many eccentric and important women, I can’t even pick a favourite. Cannot recommend it enough. This is a book i will treasure forever!!!

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful companion this book has been during this covid-filled year. I've learned so much about >365 great women in our world and about (weird and interesting) traditions all over our wonderful globe. Even though the title says 'Toksvig's Almanac 2021' I strongly advise everyone to read this humorous, informative book (in 2022, 2023 or whenever you want), it will brighten up your days, I promise 😊

[Tripfiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

An eclectic meander through the historical calendar



YouTube review: https://youtu.be/CzraPPcWZjQ

This is yet another delightful audiobook that has accompanied me on my walks during lockdown 2020/21. I am delighted I chose this format for this book because it lends itself SO well to dipping in and out. Sandi Toksvig is, of course, a gifted storyteller, her dulcet tones are entertaining and amusing, and the humour is never far from the surface. She also has a very wise and thoughtful head on her shoulders.

She starts in January and moves right through the year, and with each passing day she features a woman (mainly, and often who had to dress up as a man to be able to achieve her goals), who had something significant happen to her on that particular day. She was perhaps born, died, achieved something that has never been really celebrated or acknowledged, discovered something worthwhile to the human race; perhaps, even, she was notorious for all the wrong reasons; perhaps there was a notable historical event to tie her into history. This really, in many ways, is a celebration of the achievements of women but also an exploration of the rather dismal story of how womanhood through the centuries has been recorded for posterity, indeed, much of it hasn’t; very often a man has been given credit where in fact the woman has done the groundwork and should have deserved the concomitant accolades.

The amount of research that has gone into this collection is utterly staggering and she features people across the centuries and from around the globe. There are short poems, facts, musings and so much more in this wonderful and esoteric compilation.

You will discover who the only woman was who had her head spiked (after she had been beheaded, of course) on London Bridge; that Eleanor G Holm was disqualified from the Berlin Olympics in 1936 for drinking too much champagne; and why the British tax year ends on the 5th April rather than starting at the dawn of a new year. You may even be delighted to discover that on 19 September there is “Talk Like a Pirate Day” (who knew!) and OF COURSE she discovers that women pirates were very much doing their own thing, in fact – and inevitably – far surpassing the feats of male counterparts. She admires the determination of Bessie Coleman, the first African American/Native American woman to hold a pilot’s licence and the lengths to which she had to go to obtain said licence!

She loves a good festival too. She tells the story of the woman behind Walpurgisnacht (check that out!); she shares the details of The Hunting of the Earl of Rone in Combe Martin (she optimistically offers the dates for May 2021) and ponders the origins of the Honiton Hot Penny Festival . She describes the festivals in the States that are held in Battle Creek, Michigan (Kelloggs are based there) and the delights of the Gerber National Baby Food Festival in Fremont (also Michigan, what is it with this State?).

She moves over to France and the storming of the Bastille; she records the story of the forgotten woman of the Eiffel Tower; she looks at the fascinating life of George Sand (who was, of course, a woman), who at one point was more famous than Balzac, and who flouted permission to wear trousers (women across the world have had to seek permission to wear trousers, and lamentably in some parts of the world it is still illegal for them to wear them); and she checks out the story of the woman who murdered Marat in the bath – any idea who she was? No I didn’t either! But Marat was immortalised in a very famous painting by Jacques-Louis David, and she was, well, consigned to history.

It is truly mind boggling how many women have been left out of the history books, simply because of their sex; their contribution has been sidelined and the men, quite simply, bigged up. As she states, history depends very much on who is writing it and that has largely been men.

You will of course cherrypick your own favourite stories and anecdotes, and my only regret is that I simply couldn’t assimilate all the wonderful information that she has brought together. Goodness, I would be a popular team member in a pub quiz!

I was very pleased that I listened to this on audiobook. It is a perfect format to tune in and out, and listen to in shorter and longer bursts, just as one chooses.

[Rosemary Standeven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book that I listened to as an audio book – one month a day – had the Kindle book to hand as I listened – and then had to buy the hardback too.
Each month starts with a quote, the names for the month in different languages, what the month is known for, and a poem. Then, for each day of the month a woman (usually, occasionally a man) who was born, died, or did something important on that day in history is mentioned, along with a short biography.
Who knew there were so many amazingly interesting women out there? Many of the women I (and probably most people) had never heard of before – and should have, and many I would like to know more about. The women came from every class, occupation, nation and time. Some were the first woman in their country or culture to do something. Some had to disguise themselves as men, others just got on with what they wanted (needed) to do despite the societal pressures and prejudices of their times.
I was very pleased to see the inclusion of Kate Sheppard (died 13/07/1934) who

“was an English-born women’s rights activist who was instrumental in making New Zealand the first country in the world to grant women the right to vote (1893)”

One of my New Zealand aunts created a porcelain doll of Kate Sheppard complete with ‘Votes for Women’ banner for our wedding present (not quite sure what she was trying to say) – and until then I had not heard of her, despite going to a school which celebrated famous NZ women. She also appeared on the NZ $10 bill in 1991 (I left in 1987 and married in 1993).
There was so, so much fascinating information – far, far too much to take it all in. This is a book that you will come back to again and again.
An eclectic choice of quotes from the book:

“The Suffrage Cook Book published in Pittsburgh in 1915 included satirical recipes such as ‘Pie for a Suffragist’s Doubting Husband’, whose ingredients were listed as: 1 qt. milk human kindness 8 reasons: War; White Slavery; Child Labor; 8,000,000 Working Women; Bad Roads; Poisonous Water; Impure Food
Mix the crust with tact and velvet gloves, using no sarcasm, especially with the upper crust. Upper crusts must be handled with extreme care, for they quickly sour if manipulated roughly.”

“10 December 1815 Ada Lovelace born. The only legitimate child of Lord Byron and his wife, Annabella. Lovelace became a mathematician and writer and is considered among the world’s first computer programmers. She worked on Charles Babbage’s proposed mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine, and realised the machine could do more than pure calculation. She published the first algorithm to be carried out by such a machine.”

“21 December 1892 Rebecca West born ‘I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat, or a prostitute.’”

This is a wonderful book to read, own, lend, give as a present … It will appeal to anyone with an interest in history – particularly (but not exclusively) women’ history – and just anyone with a modicum of curiosity. Highly recommended – in either written or audio form or both!

[Karen Kennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a free copy of this audio book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

An almanac featuring significant dates from women throughout history. Some I had heard of but most I hadn’t. I’ll need honest, I didn’t know what an almanac was in the first place, so that was the first thing I learned. Toksvig writes of history being ‘the recollections of old men who weren’t there in the first place’ and I agree that that sums so much of what we know up. The lives and experiences of over half the population for thousands of years erased as the majority of ‘facts’ filtered through the male lens. The book contained funny and obscure festivals and important dates from around the world, as well as monthly poems. Lighthearted but definitely with heavier and sometimes shocking subject matter.

I loved it. I loved that the audio book was narrated by Sandi Toksvig herself as this made her dry wit shine throughout. I think it was really nice to dip in and out of - a 10 minute listen in the shower or whilst out walking the dogs. A brilliant listen but I think for me, this is a book that I would like a hard copy of. Because there are so many women mentioned, it’s hard to remember names or spelling for later research, because who doesn’t love to fall down a good Google rabbit hole? The author admits herself that she’s only scratching the surface and encourages the reader to delve deeper into the women who have been forgotten about through history.

[Amy Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc kindly received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a book that takes us through the year by looking at critical dates in (almost exclusively) women’s history. It celebrates powerful women, many of whom I was unaware of.

However ...

I feel like this just didn’t work as an audiobook. The book itself was fantastic and fascinating. But my enjoyment was reduced by several factors:

*We get a very small glimpse into each woman, which is perfect, as it means so many could be included. However it was reasonably difficult to retain all the names I wanted to research more. I feel like having them down in print would allow and encourage me to delve deeper into those that really gripped me.

*Because of the nature of the book, and the heavy use of dates, as an audio book it felt a little repetitive. I feel like the layout would work so much better in print.

*There was a weird tinny thing going on with the narration, it almost sounded aug-tuned.

However I love Sandi’s voice and honestly could listen to her all day. Plus you can hear how passionate she was as she was reading.

Overall, a great book, but the format of audiobook does not do it justice.

4/5

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Sandi Toksvig. My love for her knows no bounds and all I really want to do is tickle her brain. She just knows so many amazing things and her latest book Toksvig’s Almanac is proof of that. It is a celebration of all the amazing – and times not so valued or remembered – fascinating things that women have done through the years. These women have been forgotten or hidden by history and it seems that Toksvig will not stand for it. I, for one, salute this.

I learned so much about so many women that I knew so little about when I read Toksvig’s Almanac. So many things have been forgotten or shoved to one side or retold to suit a patriarchal society that I know that I need books like this to help me understand the basics of a broader picture.

Toksvig’s Almanac really is the gift that keeps on giving. It is not a one time read. This could be read over and over again and it gives you a scope of things to research further. It is a book for all girls and one that should be gifted to everyone you know.

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this literally took me two and a half years to read. And with a star rating like I gave it, that might seem incongruous. However, the reason this took me two and a half years to read is because so many of the entries prompted a deep dive rabbit hole into the internet, so I often only got through one paragraph at a time.

Okay, the premise of this book is that it is an "almanac," as in there is an entry for every day of the year. However, this one is timeless, as each entry is about a woman in history, with the date associated with their birth, death, or an important event surrounding them. I learned so. much. I added so much to my curriculum at school inspired by this book. I found many other books I now want to read/have read because of this book. Ah! I had so much fun with this, and I now want to hand it to so many people because it was so empowering and educational and delightful. The writing style is so fun and funny that what might seem dry is really very entertaining. I just can't imagine editing a book like this...

[Holly Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning new tidbits about notable women who played a part in history, many of which we would never have heard about.
Unfortunately I found that the tidbits were often too short for my brain to truly take in the information. However, I appreciate that this is what many people would enjoy about the book; that they are not being bombarded with an entire chapter of detailed information about one person.
I re-listened quite a lot as I found it didn’t keep my attention. Plus I like drifting off to sleep at night to Sandi’s voice.

[Siobhán Lucid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the month before the month started its inspired more books and research than any book I've ever read!

[Caitlin Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I couldn’t love Sandi Toksvig any more, but i was wrong. I want to buy this book for every woman I know, and to read each day’s entry for every day of the year. Amazing!

[Solveig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting snippets about women from all over the world and various historical time periods.

[Kylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fantastic audio book. I learnt so much from listening to this!

[Maxine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know SandiToksvig is Danish, but for me , she is still a national treasure. I consider her to be the female Stephen Fry.

I was very keen to get my hands on this audio book, as it is narrated by the great lady herself, and I was not disappointed. I loved it.

If you told me I would have enjoyed listening to the stories of women who have been airbrushed out of history, I would have rolled my eyes, its sounds dull!

This book is anything but. I want to thank Sandi for educating me about these omissions, as they are all strong women, of all colours, and faiths who have been overlooked simply because they were women, many in a time when women were looked at as the inferior sex, and black women, well they were just ignored completely, or worse. Unfortunately some where not so long ago.

Their stories are told month by month, according to significant dates associated with them, along with interesting facts about that month. they are told with warmth, positivity and humour, and in Sandi's own hilarious style.

I loved it so much that I have immediately, upon finishing it, ordered several copies for Christmas presents for my female friends! This is a book that every woman should read, and every man should have read out to them.

Some may say it's feminism, I prefer to call it truth!

A Fantastic audio book.

[S. Lloyd]

Toksvig’s Almanac 2021 An eclectic meander through the historical year.
In this age of me-too society, the spotlight has turned to the mistreatment and disempowering of women. Sandi Toksvig addresses the issue of women who have been overlooked, on the whole, by the history books. Toksvig, although better known as a comedian and presenter, is also co- founder of the Women's Equality Party, and the Primadonna Festival. It is this passion for highlighting the endeavours of woman, which make her a perfect fit for the task in hand.
The 2021 Almanack is divided into each month of the year, chronologically detailing incredible women into each monthly chapter, significant to their birth or death. The range of women vary from the well-known, to women almost entirely ignored in our history books, the latter being more frequently the case, which, for me, was the secret to the book being such a fascinating read.
Each chapter contains a poem about the relevant month, my personal favourite being a verse that captures December perfectly by Phillis Wheatley. However, it is not only the description of the month, but the Story behind the incredible poet that is equally mesmerising. Toksvig states that we know little about Phillis, other than the date of her death on December 5th, 1784. She was the first African American woman to write a book of poetry. Born in West Africa around 1753, she was sold into slavery as a child and taken to North America. The family that purchased Phillis realised her talent and taught her to read. She then went to London to take her work to a publisher in 1773. Toksvig informs us, George Washington was a fan of Phillis, as she implores us to read all about Phillis’s incredible life and work.
Toksvig’s ability to look beyond the obvious pages of history make this a fascinating read. While Rosa Parks’ contribution to the civil rights movement, should, of course, never be overlooked, she tells us about Claudette Colvin, nurse aid and civil rights activist. In 1955, Claudette aged 15, lived in Montgomery Alabama and refused to give up her seat on a bus for a white woman. Claudette was arrested nine months before Rosa Parks protested in the same manner. Claudette explained that she was angry, after writing a school essay on Black woman not being permitted to try on clothes in department stores. Claudette was unmarried, pregnant, and civil rights activists didn’t think she would make a good representative. Toksvig remarks that, ‘Young people think Rosa Parks just sat down and ended segregation, but that wasn’t the case at all’. Claudette wanted to be president and Toksvig remarks that ‘she would have made a great president’, a fact few who read Toksvig’s account, would dispute.
Toksvig takes us behind the scenes of Dr Martin Luther King’s 1963, ‘I have a Dream’ speech, to reveal Anna Hedgeman. Anna helped to organise and recruit the 40,000 who attended the speech and she organised food and water for the attendees. She was not allowed to march at the front, and not allowed to speak. Anna reveals that when Dr King had uttered those immortal words, Anna had been in tears and wrote upon her programme, ‘I thought we had a dream.’ Toksvig also reveals that, while all of the men at the speech were invited to the White House to meet JFK, none of the women, not even Rosa Parks, were included in the invitation.

Toksvig brings much of her trademark humour to the narrative, with witty asides which really capture her conversational style. This is particularly evident during each chapter when she reveals a unique festival for that month. The most unusual festival perhaps, is held during the last weekend in October, in Colorado. The ‘Emma Crawford Coffin Races & Festival’. In 1889, Emma Crawford came to Colorado, hoping to find a cure for TB within its natural springs. She loved it so much, she made her beau, William Hildebrand, promise that when she died, he would bury her at the top of Red Mountain. William kept his promise, and he and eleven others carried her coffin up the 7,200-foot mountain. After years of erosion, in 1929, the coffin slipped down the hill. In 1994, in a bid for tourism, a festival, inspired by these events, was launched. Seventy teams of five, Emma plus four mourners, compete for several prizes, including Best Emma, Best Entourage, and the esteemed Coffin Cup. As Toksvig exclaims ‘They put the fun in funeral!’
With a seamless shift in tone, she alternates between the incredible, and at times heart-breaking, conclusion of these woman’s lives. Toksvig then moves on to describe the obscure festivals each month brings. Her obvious passion for the subject, occasionally leaves little time to digest the information before she moves onto the next historic woman. Her desire to include as many of these trailblazers as possible, occasionally leaves you struggling to keep up, and take in the fascinating chronical. She frequently entreats us to go and read more about the various lives, naming many books along the way. This demonstrates Toksvig’s obvious passion, and ethos, behind the project. This demonstrates her real purpose, that of encouraging us to go, and seek out, more information on these incredible women. Toksvig concludes passionately, imploring us to write about the woman of our family, with a call to arms: ‘Be active: write the wrongs of history’ Toksvig describes her book as a ‘Tiny dent’ in history, after reading it, this woman can confirm, I certainly felt the impact.