Women in history

[Circlingthesun]

I'm interested in reading non-fiction book about well-known or unknown women who were influential throughout history, like Marie Curie, Boudica and everyone in-between.

Does anyone have any recommendations please?

Shakespeare's Wife - Germaine Greer
Marie Antoinette - Antonia Fraser
The Unruly Queen (Caroline, wife of George IV) - Flora Fraser
Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire - Amanda Foreman
Prairie Fires (Laura Ingalls Wilder) - Caroline Fraser
Agatha Christie - Lucy Worsley

This is IMHO the best book by far I've read about Joan of Arc.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Joan-Arc-Herself-Her-Witnesses/dp/0812812603

Based on so many primary sources - court transcripts, letters, etc.
Incroyable!

Thanks for these, so many suggestions!

A trio of scientists:
Marie Curie by Susan Quinn
Dorothy Hodgkin: A Life by Georgina Ferry
Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA by Brenda Maddox

A random selection:
Gertrude Bell: Queen of the Desert, Shaper of Nations by Georgina Howell
Bess of Hardwick by Mary S. Lovell
Madame de Pompadour by Nancy Mitford

A biography:
Hons and Rebels by Jessica Mitford

'Magnificent Rebels' by Andrea Wulf is great. It's about the 'Jena Set' in general, but Caroline Schlegel is the thread that binds the whole book together - one thing the book does is bring out her role in shaping the ideas of the better-known men.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bury-Chains-Adam-Hochschild/dp/1447211367
This isn't purely about women, but includes a chapter on the important role of women in the Abolition Movement in Britain in the 18th Century.
A very readable book - not always the case with Historical books.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Woman-Photograph-Stephanie-Butland-ebook/dp/B07LDDJX1Q

Woman in the Photograph - a fictional book which covers a lot of the feminist moments in recent history. Eg Greenham common. May not be exactly what you want, but worth reading.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vaxxers-Inside-AstraZeneca-Vaccine-Against/dp/1529369851

Vaxxers - book written by women scientists who developed the covid vaccine, As well as giving an insight into the research that led to the vaccines, including previous research (eg Ebola vaccine research), it gives an insight into the lives these (mainly) women were leading, international scientific cooperation etc. A fascinating book. It’s not a biography as such, but I think an important book.

@Riverlee has reminded me of The Empress and The English Doctor by Lucy Ward, about Catherine the Great's championing of the smallpox vaccination. Really interesting and readable

Lady In Waiting - Lady Glenconner

Not necessarily an influential person, but an interesting insight into how the aristocracy lives, including the royal family (she was friends with the royals, rich and famous). The book covers the good, the bad and the ugly of this lifestyle (it’s not all glamour).

Jenni Murray has written A History of the World in 21 Women and A History of Britain in 21 Women - could give some inspiration in snippets of ones to go into more.

Just added to my Kindle wish list. Sounds fascinating.

Femina by Janina Ramirez

I really enjoyed Romantic Outlaws by Charlotte Gordon, about Mary Woolstonecraft and Mary Shelley www.penguin.co.uk/books/429892/romantic-outlaws-by-charlotte-gordon/9780099592396 Mother and daughter but never met as Woolstonecraft died shortly after giving birth, and the book follows their lives in parallel which is fascinating.

Wrong thread😆😆😆