Herstory: Women Who Changed the World [Hardcover]

Deborah Ohrn (Editor), Gloria Steinem (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1995

A very special collection of short biographies offers insightful sketches of the lives and accomplishments of 150 of history's most influential and brilliant women, including Clara Barton, the legendary Trung Sisters of medieval Vietnam, and many others.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Did you know that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had an older sister who was another musical genius? Musicologists even speculate that some compositions attributed to Mozart were actually the work of his sister. Nannerl Mozart is just one example of how women and their accomplishments have been ignored or erased entirely from world history. This important book seeks to amend that gaping absence in history books and popular culture by acknowledging the countless women whose contributions have made a difference to modern society. Arranged chronologically, Herstory offers compelling biographies of 120 women from "The Dawn" (prehistory to 1750) to "Revolution to Revolution" (1750-1850) to "The Global Community" (1890 to the present). The famous, not-so-famous, and infamous are here, including Cleopatra, Sacajawea, Qui Jin, and Golda Meir. Showcasing women's achievements in the arts, politics, science, and medicine--and with an inspiring forward by Gloria Steinem--this book serves up a healthy portion of education, enlightenment, and enjoyment, and should be an essential reference for young women and young men alike. (Ages 11 and older) --Brangien Davis

From Publishers Weekly

Ranging from an ancient Egyptian ruler (Queen Hatshepsut) to a contemporary athlete (Billie Jean King), these highly readable thumbnail sketches cover areas from literature to politics, fashion to aviation, music to science. The 120 entries offer concise overviews of specific women's lives and accomplishments, with a thoughtful blend of professional and personal details. In addition to often-profiled figures (Susan B. Anthony, Eleanor Roosevelt), the collection also includes less well known but influential women like the seventh-century Chinese ruler Wu Chao and Vietnamese activist Nguyen Thi Binh. The team of nine women authors (including Ashby and Ohrn) employs a conversational tone that encourages leisurely browsing. Many selections are prefaced with a revealing excerpt from the subject's writings, and each is accompanied by a photograph or artistic likeness. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Viking Juvenile (June 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670854344
• ISBN-13: 978-0670854349
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 7.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #968,952 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #80 in Books > Teens > Biographies

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All About Women!, April 16, 2003

By 

StarGymnast (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Herstory: Women Who Changed the World (Hardcover)

Here's one of the few great books that focus on women and their accomplishments only instead of men. This book featured 120 biographal sketches of women such as Cleopatra VII, Queen Victoria, Anna Pavlova, Gabrielle "Coco" Channel, Harriet Tubmanm, Elizabeth Blackwell, Queen Elizabeth I, and much, much more. These biographies are all wonderful, easy to read, and clearly say what these women have done and accomplished. This is the perfect book for anyone who wants to read about women who have done amazing things. After all, women are capable of accomplishing and doing anything, and this book clearly shows that!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A necessity to anyone interested in women's history, June 26, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Herstory: Women Who Changed the World (Hardcover)

What a gem! I have many history books about women because I want to share women's history with my children. I was of the generation where women were left out of the history class and I feel that women are still in large left out of much of the classes in today's schools. This book does a great job of including many women from different eras, genres and ethnicities. There are photos and great summaries that are short enough to interest children, but in-depth enough to give the reader a knowledgeable understanding. I highly recommend this book to anyone, at any level!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfection, October 27, 2007

By 

Theseus "theseus" (US of A) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Herstory: Women Who Changed the World (Hardcover)

A big, bright, attractive young adult-friendly but not dumbed-down reference. I'm particularly impressed by the balance achieved here between individual personalities and larger historical trends. Brava.