Early this year, I read ‘A History of Britain in 21 Women’, so spent a lot of the rest of the year waiting for this one to come out in paperback. Therefore, it was a great choice for my ‘Non-Fiction November’.
The best thing about these books is that they are a short and sweet introduction to some wonderfully fascinating women who you want to find out more about. Of course, this is not a definitive collection of fabulous females – and you may not agree with all of Murray’s choices – but you will certainly learn something.
As I read about some women who I had never come across – such as Pharaoh Hatshepsut – I found myself admiring the determination of all of these women who have all fought for their place in ‘Her-story’, often against all odds.
The stories that really made me think and have left me wanting to find out even more were those of Joan of Arc, Marie Curie and Artemisa Gentileschi. Of course, I have a working knowledge of the first two women, but now I want to find out even more about them to draw my own conclusions. However, Artemisa Gentileschi was a figure new to me and her story, as well as her art, has really caught my attention.
All of these stories are those of women who have changed the world. In their own way, they have made an impact on the history of the world, and should be an inspiration to us all to make our mark.
There is only one small issue with the book. A teeny, tiny one that even had me texting my mum for confirmation. The book suggests in the TV series ‘Morse’ you never find out Inspector Morse’s christian name. However, as a dedicated fan (I was brought up on all the classics), I can confirm that this is incorrect – you do indeed find out his christian name. But, let’s be honest, it does not stop it from being a great book.