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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
This was a nice little book. I'm sure you could easily write a full-length biography about each and every one of the 52 women profiled here, but it's nice to have a little introduction all in one place. I knew of most of the math/physics/astronomy people mentioned, but most of the biology/medicine people were new to me, so that was definitely interesting. It's amazing to see how much some of the women had to overcome to progress too. There were a surprisingly large fraction where were given unpaid positions at various universities, but they continued working anyway.
informative
I thought this book was very interesting and informative and I had only heard of maybe 3 or 4 of the women featured here. I know a lot of people don't like these kinds of books because they feel like they are not in-depth enough but honestly a three page mini biography is just about the perfect length for my attention span. My only complaint is that is it very focused on Western countries and overwhelmingly white, which is something that the author mentioned at the beginning but I feel like I have read other books featuring more women of color who were scientists so I'm not sure if it was just a case of not digging deep enough or what. Still an interesting jumping off point for this particular subject though.
I really liked learning about these women in STEM, some I had heard of before and many I hadn't, but I wish the entries were a little longer. Some of them seemed rushed or glossed over, while others were very succinct and informative. I would have loved some illustrations, patent drawings, or photographs to accompany many of the entries too. But overall this was a great introduction to women in STEM and was very well researched.
"We live in a scientific age; yet we assume that knowledge of science is the prerogative of only a small number of human beings, isolated and priest-like in their laboratories. This is not true. The materials of science are the materials of life itself. Science is part of the reality of living; it is the what, the how, and the why of everything in our experience." Rachel Carson
This book was enlightening and inspiring, yet laced with themes of tragedy and injustice. The 52 women highlighted in this book were only a few of those who have made great strides in their fields, yet overcame so many obstacles to receive the credit they deserve. And even then, sometimes it came too late. I am just so inspired by the stories of these strong, smart, courageous women who went and out and did what they loved, not for glory or money, but because they had passion and a vision. It really got me thinking about all the women who could have been great were it not for the overwhelming obstacles they maybe just weren't able to overcome. Many of the women in this book faced opposition, not just from the stigma of being a woman in science, but were also persecuted for their religion, class, and/or relationship status. I am thankful to have read this book and hope to learn more about often overlooked heros.
"The idea of 'women and science' is entirely irrelevant. Either a woman is a good scientist or she is not; in any case she should be given opportunities, and her work should be studied from the scientific, not the sex, point of view." Hertha Aryton
This book was enlightening and inspiring, yet laced with themes of tragedy and injustice. The 52 women highlighted in this book were only a few of those who have made great strides in their fields, yet overcame so many obstacles to receive the credit they deserve. And even then, sometimes it came too late. I am just so inspired by the stories of these strong, smart, courageous women who went and out and did what they loved, not for glory or money, but because they had passion and a vision. It really got me thinking about all the women who could have been great were it not for the overwhelming obstacles they maybe just weren't able to overcome. Many of the women in this book faced opposition, not just from the stigma of being a woman in science, but were also persecuted for their religion, class, and/or relationship status. I am thankful to have read this book and hope to learn more about often overlooked heros.
"The idea of 'women and science' is entirely irrelevant. Either a woman is a good scientist or she is not; in any case she should be given opportunities, and her work should be studied from the scientific, not the sex, point of view." Hertha Aryton
Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science - and the World by Rachel Swaby sets clear expectations on what it is - an introduction to the work of 52 amazing scientists who happen to be women. It then proceeds to deliver concisely and precisely on those expectations. As such, it is a great resource "as girls in science look around for role models" or as anyone wishes for inspiration for scientific endeavors.
Read my complete review at: http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2015/07/headstrong-52-women-who-changed-science.html
Reviewed based on a publisher’s galley received through NetGalley
Read my complete review at: http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2015/07/headstrong-52-women-who-changed-science.html
Reviewed based on a publisher’s galley received through NetGalley
I'm appalled at how many of these stories I've never heard before - stories of dozens of women who made breakthroughs in medicine, biology, genetics, math, and technology that are nowhere to be found in our textbooks or folklore, and have been nearly erased from history entirely. I'm sure there are countless other women whose names were literally erased from their contributions to the world. I'm grateful to Rachel Swaby for collecting these stories.
Good brief biography of women in the sciences. I thought it was interesting that many loved the work so much, they did it even though they were not given salaries or decent work areas.