“I read so I can live more than one life in more than one place.” – Anne Tyler
The March feature book, "Bad Girls Throughout History" by Ann Shen, was chosen in honour of International Women’s Day. In line with the opening quote, this book truly allows the reader to live vicariously through many lives (100 to be exact) in different places and periods of time.
As soon as I started reading this book, I was enthralled. I looked forward to picking up this book every evening and learning about powerful and inspiring women who made significant progress throughout history. From Joan of Arc to Sojourner Truth, Edith Wharton, Amelia Earhart, Coretta Scott King, Oprah, and Malala Yousafzai, the life stories and career pathways are remarkable and extraordinary.
Not only is this book glittered with beautiful illustrations and incredible real-life stories (both writing and graphics by Shen), it is exciting to read and it is a wonderful celebration of women’s accomplishments throughout decades.
If you are looking for some inspiration, want to truly read about overcoming hardships and breaking through barriers, and want to answer the question of “Does what I do in my life and career – the decisions I make, what I do day-to-day, and how I interact with others – really make a difference and matter?”, then look no further! This comprehensive book of 100 brilliant women really demonstrates the power in taking action and allows you to see how your actions can make large-scale differences today and for many future generations to come.
This compilation takes a look at women who have made an impact in many different fields including: science, technology, medicine, culinary arts, poetry, literature, performance arts, music, social justice, politics, and human rights. There is nothing quite like reading about awe-inspiring stories and knowing that they are all true. This book will really instill in you a belief that you can pursue your goals and accomplish your wildest dreams. There is nothing holding you back but you sometimes, and there is always a way, even if it is not what you planned or expected.
I encourage you to pick up this book at your local library or bookstore, educate yourself on these ground-breaking stories, and empower yourself to write your own story and follow your desired path.
Here are some stories you can look forward to:
Wu Zetian – the first and only Empress of China
Khutulun – the undefeated wrestler princess of the Mongols
Aphra Behn – the first professional female writer
Ada Lovelace – the world’s first computer programmer
Maria Mitchell – the first female American astronomer who also discovered a comet
Harriet Tubman – escaped slavery, saved over 70 runaway slaves through the Underground Railroad, and became the first American woman to lead an armed assault
Annie Edson Taylor – the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls (in a wooden barrel at the age of 63!)
Edith Wharton – the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for her novel, The Age of Innocence
Madam C.J. Walker – the first female self-made millionaire
Anna May Wong – the first Asian-American movie star
Christine Jorgensen – the first publicly known American trans woman
Maya Angelou – writer, filmmaker, actor, activist, and the first female poet to write and recite a poem for a presidential inauguration
Valentina Tereshkova – the first woman in space
Junko Tabei – the first woman to climb to the summit of Mount Everest
And there are many more revolutionary stories to read!
So...what are you waiting for? Get to reading! Sabrina
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