interesting and cool but not my favorite book in this style. i think it read interesting but bland; i know, sounds contradictory, but that's how i felt.

Tired of damsels in distress? Ready for some rebels, artists, scholars, amazons, and even villains? Then this is the book for you. Some of the women profiled within these pages may be familiar - Margaret Thatcher, Annie Easley - but others you have probably never heard of. How about Wang Zhenyi, a poet from the Qing Dynasty? She was born in 1768 and studied everything from astronomy to martial arts. In 1994 a crater on the planet Venus was named for her. "When you look into the night sky, seek out Venus and be dazzled by the celestial body and the woman who saw the stars and felt the wonder of the universe."

If stargazing isn't your style, perhaps you prefer the arts? Maria Tallchief and her brilliant performance as Ballanchine's Firebird may be more to your tastes. The first Native American prima ballerina explained her achievements by saying, "You do what you have to do, and when you must, then you do a little more." Or there is Murasaki Shikibu, who wrote The Tale of Genji around the year 1000, and it is considered the first modern novel. She "filled her novel with multifaceted female characters who provided a rare glimpse into how it felt to be a woman in her world."

After something more aggressive? What about Khutulun of Mongolia (born around 1260), who was even mentioned in the journals of Marco Polo? He was impressed with the way she would ride into battle with her father's troops and could capture an enemy "as deftly as a hawk pounces on a bird." She was also a champion wrestler and refused to marry anyone who could not defeat her. There are also tales of a female pirate who commanded an entire fleet, women who were directors and producers in the early days of Hollywood, and those who stood against the practices of lynching during Jim Crow.

Recommended for anyone with an interest in women's history or feminism.

This was a very well written, well researched, beautifully illustrated book that highlighted twenty five remarkable women who were certainly defiant, but they were also women that made history with their dynamic exploits, especially in times when submissiveness was the norm. They defied the odds and made a name for themselves, and now thanks to the authors, their names and place in history will no longer be silent or ignored.

This is the type of book that should be in classrooms (14-18 age group) and prominently showcased, especially during the celebration of Women’s History month in March. These women have earned that right.

Very highly recommended!

History vs Women: The Defiant Lives that They Don't Want You to Know by Anita Sarkeesian and Ebony Adams is an amazing book, incredibly informative and interesting.