There are tons of books that collect biographies of people from all different categories. I was interested to check this out and see if there was anyone new and was pleasantly surprised to find a few unknowns. The format is nothing new, but there are some great folks featured that I haven't seen in other books so far.

This details the lives of 20 rebels or rulebreakers throughout history. From the founder of the Red Cross to the queen of the kingdom of Kush, this covers stories highlighting figures who might not be well known and were far from conventional.

From the author and host of the popular Unruly Figures Substack newsletter and podcast, a look at revolutionaries and rulebreakers through history. Hidden history you may read about for the first time.

Very interesting and unique stories, I was fascinated to learn about each of the people discussed and liked having a different view of history.

Thank you to NetGalley, Princeton Architectural Press, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

So I am a lover of weird history, unknown events, and anything a little crazy, hence why the title immediately grabbed my attention. If any of you all follow All That Is Interesting, History Uncovered, or any of the news/instagram pages like these, you will love Unruly Figures.

These pocket sized stories are the perfect bite of strange and/or wild history perfect for conversations over coffee or an adult before bed story (love this because I can read one story in approximately the time before the sleeping pill kicks in).

Who doesn't love reading a story that may have unknowingly affected how a society today works and rules. Some of these rebels are back in Ancient times, some in more current times that have bucked rules, made great decisions (good or bad, but great) and have made waves and changes in their wakes. One thing I loved about these stories is how diverse the rebels that Clark chose to write about are. I thought this touch was cool, as I was learning about many different groups of people, different genders and different classes of societies.

I personally thought that the stories were the perfect length to be palatable for easy consumption, as anything longer I feel like may have been overwhelming with facts and information. Each gave you enough to contemplate, think about and wonder about looking a little more into each individual.

As I received an ARC, the copy I read form was in black and white. Before reviewing (since the book was just released a few days ago- Congrats!) I checked out a preview on Amazon to see the drawings. Wow- what a difference in color makes in how they look. Absolutely beautiful.

These stories are prefect for waiting on someone in the car, reading in the bubble bath, an adult nighttime story or for reading before work with coffee. Such crazy stories to learn about.

I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is the sort of book that I really enjoy- small bite sized chunks that can be put down and come back too without loosing your place. I loved this one! It was well researched and thought out, and some of the people I knew something about and learned a little more, and some I'd not heard of and learned something new. I often found myself checking out other sources to find even more now that my whistle had been whet!
I highly recommend!

4.5 stars
Recommended if you like: history, nonfiction, biographies, little known history

This review has also been posted to Goodreads.

This was an interesting book that provided overviews of revolutionaries from various points in history across the world. I learned some interesting new things and about new people, some of whom I'd heard of and others of whom I hadn't. I did find the biographical sketches to be pretty interesting. I think the author does a good job of including a diverse set of people from various cultures, genders, and sexualities. It's also fairly short so it's a nice, quick read.

My one complaint about this book is that the biographies were pretty short, about 10 pages each, and so didn't really go too in depth about the people, just gave a summary of their life and main actions. It felt a bit like a summary of other people's research, and I would've much rather had a longer book that went into more detail about each of the 20 revolutionaries. As it is, it's a good introduction if you're looking for people who want to learn more about.

I actually do have a second complaint but it's unrelated to the book itself. This was only available for download on my laptop or via the Netgalley app, but not on the Kindle. I chose the Netgalley app so I would be able to read it from anywhere but there was a watermark over top of the text in the middle of each page. Not only was the watermark over the text, but it also had a drop shadow, which made it hard to read what was under it.

I'm a big fan of this kind of collection of minibiography. I've really enjoyed the ones Rebel Girls have been doing, and I was excited to see someone else focusing on revolutionaries and rulebreakers.

Each biography was thoroughly researched and easily readable. I ended up reading a couple of these essays to my nephew as I babysat him. One of the best things about this book was how it emphasized how human every subject was. They were all capable of good things and bad things. And the variety of the people depicted was great as well, especially acknowledging the words we would probably use today to describe them, particularly in instances of gender and sexuality, while pointing out that that would not have been the language of the time.

I think the hallmark of a good nonfiction book is how much I want to do more research when I'm done with it. And I had started a list in my notes app of things to look up as I went through this book. There were a few I was aware of, but so many more I had never heard of. I'm excited to look up these people even more.

One small gripe, is that the copy available for download had a very solid watermark in the middle of every page which actually obscured entire sentences.

My thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Interesting and well researched piece on characters in history that you’ve likely never heard of (literally). The rebels and unruly folks in this book span both time and types.

Thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books/Princeton Architectural Press for an Advanced Reader Copy - pub date 3/5/2024. While it was not quite what I expected, it is definitely worth the time to pick up and read it. The people contained within deserve to have their stories heard and appreciated. Equally important is that they are recognized as whole human beings, containing both good and bad, while their stories are still respected. The author definitely does this and you have to give her props for this; at no point does she hide the ugly bits in order to lionize the figures in this book. On the other hand, the problem with choosing figures that are seldom discussed is that you are left with limited resources or else you have to work really hard to get that info. This unfortunately worked against the book in understandable ways. Some of the chapters felt complete but some, missing vital information or filled with "it is believed" phrases, feel more like place holders. It isn't disrespectful at all but it leaves you wanting much more, feeling like the book could have just been finished a bit more. You know? If nothing else, though, this book will give you new names to go down the rabbit hole for - people with vibrant stories and spines of steel! It should alsos inspire you to be your true self because, hard as that is, none of the people in this book would ever say it wasn't worth it.

I have heard of a handful of these unruly figures because I studied their history. I was frankly amazed that we even know so much about some of them. Every one of them has a story worth reading. There is a wide variety of history here, and every person was chosen because they made an important contribution to history that most people have never heard about. This would be a great book to keep around and read one story at a time and share the stories with friends.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this ARC

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. This was pretty interesting. The title is right, never heard of any of the people talked about. But they all kicked butt with their stories. Kudos for a great book!

I loved the choices that Valorie Castellanos Clark made in the decisions of who to include in their tales of rebels. This was a great way to wind down my day, and I'm so glad this book eists.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me an eARC in exchange for a review!

Absolutely fascinating tales about historical figures, most of whom I had never heard of. Definitely worth the read!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

What is more intriguing than hearing about rebels? People who have chosen to disregard or bend the rules or even write new ones are inherently fascinating, especially if their unruly roles have been hidden from the typical school textbook history.

Valerie Castellanos Clark gives readers and fans of nonfiction a wild educational ride in the way back machine to introduce us to 20 men and women who bucked the system in one way or another and made a difference by with their own strength of character and mind. From a pirate Queen to a man tasked with making the call on whether a nuclear bomb alert was bonifide or not, all manner of risk takers rule these pages and are brought into a spotlight they deserve by the author.

The world is better for it.

What an interesting book! Out of each of the individuals highlighted, I had maybe heard of three of the people before picking up the book (and, admittedly, I didn't know much about those three!). Not only did I learn about the interesting individuals but a lot of historical and cultural context as well. It's a fascinating read and would make a great gift for any history buff. Lastly, the book is laid out beautifully and is very eye catching.

I was really excited to read this book but when I downloaded it the massive copy write watermark on the middle of the page made it very hard to read.

This book proves once again that history is one of the most fascinating subjects. Providing insight into twenty people throughout history who took matters into their own hands to change not only their lives but the entire world. A fun, thought provoking read perfect for history buffs or those who enjoy reading about change makers.