Learn from Women Who Dared

Working in an independent bookstore means you get to be exposed to many different genres, but I always go back to my favorite: children’s literature. Being a fiction gal means non-fiction is rarely fun. But Women Who Dared: 52 Stories of Fearless Daredevils, Adventurers, and Rebel is grand fun.

Fifty-two women who have shaped the world by doing things “women are not supposed to do” are introduced with one page biographies. Most were women rarely (if ever) heard of. A few (such as Bessie Coleman) are in the public eye, some are in certain circles known (such as Annie Edson Taylor, the first person who dared to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel) and some I would dare say very few (if any) could tell you who Helen Gibson was (the first woman who dared to be a professional stunt person).

The fact they are “adventures/spies/explorers/scientists” is a nice touch. Not just an artist, or someone who accomplished something “older in life” or was “very young” when being them. The fact that women from all over the world was good. The fact that few are well-known is the best part. We all know “current events” or people who are doing things now. But to see history shows that, while Hilary Clinton might be a trailblazer now, she is by far not the first.  It would be nice to see more politicians (Jeanette Rankin) as they would fit into the theme. However, there is always room for sequels. This is a series so perhaps people like her are in one of those.