Bloody Brilliant Women: The Pioneers, Revolutionaries and Geniuses Your History Teacher Forgot to Mention

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

A litany of fresh heroes to make the embattled heart sing Caitlin Moran

Newman is a brilliant writer Observer

A fresh, opinionated history of all the brilliant women you should have learned about in school but didnt.
For hundreds of years we have heard about the great men of history, but what about herstory

In this freewheeling history of modern Britain, Cathy Newman writes about the pioneering women who defied the odds to make careers for themselves and alter the course of modern history; women who achieved what they achieved while dismantling hostile, entrenched views about their place in society. Their role in transforming Britain is fundamental, far greater than has generally been acknowledged, and not just in the arts or education but in fields like medicine, politics, law, engineering and the military.

While a few of the women in this book are now household names, many have faded into oblivion, their personal and collective achievements mere footnotes in history. We know of Emmeline Pankhurst, Vera Brittain, Marie Stopes and Beatrice Webb. But who remembers engineer and motorbike racer Beatrice Shilling, whose ingenious device for the Spitfires Rolls-Royce Merlin fixed an often-fatal flaw, allowing the RAFs planes to beat the German in the Battle of Britain Or Dorothy Lawrence, the journalist who achieved her ambition to become a WW1 correspondent by pretending to be a man And developmental biologist Anne McLaren, whose work in genetics paved the way for in vitro fertilisation

Blending meticulous research with information gleaned from memoirs, diaries, letters, novels and other secondary sources, Bloody Brilliant Women uses the stories of some extraordinary lives to tell the tale of 20th and 21st century Britain. It is a history for women and men. A history for our times.

Reviews

Newman is a riveting teller of history. We are given an insight into the lives of women from Queen Victoria to the suffragists and suffragettes fighting for franchise, political pioneers and present day female advocates of the arts A celebration of women who helped shape modern Britain as entertaining as it is enlightening Newman is a brilliant writer; each chapter throws up something even more interesting than the last and the prose shifts seamlessly between them I could read a whole second volume Hannah Jane Parkinson, Observer

Modern, punchy and fresh. A pacy compendium of fascinating nuggets Katie Glass, Sunday Times

For far too long, womens achievements have been airbrushed out of history. In this groundbreaking book, the first of its kind, Cathy Newman has done a bloody brilliant job of painting them back in bright, vivid colours. She has repaid the debt due by all of us to women pioneers of the past and created a treasure trove of inspiration for women of today and tomorrow. I just wish this book had been written when I was growing up. Nicola Sturgeon

Powerful, poignant and often provoking this book shines a light on the contribution of women of all ages, ethnicities, faiths and backgrounds who have helped to make our city and country so great. Cathy Newman narrates the stories of women who have helped shape the world in which we live today, by challenging gender stereotypes, smashing glass ceilings and blazing a trail for the next generation to follow. Eloquently written and hugely enjoyable to read. Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London

Brilliant, enlightening, and a powerful reminder of the extraordinary and sustained courage of the women who fought against overwhelming odds for equality of opportunity, for rights and respect. This book is so important. No library, no school or university, should be without a copy. Michael Morpurgo

Author Bio

Cathy Newman is one of Channel 4 News' main studio presenters. She joined Channel 4 News as political correspondent in January 2006 after seven years writing for the Financial Times. Cathy is an award-winning investigative journalist whose scoops have allegations of sexual harassment in Westminster, an investigation into a British paedophile who abused vulnerable boys in Kenya; and allegations of violent abuse by the British barrister John Smyth. She was the only broadcast journalist to travel with Angelina Jolie and the then foreign secretary William Hague to the Congo as part of their campaign against sexual violence. Cathy' first book Bloody Brilliant Women was published in 2018.