Free Books: A to Z of Women in World History

A to Z of Women in World History

The 260 women who are profiled here have not only made a mark on their own cultures but have also "influenced other women from diverse cultures and different historical periods pursuing the same goals." The A to Z in the title is somewhat misleading, because entries are organized first under 14 areas of accomplishment, from "Adventurers and Athletes" to "Writers." This arrangement is not as accessible as a straight A-Z format, but it does help the reader see links between women from different eras and regions. For example, the chapter "Religious Leaders" has entries for, among others, Mahaprajapati, a Buddhist nun of the sixth or fifth centuries B.C.E.; Hildegard von Bingen, of twelfth-century Germany; and Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian Science.

Entries are generally around two pages in length, and each offers suggestions for further reading, which is helpful when interest has been sparked. A concluding bibliography offers further suggestions of books on female accomplishments. Two useful sections are the "Entries by Country of Birth" and "Entries by Year of Birth." The volume is completed by an index to subjects and names.

There are a number of other encyclopedias on women, and several of these index their subjects by occupation or area of accomplishment. Such indexes can be cumbersome to use, so A to Z of Women in World History is a good place to start for researchers who are taking a sphere-of-activity approach to women's history. This highly readable volume is recommended for high-school, public, and academic libraries. RBB Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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