Hmm - quite a nice, lightly informative travel through the biographies of some well known female historical personalities. Well written and enjoyable. Why only three stars? I am not entirely happy with the slight tendency, underlying many of the chapters, which suggests that all of these women, if they did something illegal or made choices considered immoral at the time, were seduced into it by a male figure. I am not saying it might not be true - I lack the historical evidence and the book does not provide the sources - but I have noticed that tendency across many biographical works, especially noticeable here. Why should Simone de Beauvoir not have chosen to remain unattached, and free to sleep with anyone she choses, if not for the urging of Sartre? Her later life seems to show a clear commitment to that ideal. But again, I lack the historical sources for a real judgement and did not like that this book does not provide it, or questions the use of the "seduced innocent". ( )

Hmm - quite a nice, lightly informative travel through the biographies of some well known female historical personalities. Well written and enjoyable. Why only three stars? I am not entirely happy with the slight tendency, underlying many of the chapters, which suggests that all of these women, if they did something illegal or made choices considered immoral at the time, were seduced into it by a male figure. I am not saying it might not be true - I lack the historical evidence and the book does not provide the sources - but I have noticed that tendency across many biographical works, especially noticeable here. Why should Simone de Beauvoir not have chosen to remain unattached, and free to sleep with anyone she choses, if not for the urging of Sartre? Her later life seems to show a clear commitment to that ideal. But again, I lack the historical sources for a real judgement and did not like that this book does not provide it, or questions the use of the "seduced innocent". ( )