Bad Girls Throughout History

Author: Ann Shen

Series: Standalone

Released: September 6th 2016

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Length: 216 pages

Source: Publisher for review

Buy: The Book Depository

Aphra Behn, first female professional writer. Sojourner Truth, activist and abolitionist. Ada Lovelace, first computer programmer. Marie Curie, first woman to win the Nobel Prize. Joan Jett, godmother of punk. The 100 revolutionary women highlighted in this gorgeously illustrated book were bad in the best sense of the word: they challenged the status quo and changed the rules for all who followed. From pirates to artists, warriors, daredevils, scientists, activists, and spies, the accomplishments of these incredible women vary as much as the eras and places in which they effected change. Featuring bold watercolor portraits and illuminating essays by Ann Shen, Bad Girls Throughout History is a distinctive, gift-worthy tribute.

Bad Girls Throughout History: 100 Remarkable Women Who Changed the World is an absolute must-have in every home library, and not just those owned by girls. It’s an essential read that helps bring to light the incredible impact women have on humanity as a whole, as well as the innate strength and capacity for greatness each woman possesses. 

Ann Shen is the writer and illustrator behind this interesting book. Each of the one hundred short articles is accompanied by watercolor illustrations, and each illustration by a brief, handwritten comment or quote. You can see some of them on the cover, but the true magic happens within. Each watercolor portrait is designed to emphasize the strengths of these women and each includes a small detail that helps us understand how they lived their lives.

From Lilith and Cleopatra to Oprah and Malala, the book features 100 truly extraordinary women. Some of them are already familiar, and some, like the surrealist fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, perhaps a bit less so.  Each of these stories is worth reading, each of the women worth knowing about. The selection is, perhaps, a bit America-oriented, but each of the chosen women undeniably deserves to be included. I would only object to the absence of Ellen DeGeneres, when women like Nora Ephron, Oprah or Tina Fey were already included. Ellen has done so much for lesbians and LGBT community as a whole and her courage, as well as all it had cost her, earned her a place among these amazing individuals.

The book came with something called the Feminist Journal, a fabulous memo book (or well, a journal) filled with inspiring quotes about what it means to be a feminist, all from famous and extraordinary women. The journal isn’t only something you yourself must have, it also makes an excellent gift for mothers, sisters and friends. Just click on the image to pre-order from Amazon and enjoy owning this wonderful gem. 

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher for review purposes. No considerations, monetary or otherwise, have influenced the opinions expressed in this review.