Pam (Editor) Nelson

I chose this book for my final (required) book review because it seemed so fitting and appropriate. We are compiling a collective biography book in our nonfiction graduate class about influential women of New Orleans. This book about influential women in history was perfect...so I thought. Not to discredit the amazing women portrayed in this book or the imprint that they left in history, but I had a rough time getting through this book and it was all due to format.
While reading this book, all I could keep thinking was that the authors (yes, that is plural authors, so I suppose that should have tipped me off) must have downed some coffee, 5-hour energy shots, adderall, and a whole slew of other extremely hyper-inducing products because I felt all over the place when I read, or attempted to read, I should say.
I think they must have decided beforehand that they wanted to produce a book that utilized every possible font available. Ever. In the history of typing. I mean, I think I counted a dozen different typefaces on one page. One page!! Not to mention the fact that the text sometimes went vertically on the page, just for artistic appeal?? I cannot really say.
The stories in this book are so interesting and the ladies whose lives are intertwined in these stories are astounding, but I really could not even retain the stories that I read because I was so distracted by all the, well, distractions throughout the book.
Even though I was pretty disappointed with this book, I suppose it did help in reaffirming our collaborative decision to keep our own biographical collective as streamlined as possible. I am all for bending the rules and breaking the creative barriers, but when it impedes on my ability to even just read the text, I'm not sold.… (mais)

A nice collection of mini-biographies of successful, feisty, independent or just plain stylish women, with great pictures and presentation designed to capture the attention of younger readers (say, 8 to 88, give or take a year or so).

My main gripe is that it is really very US-centric. It's written for an American audience, so it hardly seems fair to complain that there are too many Americans in it, but maybe not so unfair to complain about a certain complacency in the way that historical or foreign women are treated - as in, no, Eleanor of Aquitaine clearly did NOT have 'sexy' armour.

Don't let that put you off too much though, on the whole this is worthy and fun and there aren't enough books like it. It would be good if a second edition came out, too!… (mais)