Want to learn about some truly badass women throughout history that you may not have heard of before? Well, I’ve got the book for you – Sam Maggs’ 2016 title “Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors and Trailblazers Who Changed History.” Whether you want to get inspired or are just interested in learning a little bit more about some of the incredible women who have come before us, this is an excellent read.

I actually requested for my library system to purchase this book prior to its release. They did, and I got to be the first one to get my hands on a copy! (Thank you, request system.) IN terms of reading, this book is short (under 240 pages) but covers a lot of ground. It dedicates between 2-4 pages to each woman that it highlights, while also including a bit in each chapter to cover several other women who fall into that category, be it medicine, spy, or inventor.

Honestly, I learned a lot from reading this book, and I walked away feeling absolutely…. recharged, inspired and energized. It’s incredible to read about these women who, throughout history, have defied the odds (and often, the laws), done their own thing, and made significant changes in the world and the lives of many others. Sadly, many of these women were never formally credited with their inventions or discoveries; instead, a man came in and took credit instead. (Ugh!)

What I really appreciated about this book – and why I strongly suggest everyone read it – is the variety of women covered. It’s not just a book about white, American women. Maggs highlights women from all sorts of racial, ethnic & cultural backgrounds, as well as women from all sorts of historical periods. She includes women who married as well as women who chose to stay single; women who were poor, middle class, and better off. She also included women who were bisexual, pansexual, lesbian, etc. And yes, she also included at least one transgender woman! It was refreshing to read a book about empowering women that included such a diverse group!

From spies to inventors, chemists to mountain climbers, airplane pilots to suffragettes… Maggs touches on so many different subjects and highlights just some of the incredible women in them. This is a must-read for ANYONE, but especially for women & girls! Each chapter also includes an interview with a notable woman in that field, including one from the STEM field, one who works at Slack, etc.

So go on – pick this one up today. You won’t be disappointed.