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Headstrong
Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science-and the World | Rachel Swaby
Fifty-two inspiring and insightful profiles of historys brightest female scientists. In 2013, the New York Times published an obituary for Yvonne Brill. It began: She made a mean beef stroganoff, followed her husband from job to job, and took eight years off from work to raise three children. It wasnt until the second paragraph that readers discovered why the Times had devoted several hundred words to her life: Brill was a brilliant rocket scientist who invented a propulsion system to keep communications satellites in orbit, and had recently been awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Among the questions the obituaryand consequent outcryprompted were, Who are the role models for todays female scientists, and where can we find the stories that cast them in their true light? Headstrong delivers a powerful, global, and engaging response. Covering Nobel Prize winners and major innovators, as well as lesser-known but hugely significant scientists who influence our every day, Rachel Swabys vibrant profiles span centuries of courageous thinkers and illustrate how each ones ideas developed, from their first moment of scientific engagement through the research and discovery for which theyre best known. This fascinating tour reveals these 52 women at their bestwhile encouraging and inspiring a new generation of girls to put on their lab coats. From the Trade Paperback edition.
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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

Headstrong provides micro-bios of kickass historical women in science. I liked how it looks across disciplines, though these are virtually all white, Western women. Oh, and there‘s a lot of no on will hire or pay them and getting one‘s work stolen by a man kind of garbage across these stories, natch.

KCofKaysville @Hooked_on_books I really enjoyed it. About some really capable women. 3y
Hooked_on_books @KCofKaysville For sure! I may have done a few fist pumps while reading. 😬 3y
46 likes2 comments
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Megabooks
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Pickpick

This is a book that proves just how tenacious & intelligent women are. Swaby looks at 52 deceased women scientists. Some of the women have come to prominence recently like Ada Lovelace and Hedy Lamarr. Others she reveals lesser known facts about like Sally Ride and Florence Nightingale. Still others have been lost to history like Alice Ball, who developed a treatment for leprosy, or have become dissociated from their ideas like Virginia Apgar. ⬇️

Megabooks ⬆️ This is a great #audiobook to increase your knowledge of women STEM pioneers, and as a women in medicine, it just made me proud to know I stand on the shoulders of so many giants! On to this book now (edited) 4y
Megabooks This is my #doublespin @TheAromaofBooks 🥳🎧 (edited) 4y
Smrloomis Thanks for reviewing this! Stacked 😄 4y
See All 13 Comments
Megabooks @Smrloomis I hope you enjoy it! 4y
Cinfhen I‘ve been eyeing the book you tagged in the comments!!! You‘re a WEALTH of knowledge 😘😘😘 4y
BarbaraBB This sounds like a book that should be read widely 4y
Megabooks @Cinfhen so far I‘m enjoying the audiobook of it doctors Blackwell. Elizabeth just landed to teach in a nearby Kentucky town, which I did not know. Like @Hooked_on_books said in her review, it‘s providing nuance and background to the legend. 4y
Megabooks @BarbaraBB It is a book I wish more people would read. These women who pushed open the door and fought for inclusion shouldn‘t be forgotten. 4y
vivastory Not book related, but I just watched episode 1 of Generation Hustle on HBO Max. Have you checked it out? One episode is about 4y
Hooked_on_books @Megabooks @Cinfhen The Doctors Blackwell is really well done. I really appreciated it. And I just so happen to have a copy of Headstrong on my shelves! Amongst many, many other unread books. 🙄😆 4y
Megabooks @vivastory yes, I have read the book. It was between a pick and a so-so to me. Anna‘s story was interesting, but the author‘s voice on the audiobook really put me off. (Plus I remember the author being kind of whiny in general, but I have a very low threshold for whining.) I will check out that episode, though. Thanks! 4y
Megabooks @Hooked_on_books lol! I think you‘d appreciate Headstrong. Each woman‘s story is well contained, so you could always read a few when you want some filler. 👍🏻 4y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 4y
91 likes4 stack adds13 comments
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Andrea313
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OrangeMooseReads
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Pickpick

I love a book about badass women who make a difference (which most badass women do). This book looks at women in the sciences and the best part is that they are women that are not covered as often. You will not find Curie in here except in passing. Focusing on lesser known women in science is fantastic. Swamy does cover Lovelace, Hopper, Lamarr, and Nightingale. It is definitely worth reading especially for a young girl interested in STEM/STEAM

KCofKaysville Great review. It's good to know about strong women in science. 4y
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OrangeMooseReads
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Grabbed this off the shelf this afternoon. My IPad was at 32% so I didn‘t bring it to read the ebook I want to start. We all know I love a good strong badass woman book 😁

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sammisho
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Pickpick

I loved everything about this! As a mom, raising a daughter interested in STEM fields, I am so happy I now have a book to share with her full of great role models, more than just Marie Curie.
#readingwomen #bookaboutawomaninscience
#womenshistorymonth

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sammisho
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If you have had a baby, and the doctor gave you an Apgar score to make sure your precious bundle was healthy, you can thank a brilliant woman for that. I am already so enjoying this book about little known women in science, like Virginia Apgar!
#womenshistorymonth

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arubabookwoman
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#FeministFriday So once this book was in my hand, I had to open it, and this was the first paragraph of the introduction. So apropos of the whole issue of feminism.

Leftcoastzen Argh 6y
31 likes1 comment
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arubabookwoman
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#FeministFriday I bought this about a year ago for my scientist daughter, but decided to read it myself first. A year later it‘s still on the TBR shelf. She‘s visiting from NYC this coming week. Maybe I can squeeze it in this weekend?

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arlenefinnigan
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Mindelan
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Expanding my knowledge of women in science for future program planning. I recently had an acquaintance tell me that we do not know the stories of women scientists because they are a small % overall. First, we have been here the whole time. And second, that does not mean they did not make significant advances. I had some off the cuff examples (do you like widely available penicillin?) but I‘m going to accumulate more information& bury him in it.

TrishB Please do! 7y
11 likes1 comment
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Mindelan
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Doing research for future program planning, and I think I am in love with Virginia Apgar. That is all. #hardcoreladytypes #womeninscience

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Mindelan
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When you get a bunch of free time and then immediately overcommit yourself. #blameitonLitsy #ladyscientists #hardcoreladytypes

Sidebar: I‘m reading the tagged book and eventually the author‘s other book in the pile (Trailblazers) as resources for my women in science programs. Can anyone who has read them compare? Is the difference in content or mostly just accessibility to young readers? Does one strike you as a better read aloud?

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Andrea313
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tif
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Finished The Nix and started this one. Thought some small bites about 52 amazing women would be a nice follow up to a 600+ page book.

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tracy.anne8
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I hate to say it but I don't have any books about women in science 🙊. In looking up books on this however, I have come across quite a lot and plan to rectify this issue! #backtoreading #girlsinscience

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Bookish_B
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Suggested reading for #womenshistorymonth I admit I haven't read this one but I plan to get to it this month 😊

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melrailey
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So this is my bedtime nonfiction reading this week. So far it's been fascinating and the stories are just short enough that they don't keep me up too long. I have to do nonfiction at bedtime else I'll stay up all night reading. I'm completely incapable of putting down a book for something so minor as sleep!

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Geri
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I'm really enjoying the opportunity to read about great women in STEM fields and I really appreciated the very thoughtful introduction to this book!

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Kristy_K
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My #bookoutlet haul from Boxing Day. (An eclectic mix of books. 🙂) And part 1 of 4 of all of the books I ordered between Christmas and New Year's. Hopefully the rest come soon!

#bookhaul #tbr

cathysaid ❤️ Billy Collins 8y
Kristy_K @cathysaid He's my favorite poet. 🙂 8y
36 likes2 comments
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Erin01
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Pickpick

really enjoyed reading about the accomplishments of these fifty-two women & think this is both a fun & brief overview into the lives of people we should all know more about 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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Erin01
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Erin01
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a tea latte with gingerbread sprinkles & a new book I just picked up at the library today

MidnightBookGirl That drink looks amazing! 8y
heatherspoetlife I love this book! I read it on Kindle but have meaning to get myself a physical copy to reference and keep aroumd the house. Tried to drop the hint last year and hubby didn't catch it. 8y
Lea This one is on my list to grab from the library 8y
43 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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OrangeMooseReads
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I spent way more than I should have during the Black Friday sale at bookoutlet.com
I did purchase 4 books for Man Cub but he's sitting on the couch right now.
I want to read ALL of these RIGHT NOW!

Foxyfictionista Horns was brilliant. 8y
howlinglibraries What @Foxyfictionista said - loved Horns! 8y
OrangeMooseReads @Foxyfictionista and @howling_libraries this will be my first Joe Hill novel I'm excited to read it 8y
howlinglibraries I can't wait to hear what you think of it! If you like it, I'd love to recommend Heart Shaped Box next. 8y
24 likes4 comments
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Crystallinegirl
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Just started this one. So far it's compelling and very well written. Really neat to hear the mostly untold stories of female scientists.

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SarahSaysRead
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The only book I really keep at work, for when I need a motivation boost (not that I get the time to pick it up often 😒).

#whorunstheworld #girls #womeninscience #nonfiction

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Carol
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I read primarily library books, so when it comes time to recap last month's reading I come up short handed. Girl Waits with Gun & Headstrong were the definite favorites in what tuned out to be a slow reading month.
💖📚💖📚💖📚💖
Are y'all doing the #somethingforsept photo challenge that @RealLifeReading is running? There are some really rad prompts this month! #septphotochallenge

RealLifeReading Aww thanks for that! 😊 8y
Shortstack This sounds great!!! I love women in science! 8y
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Carol
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Pickpick

Packed with badass women who, either formally trained or not (but usually so), created, discovered, invented, dissected, persisted, and achieved. Some, like physicist Hertha Ayrton, managed to fight for equality outside the lab, too. The only downside to this book is that the short chapters make you yearn to learn more about these women, their life's work, and their personal lives. You cannot go wrong with Headstrong!

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Carol
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This mic drop brought to you by the badass yet good-natured Yvonne Brill, Canadian engineer. You might know her as the scientist mentioned at the beginning of the book. You know. The NYT wanted everyone to know she made good beef stroganoff. 🔥🔥🔥

Megabooks 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 8y
39 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Carol
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"She blinded me with library science." --Jeph Jacques
✨??✨??✨??
Maria Mitchell & the 51 other rad women of science featured in this book are my #WCW. Also #Recommendsday. Because of all the women in this book who did incredible, brave things and often were unpaid/uncredited. Stack it! Read it!

BookishFeminist Such a great book! 🔬⚗ 8y
Carol @BookishFeminist yaaassss! I'm agreeing with what others said though in that it's making me hunger for more information about everyone. But the this book would be thousands of pages long. 📚📚 8y
BookishFeminist @Carol I agree! I haven't read the whole thing, just snippets, because it takes me so long when I immediately go to Wikipedia & look everyone up lol 8y
Carol @BookishFeminist the struggle is real! 8y
51 likes9 stack adds4 comments
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Carol
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I really do love this book but this line about American geneticist Barbara McClintock threw me for a loop. Doesn't everyone do this? Or am I extraordinarily organized? Hint: pretty sure it's not the latter.

thegirlwiththelibrarybag I can just imagine my mothers disapproval if I shoved my clothes in haphazardly 🙈 (not that she's likely to look in my closet - but still) 8y
Suzze Like in all the fronts of things face the same way? I know mine are NOT like that. 8y
elkeOriginal I never knew there was an alternative to them all facing the same way... 8y
[DELETED] 1409720085 Um...mine all face the same way. I consider myself to be a five out of ten on an organizational scale. 8y
angrylilasian My clothes face the same way... If I get around to putting away all the clean laundry. 😋 8y
34 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Carol
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Fantastic opening! If you need me, I'll be simmering with a combination nerd rage and feminine outrage as I tear through this book that was supposed to be for readathon but I just couldn't wait.

angrylilasian Oh.My.God! 😡 8y
35 likes6 stack adds1 comment
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balletbookworm
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Pickpick

This was my audiobook I finished on the way to #bea16. Great short bios of female scientists from many different fields. But I wanted more - longer bios, more women. I hope she does a volume two.

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Dedebimp
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Grrrr!! But yay that we now have this book