Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science-and the World Paperback – April 7, 2015

This book was informative, interesting, and easy to comprehend. But most of all, it was inspiring! The acknowledgements and bibliography provided links to find more information on the various people and topics. This book is a great source to inspire girls to work toward their dreams and to succeed. I am buying copies for the kids in my family, girls and boys.

Do you already know that, during the last 100 years or so, many of the most important breakthroughs in science were achieved or led by women? Frankly, I did not until reading this book in which Rachel Swaby provides mini-profiles of 52 truly exceptional scientists in seven fields: medicine, biology and the environment, genetics and development, physics, Earth and stars, mathematics and technology, and invention. By the way, all of them are women. When examining the list, I did recognize the names of several, notably Jane Wright, Rachel Carson, Barbara McClintock, Irene Joliot-Curie, Sally Ride, Ada Lovelace, and Hedy Lamarr.With regard to Lamarr, born Hedwig Eva Kiesler in Vienna in 1914, she was among the most popular film stars in the 1930s through the 1950s but, as Swaby points out, she and George Antheil developed a frequency-hopping technology that was a much better way to guide torpedoes. "Lamarr's ideas paved the way for a myriad of technologies, including wireless cash registers, bar code readers, and home control systems, to name a few. While she had a long career as a celebrated actress, Lamarr finally got the full recognition she deserved when she was awarded the Electronic Frontier Foundation's Pioneer Award in 1997. Her response: 'It's about time.'" Of course, her contributions during World War Two were classified and her key insight was not revealed until 1976 -- "thirty-five years after Lamarr patented it."Here's a representative selection, a "sampler," of biographical details among those of greatest interest to me:o Charlotte Auerbach (1899-1994) realized that, to understand a gene, she needed to understand its mutation. "Just a few mustard-gas burns and some lab work later, and Auerbach was at the top of the field, the so-called mother of mutagenesis."o Anne McLaren (1927-2007) not only proved in vitro fertilization was possible, "but years later, she was also responsible for safely and ethically guiding it into the world."o Marguerite Perey was the first woman elected to the French Academy of Sciences (before Madame Curie) in recognition of her development of a new radioactive element, #87, that "filled an empty square in the periodic table's alkali metal group, and completed the table's spaces for naturally occurring elements."o Chien-Shung Wu (1912-1997): When the results of her experiments in radioactivity to coax the K-meson into an observable state were announced, "an article in the New York Post gushed, 'This small modest woman was powerful enough to do what armies can never accomplish: she helped destroy a law of nature."o Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) was the daughter of Lord Byron and received what was in her time a superb education. Her research notes helped Charles Babbage to develop his "Difference Engine" and then his "Analytical Engine," providing what amounts to programming code for two of the earliest computers.o Stephanie Kwolek (1923-2014): Her preparation of the cold-spun threads (kevlar, developed in the DuPont labs) "launched a brand-new area of research around liquid crystalline polymers."Throughout the history of science, most breakthroughs have been the result of cross-functional, often cross-generational collaboration. The 52 scientists on whom Swaby focuses would be among the first to acknowledge the value of what they learned from others as well as the value of what their associates contributed to the given process eventual success, to reveal, for example, the complex structures of biochemical substances (Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin) or to calm the temperament of the arc light (Hertha Ayrton).Rachel Swaby urges her reader to learn about those whose research "jump-started the Environmental Protection Agency, who discovered the wrinkle-free cotton, and even those whose ingenious score has now saved generations of struggling newborns."If you are a young woman who aspires to gain an education and then pursue a career in one of the STEM disciplines or is now embarked upon that journey, I urge you to read and then re-read this book and leave the final comment in this brief commentary to one of my personal heroines, Helen Keller: ""Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."

This is a collection of 52 brief biographies of women who gained note in the sciences. These mini-biographies are very brief, mostly 5 or 6 pages each, and are presented in general categories (physics, biology/environment, inventors). This format makes it easy to stop and resume later. The writing style is conversational, which can be a little jarring. The subjects, all deceased, are generally well chosen, although I do quibble about a couple and how they fit with the title (to each their own). Some of these women were nearly forgotten during their lifetimes while others are well known to this day. I found it interesting and learned things about these important women in history.

This is a very inspiring book especially for women interested in history, science and tech! This also a great book for young female under/graduate students in STEM who may be experiencing impostor syndrome in male dominated fields or May not be aware of the many exemplary women who have come before.

Who knew about these 52 outstanding women? Ok -- I maybe knew of three of the women profiled, but the others have been obscured in history. I originally bought the Kindle version of this book, then bought the paperback for my tween/teen grand nieces. I am hoping they will find it as inspiring as I did. A great read -- doesn't have to be read in any sequence -- short chapters -- just my cup of tea.

It is a very informative book. I initially wanted to purchase 2 more copies to give to my 2 daugs. &then pass it on to my granddaug.... Although the book is interesting, it is a dry read. I can only read a few pages at a time.

I remember seeing this book in the library at my school and borrowed it, and liked it so much i bought my own copy. Plus at one point i actually used during a school project when i had to pick out and study an influential scientist, and it helped a lot. Overall 10/10 would recommend this book!

I absolutely loved this book. As soon as I started reading, I could not put it down. It is one of the most informative, enjoyable, and inspiring books that I have read in a very long time! I congratule the author for such fine work!