The main reason i picked up this book was because Mackenzie Lee wrote it. I loved The gentleman's guide to vice and virtue. I love her writing, i loved how it was informal and more like a friend was talking to you about female historical figures.
It was also so diverse, it is stated at the start of the book that she loved history but was always taught about men and the lack of diversity. The book includes women from around the world, there are lesbians, bi, pan and transgender women.
The book can be read as a whole if you want or you can pick it up anytime and read where you left of or pick a random women to read about. This makes it useful if you want something easy to read of as a coffee table book etc.
The women in the book actually had an effect on history whether they were queens, vigilantes or criminals like Lakshmibai, The Rani of Jhansi, Queen who fought colonialism with her son strapped to her. Julie D'Aubigny/La Maupin bisexual swordswoman and Ching Shih awesome pirate.
They also were complex women and some were criminals. History is full of men who are complex and can be completely evil, women are usually picture as good and demure which isn't true. Friederike Mandelbaum aka Marm is an example of this she started of as a fence and the became the biggest criminal in America.
The only issue i had with this book was that once America had been established it jumped less around the world and focused more there, it got kinda annoying when there were more then two.
Thanks for reading, follow and share
Paige x
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