Hidden from History: The Lives of Eight American Women Scientists (Avisson Young Adult Series)

Rating:
Summary: Biographies of eight women who made history
Review: I have two daughters in their early teens and they are beginning to think about their plans for college and a career. We occasionally talk about it and my contribution is currently limited to explaining what options are available, what a person in that field does and my estimates for the earning potential. I also try to explain how the number of options they have are so much greater than what women had even a few decades ago. To emphasize this point, I occasionally have them read accounts of women who were the first in specific professions, especially science and government, as these were some of the last professions women entered.
This book is a collection of brief biographies of American women scientists. They are:

*) Ellen Swallow Richards
*) Nettie Maria Stevens
*) Annie Jump Cannon
*) Alice Hamilton
*) Florence Sabin
*) Alice Catherine Evans
*) Grace Murray Hopper
*) Gertrude Belle Elion

Each biography begins with her early years, how she was first exposed to science, the problems she faced as she tried to enter the field and how she overcame those problems to achieve success. More than any other thing, these are stories of perseverance and dedication. Of course, anyone familiar with those times will understand that for each one of these eight successes, there were hundreds of women who were overwhelmed by the resistance and simply blended into the traditional roles of the "fair sex."
While I understand some of the reasoning behind the title, I do not agree with the statement. The women described in this book were not hidden from history, that term should be used to describe all of the women who gave up their dreams of a scientific career as a consequence of social and economic pressures. Nevertheless, it is an honest explanation of the difficulties professional women had a short time ago and would make an excellent supplemental reader for a course in the history of science. It is also a good selection for young women to read, as they consider their career plans and how they will support themselves throughout their adulthood.