Women in History – Books Which Educate & Inspire

Posted: January 6, 2025

Janis Robinson Daly, author of The Unlocked Path and The Path Beneath Her Feet - telling the stories of women doctors and the related medical institutions of the Woman's Medical College of PA and the American Women's Hospital units in the early 1900s. 

The following compiled list of historical fiction represents thirty-one titles to read, discover, learn, and celebrate women who’ve made history, individually or collectively. Their achievements languish in the shadows, awaiting authors to write their stories and readers to embrace them.

#31titleswomeninhistory

Developing the list was no easy task and I know there are many more books worthy of inclusion. I had read some of the books and several avid readers recommended others. For my final selections, I used the following criteria:

 

  • Historical fiction genre – no biographies or memoirs.
  • Women authors only.
  • Diversity in authors – cultural, as well as type of publishing and name recognition.
  • Diversity in the subject – cultural, setting, field of recognition.
  • Goodreads ratings.

 

 

WHY HISTORICAL FICTION?

Through historical fiction, I expect more readers will pick up a novel than a biography to learn about these women and their accomplishments. A level of trust must be placed upon the authors that they have conducted exhaustive research to write stories based on facts, yet fictionalized to imagine emotional responses as these women strode forward with dreams in their minds and hopes in their hearts.

 

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Check out my custom page featuring most of the #31titleswomeninhistory available on Bookshop.org. Every purchase on the site financially supports independent bookstores. Since 2020, Bookshop has raised more than $35 million for local indie bookstores. I also receive a small commission on any books sold through this link, which I donate to childhood literacy causes like Dolly's Imagination Station, First Read, and Reach Out and Read. Thank you.

2025 LIST

  1. Akmaral by Judith Lindbergh - Amazon Warrior Women, Ancient History Asia
  2. American Daughters by Piper Huguley - Progressive political daughters and friends, Alice Roosevelt, Portia Washington, early 1900s America
  3. Can’t We Be Friends by Denny S. Byce & Eliza Knight - Entertainers Ella Fitzgerald, Marilyn Monroe, 1950s America
  4. Circling the Sun by Paula McLain - Aviator Beryl Markham, 1920s Africa
  5. The Dark Lady’s Mask by Mary Sharratt - Writer Aemilia Bassano Lanier, late 1500s England
  6. Daughters of Green Mountain Gap by Teri M. Brown - Women Healers of Rural America, late 1800s North Carolina
  7. Finding Margaret Fuller by Allison Pataki - Philosopher & Women's Rights Activist Margaret Fuller, mid 1800s Massachusetts & Italy
  8. Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray - Writer & Editor Jessie Redmond Fauset, 1920s New York
  9. Hild by Nicola Griffin - St. Hild of Whitby, Dark Ages England
  10. Illuminating Darwin by Jill George - Writer, Editor & Anthropologist Arabella Buckley, mid/late 1800s England
  11. The Invincible Miss Cust by Penny Haw - Veterinarian Aleen Cust, late 1800s Great Britain
  12. Katharine, the Wright Sister by Tracey Enerson Wood - Aviator Advisor & Business Manager Katharine Wright, early 1900s Ohio
  13. Katharine’s Remarkable Road Trip by Gail Ward Olmsted - Civil War Nurse & Educator Katharine Prescott Wormeley, early 1900s New England
  14. Lady Flyer by Heather B. Moore - Aviator Nancy Harkness Love - World War II United States
  15. The Last Twelve Miles by Erika Robuck - Codebreaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman, 1920s Washington DC / Florida
  16. Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray - Princess Selene of Egypt, First Century BC, Rome
  17. Madame Pommery by Rebecca Rosenberg - Jeanne Alexandrine Pommery, mid/late 1800s France
  18. Mademoiselle Eiffel by Aimie K. Runyan - Claire Eiffel, late 1800s France
  19. The Mesmerist by Caroline Woods - Social activist Abby Swift Mendenhall, late 1800s Minnesota
  20. Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles - Librarian Jessie “Kit” Carson, World War I France
  21. A Pair of Wings by Carole Hopson - Aviator Bessie Coleman, 1920s Chicago / France / Germany
  22. The Path Beneath Her Feet by Janis Robinson Daly - American Women’s Hospitals, 1930s/40s United States
  23. The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict - Mystery Writer Dorothy Sayers, 1930s London
  24. Saving Vincent by Joan Fernandez - Art Curator and Seller Jo van Gogh, 1890s Paris
  25. Scandalous Women by Gill Paul - Romance Writers Jackie Collins, Jacqueline Susann, 1960s New York & London
  26. The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana R. Chambers - Espionage Agent Julia McWilliams Child, World War II Asia
  27. Solitary Walker by N. J. Mastro - Mary Wollstonecraft
  28. Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly - Nurse & Abolitionist Georgeanna Woolsey, Civil War United States
  29. The Vow by Jude Berman - Artist Angelica Kauffman, 1700s Italy
  30. The Women by Kristin Hannah - Vietnam War Nurses, 1960s/1970s
  31. Women of the Post by Joshunda Sanders - Women's Army Corps First Black Unit & Major Charity Adams Earley, World War II

 

2024 LIST

  1. After Anne by Logan Steiner - Author of Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Prince Edward Island, Canada early 20th century
  2. The American Queen by Vanessa Miller - Leader of her African American community, Louella Montgomery, US Reconstruction Period, late 1800s
  3. A Beautiful Rival by Gill Paul - Cosmetic industry titans, Helena Rubenstein & Elizabeth Arden, US early 20th century
  4. Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray - Frances Perkins, first woman Cabinet member, US early 20th century (releases 3/12/24)
  5. Bessie by Linda Kass - Bess Myerson, first Jewish Miss America, US mid 20th century
  6. Champagne Widows by Rebecca Rosenberg - Barbe-Nicole Clicquot, wine business owner, France 1800s
  7. Crow Mary by Kathleen Grissom - Goes First (Crow Mary) of the Crow indigenous people, Canada West, late 1800s
  8. The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn - Mila Pavlichenko, Soviet Army, WWII Eastern Front
  9. The First Ladies by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray - Mary McLeod Bethune and Eleanor Roosevelt, US mid 20th-century
  10. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon - Midwife Martha Ballard, US late 1700s
  11. A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon - Deborah Samson, enlistee in the Continental Army, American Revolution
  12. The Girls in Navy Blue by Alix Rickloff - US Navy Yeomanettes, WWI
  13. In Her Own Right by Amanda Schiavo - Mary Tudor, England mid-16th century
  14. In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez - Revolutionists Mirabel sisters, Dominican Republic mid-20th century
  15. Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See - Healer & doctor Tan Yunxian, China 1400s
  16. The Last Queen: A Novel of Courage and Resistance by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
  17. Learning to See by Elise Hopper - Photographer Dorothea Lange, US Depression era
  18. The Lost Journals of Sacajewea by Debra Magpie Earling - Native American guide, Sacajewea, US late 1700s
  19. Momentum: Montessori, A Life in Motion by Elizabeth Slade - Educator Dr. Maria Montessori, Italy, early 20th century
  20. The Moonlight School by Suzanne Woods Fisher - Educator Cora Wilson Stuart, US early 20th century
  21. The President’s Wife by Tracey Enerson Wood - First Lady Edith Wilson, US early 20th century
  22. Queen of Exiles by Vanessa Riley - Queen Marie-Louise Christophe, Hatii / Europe, mid-19th century
  23. The Queen of the Platform by Susan Higginbotham - Suffragist Ernestine Rose, US mid-19th century
  24. The Queen of Sugar Hill: A Novel of Hattie McDaniel by ReShonda Tate, Actress Hattie McDaniel, US early 20th century
  25. A Right Worthy Woman by Ruth P Watson - Banker / business owner Maggie Lena Walker, US late 19th century / early 20th
  26. Sisters Under the Rising Sun by Heather Morris - POWs Norah Chambers and Sister Nesta James, Pacific Theatre, WWII
  27. Switchboard Soldiers by Jennifer Chiaverini - Switchboard operators, France WWI
  28. The Unlocked Path by Janis Robinson Daly – Graduates of the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, US early 20th century
  29. The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong - Dual timeline: WWI war librarians in Europe & US Naval Academy women cadets (1970s)
  30. The Woman with a Purple Heart by Diane Hanks - US Army Nurse Annie Fox, Pacific Theatre WWII
  31. The Woman at the Wheel by Penny Haw - Entrepreneur automotive industry Bertha Ringer Benz, Germany, late 19th century

2023 LIST

  1. Band of Sisters by Lauren Willig – Smith College graduates (France, WWI)
  2. The Black Rose by Tananarive Due - First Black female self-made millionaire in America, Madam C.J. Walker
  3. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson – Kentucky Pack Horse Librarians
  4. By Her Own Design by Piper Huguley - Fashion designer, Ann Low
  5. Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland - Artist and designer of nearly all of Tiffany's lamps, Clara Driscoll
  6. Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen by Sarah Bird - Former slave who served with the Buffalo Soldiers by disguising herself as a man, Cathy Williams
  7. The Engineer’s Wife by Tracey Enerson Wood – Architect & Engineer, Emily Roebling
  8. Fast Girls by Elise Hooper - U.S. Women's 1936 Olympic track team
  9. Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd – Plantation Owner/Grower, Eliza Lucas
  10. Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir - Lady Jane Grey
  11. The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd – Abolitionists, Sarah and Angelinka Grimke
  12. Island Queen by Vanessa Riley – Landowner and Entrepreneur, Dorothy Kirwan Thomas
  13. Island of Sea Women by Lisa See – Women Divers of Jeju Island
  14. The Last Empress by Anchee Min - Tzu Hsi, Lady Yehonala
  15. Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly - Philanthropist, Caroline Ferriday
  16. Love and Ruin by Paula McLain – Journalist, Martha Gellhorn
  17. Loving Frank by Nancy Horan - Mamah Borthwick Cheney
  18. Luminous: The Story of a Radium Girl by Samantha Wilcoxson - Factory worker, Catherine Donohoe
  19. Madame Presidentess by Nicole Evelina – Presidential candidate, Victoria Woodhull
  20. The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki - Heiress and philanthropist, Marjorie Post
  21. The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B by Sandra Gulland - Empress, Josephine Bonaparte
  22. Monticello by Sally Cabot Gunning - First Daughter, Martha Jefferson
  23. My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie - Eliza Schuyler Hamilton
  24. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray – Librarian Belle da Costa Greene
  25. Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier - Paleontologist, Mary Anning
  26. The Rose Code by Kate Quinn – Code breakers of Bletchley Park (England WWII)
  27. The Unlocked Path by Janis Robinson Daly – Graduates of the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania
  28. A Well-Behaved Woman by Therese Anne Fowler – Socialite, Suffragist Alva Smith Vanderbilt Belmont
  29. When We Had Wings by Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris & Susan Meissner - Angels of Bataan, WWII nurses
  30. The Woman with the Cure by Lynn Cullen - Scientist and infectious disease researcher, Dr. Dorothy Hortsmann
  31. The Women’s March: A Novel of the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession by Jennifer Chiaverini – Suffragists Alice Paul, Maud Malone, Ida B. Wells

 

 

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