World-Changing Women: 150 Women who Rewrote the Histories of Ancient Egypt, Israel, Greece and Rome
Paul Chrystal’s new book, World-Changing Women, makes grand claims for its aim – ‘to demonstrate how 150 women significantly influenced, informed and changed the worlds in which they lived’. I’m not entirely sure that it lives up to that aim – but it is, nonetheless, an entertaining and informative read.
The book is more encyclopaedia than history book and is organised into the key eras that it examines: Ancient Egypt, Israel, Greece and Rome. There is a general introduction to each historical period giving a brief overview of its attitudes to women, followed by a short section on each woman with a pithy, italicised heading that is often humorous (Medea is ‘expert jugulator and child murderer’ while Agrippina the Younger is credited with ‘dealing with one of the most significant farts in history’). The main section comprises the author’s summary of the woman’s life and why she ‘changed the world’; in most cases, there are then suggestions for further reading. It is not a book to be read from cover to cover in one sitting, but a dip in and out experience with lots of facts and discussion and plenty of material for further exploration.
With 150 women to discuss, it is inevitable that coverage will be relatively superficial. There is a mix of history, fiction and legend – so Cleopatra and Livia sit alongside Antigone and Dido. A whole section is dedicated to Biblical women, who share the spotlight with Greek and Roman goddesses. The author considers not just the historical facts but their interface with art, religion and literature. All in all, it makes for a fascinating blend. The illustrations are fabulous and are a vivid and instructive addition to the main text.
This is a fantastic resource for historical novelists looking for their next topic or simply seeking further inspiration.
