Girl Squads: 20 Female Friendships That Changed History

Maggs zooms in on a variety of "girl squads" across place and time, from athletes to activists to warriors, scientists, and artists. I had heard of only a few of these women before (e.g. the Supreme Court justices Ginsburg, Sotomayor, and Kagan and the Black women computers who did much of the math for NASA's first trips to space). The writing style is punchy, and in case after case, it's clear that education is a crucial key to equality.

Quotes

No two patriarchal cultures have developed exactly the same way, but many of them maintain the dudes-in-charge status quo by limiting, or preventing entirely, educational opportunities for women. (153)

After all, a developed nation that doesn't bother to work with or listen to over half its show more population isn't much of a developed nation, right? (234)

"The arrival of women, of half of humanity to culture, is one of the greatest revolutions in our era of revolutions." (Camila Urena, 240) show less

A good introduction to some amazing women and their contributions to women's equality, specifically for a younger audience. Although the writing is witty at times, sometimes it's just a little annoying. However, that being said, the mini bios included in this collection are stories that should be shared. A good start for anyone wanting to read more detailed biographies of these women. The women portrayed are from different cultures, locations, and eras, so kudos for that. I was especially moved by the Afghan music one.

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Nice collection of facts and anecdotes about strong, independent women throughout history. The book divides each chapter into "squads" dedicated to a certain field or occupation: athlete squads, political and activist squads, warrior squads, scientist squads, and artist squads. I give kudos to the author for actively acknowledging women of various nationalities and ethnicities, from the haeyneo of South Korea to the women scientists of Antarctica. The topics were interesting and well-researched, though I felt like the writing suffered from too much slang/informal language, which made it read more like a blog than a book.

Full disclosure: I received an advance reading copy of Girl Squads from the publisher, and my rating is based on an show more uncorrected proof. This book is currently available in bookstores. show less