Wonder Women (Maggs)

Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors, and Trailblazers Who Changed History
Sam Maggs, 2016
Quirk Publishing
240 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781594749254


Summary
A fun and feminist look at forgotten women in science, technology, and beyond, from the bestselling author of The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy.
 
You may think you know women’s history pretty well. But have you ever heard of. . .
 
♦ Alice Ball, the chemist who developed an effective treatment for leprosy—only to have the credit taken by a man?
♦ Mary Sherman Morgan, the rocket scientist whose liquid fuel compounds blasted the first U.S. satellite into orbit?
♦ Huang Daopo, the inventor whose weaving technology revolutionized textile production in China—centuries before the cotton gin?
 
Smart women have always been able to achieve amazing things, even when the odds were stacked against them. In Wonder Women, author Sam Maggs tells the stories of the brilliant, brainy, and totally rad women in history who broke barriers as scientists, engineers, mathematicians, adventurers, and inventors.

Plus, interviews with real-life women in STEM careers, an extensive bibliography, and a guide to women-centric science and technology organizations—all to show the many ways the geeky girls of today can help to build the future. (From the publisher.)

Author Bio
Sam Maggs is a Canadian writer, editor, on-air personality, and all-around "Geek Feminist" speaking out about the bias against women in the online game development community. Recently, she was hired as an assistant game writer for BioWare. She is also the bestselling author of The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy (2015) and Wonder Women (2015).

Sam  was born to a computer science professor at Western University in London, Ontario, where she grew up. She came to nerdom early in life she claims, in fact, before her life even began: her parents saw the original star wars some 20 times, which surely implies an inherited predilection. Once born...and a little older, her parents kept her home from school to bingewatch the Indiana Jones trilogy.

She stakes her claim as an early-developed "fangirl." She was around 12 when she discovered and then became obsessed with all things Stargate. When asked on GeekDad.com about her earliest memories of geekhood, she replied:

The hours upon hours I spent in my basement on my computer reading Stargate and West Wing fanfic instead of making friends, for sure.

She was also 10 or 12, when she found herself entranced by the world of video games, eventually mastering Doom and Myst.

Sam received her B.A. from Western University and later her M.A. at Ryerson University in Toronto. Both degrees are in English literature. She has been an Editor for the geek girl culture site, Mary Sue, and interviewed across the web about women in Geek culture. She also has her own YouTube channel.

Sam is also an accomplished on-air personality, appearing as the host of the Cineplex pre-show in front of six million Canadians a month; a frequent co-host on Teletoon; and a regular guest on MTV and Space. She’s also appeared as a regular pop culture commentator on CBC’s q, 102.1 The Edge, Newstalk 1010, and more. (Adapted from various sources, including the author's website.)

Book Reviews
[Sam Maggs’s] profiles are more than just fun, they're genuinely astounding…[and] fantastic illustrations by Sophia Foster-Dimino bring these pioneering women to life.
Village Voice


Wonder Women isn’t just filled with extraordinary tales of female scientists and inventors—though there are plenty of them—[Maggs] also includes sections on espionage and adventure, fields not traditionally associated with STEM.
Entertainment Weekly
 

I admire Maggs for making Wonder Women both thorough and easy to digest. When it comes to historical material like this, presentation matters…Maggs writes the descriptions of the women and their achievements in such a way that you’re inspired to take the ball and keep running.
Nerdist


Maggs condenses these storied lives effectively, and young feminists and supporters of women in STEM will applaud.
Booklist


Emphasizing {women] experts of science, medicine, espionage, innovation, and adventure, these individual profiles serve as a solid introduction.... However, readers wishing for in-depth material on specific pioneers should merely use this work as a starting point....down-to-earth and often humorous.... —Mattie Cook, River Grove PL, IL
Library Journal


Maggs' lineup of influential females is well curated and inclusive, while smart illustrations by Sophia Foster-Dimino bring the ladies to life. Wonder Women is a must-read for the girl who's a bit of a geek.
BookPage

Discussion Questions
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