Book Review

The Women's Freedom Network Newsletter July/August, 1999, Vol. 6, Number 4. Rennaissance Women in Science Publisher: University Press of America by Louise Q. van der Does and Rita J. Simon

This book describes sixteen female scientists who unlocked the secrets of the universe and helped change the future of the world. These women studied widely different scientific disciplines, ranging from the cosmic reaches of astronomy to the infinitesimal mechanics of the atom. They are the daughters of many countries with varied political and religious backgrounds. They came from different social classes, some from small towns and humble beginnings, and others from wealthy and privileged families where intellectual pursuits were part of daily life. But no matter their background, all of these women shared a passion for and a dedication to their work--the work of scientific discovery.

What motivated these women? What allowed them to break beyond the barriers of their time and their gender to pursue their dreams? In many instances, there was a mentor involved, often someone at school who took an interest in a remarkable child. Many of these women had strong relationships with their fathers, and were encouraged to "think like men," and to attack their interests with confidence. In a few cases, these women viewed their mothers' domesticated lives as demeaning, and vowed to pursue more intellectual goals. Some watched close relatives or friends die, claimed by an illness that had no cure. This motivated them to search for an answer and to put an end to suffering where they could. The desire of these women to make a difference in the world, to unselfishly make life better through their discoveries, was the element that allowed them to excel and to generously share their triumphs with the world.

Will the women who come along a century from now, also confront and overcome obstacles to their success in the professional world? Will they have to combat a society that not only does not value them for their work, but also endangers their existence? And how many of the women in the twenty-first century will similarly combine an illustrious career with marriage and a family? While we wait for the answers to these question, we hope you will find pleasure and inspiration in reading about the lives of these extraordinary women.

Scientists included are: Maria Mitchell, Ellen Henrietta Swallow Richards , Marie Sklodowska Curie, Alice Hamilton, Florence Rena Sabin, Lillian Moller Gilbreth, Lise Meitner, Emmy Noether, Leta Stetter Hollingworth, Gerty Theresa Radnitz Cori, Florence Seibert, Barbara McClintock, Maria Geoppert-Mayer, Rita Levi-Montalcini, Rosalind Franklin, and Dorothy Mary Crowfoot Hodgkin.