Author(s): Ed Rayner

General

History is not something that counts to men's credit alone, though they have often claimed it as their exclusive achievement. This book deals with the part that women have played in history, and acknowledges their role, although at the time they may have received little acknowledgment for it. For women of all stations and in all walks of life have made their contribution to human history, whether they have been queens or rulers, scientists or doctors, entertainers or artists, radicals or conservatives, or simply wives and mothers. Whether, too, they have made that contribution openly and on their own account, or whether they have used their sometimes subordinate position in society to engineer it by more subtle means. This book serves to stress this contribution, sometimes merely to remind the reader of it and to restate it, but sometimes, where necessary, to re-evaluate its true importance. Where myths or legends or simple forgetfulness have obscured the value of women's contributions to government, scientific research, artistic achievement, pioneering progress or radical reform, the writers have sought to remedy the defect and restore women to their rightful importance, and through that to award them the esteem that they properly deserve.