Life Lessons From Historical Women by Eleanor Morton, as an audiobook, offers a compelling and insightful journey into the lives of remarkable women throughout history. Morton’s engaging narration brings these stories to life, making it feel like you’re listening to an intimate conversation filled with wisdom, courage, and humor. Each chapter provides not just historical context but also practical lessons that resonate in today’s world, emphasizing how these women's experiences and triumphs can inspire and guide modern listeners. The audiobook format enhances the experience, allowing Morton's captivating storytelling to shine and making these tales of strength and resilience even more impactful. It's an inspiring listen for anyone eager to learn from the past while finding motivation for the present.

This was great! It balanced humor and history rather well and I loved learning more about these women, whether they were known to me and famous, or not. I really enjoyed the writing style and will definitely pick up more by this author.

I read a lot of non-fiction; I am always on the lookout for books that are interesting, thought-provoking but also - and this is key - entertaining. I have stacks of books on fascinating topics, but the style doesn't always grab me - this is why Eleanor Morton's book was a breath of fresh air for me.

In this book, Morton takes us through a selection of lessons we can learn from historical women, for example 'How to Fight for your Rights' (about Emily Davison), 'How to Express Yourself' (Artemisia Gentileschi), 'How to See Beauty in Everything' (Ada Lovelace). There were lots of women that I'd heard of before (Mary Seacole, etc.) but also plenty that I hadn't, or hadn't really thought about, such as the Match Women (the Bryant and May factory workers who went on strike) or the Dahomey Warriors. As Morton reminds us, these are great historical women, but also people's mothers, wives, sisters, daughters and this makes their stories powerful and relatable. Relating these women to today's events and attitudes also helps to make them more real - Morton packs her book with modern references, showing that the issues that the historical women dealt with have their modern parallels. However, that's not to say that the historical element is skimped upon at all as the book comes across as well-researched.

There are also short, informative chapters that intersperse the 'self-help' chapters - these take the form of lists of interesting facts, e.g. 10 historical ways to deal with periods, 10 muses who were also artists, 10 things you didn't realise were invented by women. I really enjoyed these quick and fun snippets of history and they broke up the longer chapters well.

This audiobook is narrated by the author herself and does it brilliantly - she has a humorous tone and lively delivery. I love the fact that the historical content is punctuated by Morton's own thoughts and insights which made me laugh out loud at times. Lots of this felt very relatable, for example her thoughts on her chances of survival in Australia or her overt sense of guilt about childhood misdemeanours! I found her to be a candid, chatty and well-informed guide throughout.

I'd wholeheartedly recommend this book/audiobook to anyone interested in women's history - and anyone who feels that there are valid life lessons to be learned from the past (there definitely are!) Morton's selection of women are incredibly diverse, interesting and inspirational. I definitely learned new things and enjoyed the learning process!

Such a good book!
Can’t fault it one bit, the way Eleanor writes and brought the book to life with her narration made it feel fun and interesting, especially with the personal anecdotes before each chapter and connecting it to the rest of the chapter!
So much variety of the women that were discussed in the book, loads I haven’t heard of and now I suddenly have the urge to do more research and read about other women in history
Can’t fault this book amazing!

Fascinating. Some known, some not, good format.

It was good to hear some 'behind the scenes' of names I knew - Judith Kerr has always been a favourite, Seacole, Mary Queen of Scots... and then quite a few I'd never heard of. And am glad I now have.

Wow, there have been some amazing women through history! That's what I felt the author wanted readers to finish and feel. Morton, who reads her own audiobook here, in a measured and still engaging way, brings us 20+ women from all around the world, and the ways they've influenced future lives and played roles within their own lifetimes and not sat back and accepted the status quo.

I had tears in my eyes more than once, and now need a list of all these women to be able to do a bit more research (always hard with an audiobook to write these things down!).

While I felt Morton as comedian didn't really need some of the jokes she puts in there, the light-hearted format of interspersing lists of women alongside the in-depth chapters gave some fairly serious topics more relief.

I'd also like a bibliography to know where the information all comes from, as of course, this isn't available on the review audio copy I received.

Hugely information, inspirational and very very useful to know.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample listening copy.

This is one of those books that does what it says on the tin and little else. It's an entertaining look at some famous and lesser known women in history and what we can take away from their lives. It shines when talking about the lesser known women, and the chapters on the climber and marathon runner were my favourite. I had no idea that for most of the 20th century, women were banned from running more than 1.5 miles in races due to 'medical concerns'. That a woman sunk into the Boston Marathon in defiance of this was fascinating to read about, and her contribution to women in sports should be rightfully applauded However, my eyes did glaze a bit when talking about women who are already well known. The platitudes from the life lessons sections of the chapters wore thin when talking about Mary Queen of Scots or Ada Lovelace when I've heard it said better elsewhere. It's still fun enough for anyone who's interested to check it out. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book shines a light on a selection of women throughout history, some familiar, some not, whose accomplishments vary greatly but who collectively show what it takes to bring about change.

Eleanor Morton expertly injects humour into her writing without diluting the sincerity of her message. I enjoyed listening to Eleanor narrate, her passion for her subject and the respect she holds for the women whose stories she tells is evident throughout.

Some of the women featured I was already familiar with, for example the suffragette Emily Davison. I was fascinated to learn more about author Judith Kerr, her book The Tiger Who Came to Tea was a staple in our house when my children were younger but I knew little about her life.

One of the most memorable stories was that of Bobbi Gibb, who in 1966 unofficially ran the Boston Marathon after her request to run was rejected on the grounds that ‘women were not physiologically capable of running a marathon.’ It seems incredulous to me that as recently as 1966 the furthest distance women were permitted to run competitively was 1.5 miles for fear that their delicate bodies would not be able to cope with the exertion of a longer distance!

It’s a captivating book that will have you shaking your head in disbelief but will make you thankful for the ordinary women who together have paved the way for women today.

Wow, this is a hell of a a audiobook. Having finished it, I would quite like to thrust a copy into the hands of every woman I know. It’s often funny and always inspirational. I particularly enjoyed the fact that it featured women from all walks of life, to provide a well rounded reading experience. My favourite had to be Stormé De Larverie’s chapter but I was hard to choose as they are all fascinating. I learned a lot. The way the author drew parallels to modern life was really effective and thought provoking. It was a great idea to include short snappy lists at the end most chapters too. I genuinely think this is an audiobook everyone should read once in their life, but it’s also one you can refer to time and again.

The narration was brilliant and the author’s passion for the subject really shone through in her narration. I loved the range of accents too.

Thanks so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review an advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This audiobook delivered on every level. It was a fascinating listen about different women throughout history that was both fascinating and hilarious (while knowing when to be serious and poignant).

There’s a really good selection of women discussed, including women from all around the world, and also featuring trans and gender non-conforming women. There were some that I’d heard of, and some that I hadn’t. I really appreciated that Morton started each chapter with a chatty, personal anecdote that led into each woman’s life story. It worked particularly well in audiobook form, and was a good reminder that these women have impacted our lives in ways we often don’t know.

I was also really impressed by the level of research, especially into women where not much is known about their lives. It’s clear how much work has gone into each chapter, and while all of these women achieved extraordinary things, the message of the book rings true for each one: that they are still ordinary women who we can draw inspiration from.

I received a free copy for an honest review.

Life Lessons From Historical Women, while a simple concept is an excellently written and genuinely captivating book. Morton's choice of the women in questions are wonderful and often unexpected, with the author choosing to highlight the lives and work of some lesser known, but still no less inspiring icons. Morton writes with humour and a clear affection and appreciation for the subjects in each chapter and it shines through making the whole experience even more enjoyable.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book, read by the author, and it felt like having a (one sided) conversation with a friend - or just a very cool history lesson. The accomplishments of these 'ordinary' women are anything but ordinary themselves, and I will no doubt be doing more research into my own of some of the figures that I didn't know about before this book made me aware of them. Notable favourites are the history of author Judith Kerr and Bobbi Gibb, the incredibly cool sounding first female marathon runner (even if she ran it without the permission of the race officials). Highly recommend this to any history nerds, or just anyone who wants to know some interesting facts about some extraordinary women.

Absolutely loved this book! It was such an accessible guide to some really significant and influential women in history. I enjoyed the informative history that was blended with engaging humour.

I particularly enjoyed the shift between depth stories of historical women and the top ten type lists which kept engagement with the book high.

I’d highly recommend this to anyone who loves a bit of feminism and a bit of history it was a refreshing listen on some fascinating ladies.

This book fills a gap in the market which is having a feminist historical book that is a fun and easy read. Most books of this category can be difficult and sad academic reads, but this one was written by a comedian who inserts lightheartedness to the heavy stories. I got the audiobook version and having the author read her own jokes added an extra fun kick to it. It was such a fun read, I was sad and disappointed when it ended.

She handpicks a range of historically known - as some not as well known - women throughout history and summarises their lives highlighting the parts which were difficult. by default of them being women then talks about what we can learn from them.

This book is very accessible even to those who aren't bookworms because it is such an easy book to get through.

Absolutely loved this audiobook which had me laughing out loud on my own while driving as well as keeping me informed and entertained. I honestly didn't mind sitting in traffic while listening.... And Eleanor Morton narrated it suberbly. Interesting and educational Life Lessons fr Historical Women is a must-listen for school history lessons! Everyone could do with finding out about a the plethora of astounding women and their achievements over the last millennia. The fun lists of , for example, period products , were an added bonus and I was chuckling all the way to Harrogate.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this audiobook!

This was an absolute gem from start to finish. I would absolutely be here for Eleanor Morton to continue the series with even more fascinating women in history. There were many I had heard of, some just briefly while other's far more in depth, and many more I had never heard about, yet every single story was as fascinating and pivotal as the last. From Mary Queen of Scots to Mary Seacole, each chapter delving into the lives and stories of these women gives us so much to learn.

Morton's narration was great and I'd listen to her reading a menu. I would highly recommend the audio version of this title.

I received a free copy of the audiobook version of this through NetGalley. The following review has not been influenced by the author, the publisher or NetGalley. All views are my alone.

I follow this comedian on Twitter, after finding one of her sketches on it about a year ago. Ever since, those videos have always made me smile, especially when she does the 'tour guide' routines. About a month ago, Eleanor mentioned that she had a book coming out and I immediately went on Amazon and put it on Watch. And then, someone mentioned in her replies that they were reading it through NetGalley. -That- caught my attention and so on the off chance that I could get my hands on it, I asked to be granted the audiobook version.

I have to admit that I knew very little about exactly what it was about, but I did know that Eleanor always made me laugh and that she had a way with words and tone to make anything interesting. I loved her snarky versions of various historical characters, especially when they were a women, so I went into knowing that no matter what, I would be amused.

And she delivered. In subject, and in the choice of her narrating it.

This audiobook is broken into chapters of a subject. Most of them are of single women, but sprinkled within them are lists, such as '10 women you wouldn't want to meet. '10 women muses'. And to me, it didn't matter. I listened to this within three days. I started it as I walked home from work, and when I had a few moments, or, had to do housework, I had it playing in the background.

I'd highly recommend this. This isn't a dry take on every subject. Eleanor talks of her own experiences within several of the chapters, and the way she presents it with humour without being disrespectful to the subject is brilliant. She mentions many women I weren't aware of, because this is more than Boudica (she is in this) and Agripinna (also spoken of). There are women scientists, warrior women, suffragettes, mystical goddesses, etc. This is 7hrs of never-ending information, that's fun.

I find that every now and then I need to listen/read a historical book that's non-serious. It keeps me going. It keeps my love of history interesting, so I don't get burned out. I'm glad that I caught this through Twitter, and if she does write that second book (please?), I'll be getting the audiobook version of that as well.

Eleanor narrating makes it even better!

When the author says at the beginning of this book that she is not a historian and to do your own research and get your facts elsewhere, believe her. She has included several things which are debateable and many others which are just plain incorrect.

That said, as Morton points out, what she intended to do was give the reader a list of people who inspired her with reasons why and she has absolutely done that. It's an easy, entertaining read and aside from the parts which I knew where just wrong or where her personal politics were shoved down the readers throat, I really enjoyed this. Take with a generous measure of salt and allow it to start the creation of your own personal cannon of inspirational women.

This was a fun listen. The tone of the audio book was lovely and bouncy and kept me hooked and listening all the way through. A lighthearted and yet deep, look at a random collection of important women. This ranges from Greek mythology, to matchstick women who went on strike, and entrepreneurs and politicians. The women are sometimes well known, and sometimes not, although they very much deserve to be. Such a good listen and the eclectic nature of the choice of women was so good. Humour is woven through, even when mentioning Thatcher which is not a bad feat!

I might be in the minority here but this was unfortunately not for me. I understand that the author is a comedian but some of the attempted jokes seemed inappropriate and forced. Example: after spending half the chapter describing the unjust circumstances that led to her exile to Australia, the author called Mary Bryant brave because she escaped on a boat with eight men.

The premise of this book is so promising and I did enjoy learning about women forgotten to history, but the humor didn’t always hit for me.

3/5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Octopus Audio for this ARC.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read/listen to an advanced copy of this book in return for my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook for ‘Life Lessons from Historical Women’ by Scottish comedian, Eleanor Morton. Each chapter provides us with a life lesson from an important woman from different parts of history, including but not limited to: Mary Queen of Scots, Emily Wilding Davison and Junko Tabei. Eleanor gives us an intricate run down of each woman’s story and how they came to be the important ladies that they are today, including both their victories and their struggles.

The audiobook is read by the author herself, Eleanor and she ensures that the book is equal parts interesting, funny and inspiring. I went through a range of emotions whilst listening to/reading this book, I was angry for the suffering that some of these women went through, proud of their achievements and the things that they have taught us, and most of all, inspired by the way that some of them are honoured by the public nowadays, although frustrated for others that deserve more recognition for their life’s work.

I think it’s important to realise that we have came a long way in ensuring that women are treated as equals of men, however many females who have been important to the progression of our world have been lost to history, purely because of their gender and Eleanor highlights this issue within ‘Life Lessons from Historical Women.’

I hope that Eleanor brings out another book in the future, I thoroughly enjoyed this five star read!

This is such a funny, refreshing audiobook! I love how Morton seamlessly incorporated humour into these histories, all without losing the tone. The bridges to modern day were really great, and I really enjoyed learning all about these incredible women! Definitely an audiobook I'll be recommending to those who love history-style podcasts!