Great historical perspective on strong historical females in Uk. Enjoyable read. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Rebecca Wilson, Georgian Feminists Ten 18th Century Women Ahead of their Time, Pen & Sword | Pen & Sword History, February 2025.

Thank you, NetGalley and Pen & Sword, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

The introduction to Georgian Feminists is an impressive weaving together of the underlying philosophy and social context which impacted the individual lives of the ten women who feature in this book. Rebecca Wilson has adopted an accessible style without neglecting a scholarly approach to ensuring that the women’s stories are seen as the outcome of the ideological foundations impacting the period. Wilson frames the women’s lives and their rebellion in the society that depicted them as inferior, worthy of little respect or economic independence and the chattels on whom men might rely, but unworthy of credit or even acknowledgement. She returns to this approach throughout the book, making it a worthy intellectual endeavour as well as promoting easily absorbed information.

The ten women, some well-known, others about whom little has been recorded are well chosen. Sarah Pennington is followed by more familiar figures such as Mary Wollstonecraft, Jane Austen, Elizabeth Fry and Ada Lovelace. Dido Elizabeth Belle, Hester Stanhope, Mary Fildes, Ann Lister, and Mary Anning round out the group so that the themes that might be familiar from other authorities and Wilson’s work on familiar characters can be applied readily to new stories and actors.

Wilson raises new viewpoints about known women, for example, she questions the way in which Austen’s work has usually been considered. Importantly, she brings to her accessible work the understandings found in heavier academic texts where feminist re-readings have raised new ideas about Austen’s approach to women’s position, particularly as it relates to marriage. This approach brings a freshness to stories considered known, making such a valuable contribution to women’s history. At the same time, the introduction of less well-known women’s history rounds out the book.

Demonstrating her independent approach to women’s role throughout history, Wilson begins by acknowledging that some women have always been independent of the social mores that determined their existence. This is a well-considered beginning, accepting as it does, that no century has been without its women of note, and fortunately some of their activity has been recorded. Not enough about particular women, and not about enough women in general, it is true. However, Wilson’s support for recognising that women’s independent thought and activity is not confined to ‘waves’ as some writers suggest provides an important foundation to her work. Some women have always moved beyond the confines of their sex, and Wilson is introducing some, adding more information to others, and, most importantly, producing a book that is readily accessible.

There are notes, an index and a bibliography. Examples from the latter provide an important part of the main text, Wilson often discussing the findings in relation to her own interpretations of events, characters, and behaviour. Again, this points to the work as one which makes an accessible and valuable contribution to recognising individual women’s activities as well as providing a social and scholarly context in which to view them. Overall, this is a very satisfying read indeed.

‘For the most part, the role of a woman remained much as it had done for centuries. Girls were brought up with the sole purpose of finding a husband, ideally one of good standing and with money.’

I adore Rebecca’s work. This was such a fascinating read and my love for Georgian history has just grown so much more after reading this.

Every woman was inspiring to read about.

A must read for anyone who enjoys history and woman’s history.

‘Her strength to leave that marriage and her determination to contact her children made her stand out from the many married mothers in this country. She went to such lengths to make her children feel loved.’

Rebecca has also written Tudor Feminists and her next book is Victorian Feminists which isn’t released until 2026 but I am EXCITED!!!!

Georgian Feminists is a must read for anyone who is an avid history buff. It digs deep into the forgotten lives of Georgian women, their struggles, their hopes, and how they tried to change the world not only for themselves but for their descendants. I couldn't put this down. As a history buff, I found the story enthralling and intriguing.

I like the description of Georgian Feminists by Rebecca Wilson and also the cover looks nice. But I couldn't really get into the book.

As someone who always been for women this book was fantastic read know many women in history been trying change the destiny of women