Biographer and novelist Ledbetter (A Lady Never Trifles with Thieves) illuminates the lives of 17 19th- and early 20th-century women who bucked a system that relegated them to the home to meet the needs of their husbands and children. Some are well known, like the "unsinkable" Margaret (Molly) Brown, survivor of the Titanic, who rose from a poor Irish background to become the toast of Denver society; a liberal, she espoused a separate justice system for juveniles and an international fair that others tried to shut down for featuring Chinese and Native Americans. Other subjects have been buried by time, and Ledbetter fills a gap in feminist history with her short descriptive bios. Henrietta Green, "the Witch of Wall Street," parlayed an inheritance into an estate valued at over $100 million dollars, but was noted for her miserliness. Sara Parton, with advanced ideas about women, left an abusive husband to become a successful columnist and novelist under the pen name Fanny Fern. Frances Benjamin Johnston was an early photojournalist whose work spanned a 50-year career. Although at times the author's colloquial language is clunky, these stories of independent-minded females are well worth recounting. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Adult/High School-This breezy romp through 19th-century American history touches upon the colorful lives and careers of women who are largely unfamiliar now. Most, however, were widely celebrated in their time, if not downright infamous. An artistically talented and sometimes delusional eccentric, wealthy Elizabeth Ney built her Xanadu in the wilds of Texas. Adah Isaacs Menken ("The Menken"), a gifted actress, cut a dash through the society of artists and poets while scandalizing and entertaining the public. Some wrested a remarkable life from poverty, like the legendary dance-hall denizen known as "Silver Heels" and the famously voluptuous Sarah Bowman, who rose from camp follower to proprietor of a "full service hotel" for soldiers during the war with Mexico. As for some better-remembered names, such as Ann Rutledge (Abraham Lincoln's mysterious lost love) and Margaret "Molly" Brown (of Leadville and Titanic fame), the author corrects misconceptions and provides details that make the women spring into focus for today's readers, while Lydia Pinkham, entrepreneur, and Fanny Fern, writer, are shown to be surprisingly modern figures. Filling out the collection are gritty pioneers of medicine, photography, law, finance, and other fields and walks of life. Adding a little spice to history and biography, this book takes its place alongside Barbara Holland's They Went Whistling: Women Wayfarers, Warriors, Runaways and Renegades (Pantheon, 2001) and Sara Lorimer's Booty: Girl Pirates on the High Seas (Chronicle, 2002), though it isn't in the same league with Milbry Polk and Mary Tiegreen's outstanding Women of Discovery: A Celebration of Intrepid Women Who Explored the World (Clarkson Potter, 2001).-Christine C. Menefee, formerly at Fairfax County Public Library, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.