A Mighty Girl's top picks of new biographies about Mighty Women for adult readers.
Our community loves the children's and young adult books we share — but they also love when we share titles that are suitable for adult readers! In this new post, you can discover our favorite new releases for adults from fall 2017. From scientists to political leaders, athletes to activists, these mighty women lived fascinating lives and their stories deserve to be told. We hope that you'll enjoy these recommendations as much as the Mighty Girls in your lives enjoy our recommendations of biographies for them!
For more biographies and memoirs for adult readers, check out our blog post from earlier this year, Stories of Mighty Women: 55 New Biographies for Adult Readers.
New biographies for adult readers
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II
In the midst of World War II, with many American men fighting overseas, over ten thousand women were recruited for an important but secret mission: these women would be trained as codebreakers. In Washington, they learned to crack codes, deciphering messages that would shorten the war and save the lives of countless people. They also gained access to a new realm of career advancement that had previously been closed to women. But after the war, with their vow of secrecy still in place, their stories were nearly lost. Author Liza Mundy dug deep into newly released files and interviewed surviving "code girls" to create this fascinating history of the women whose work made a significant but hidden contribution to America's war effort.
Suzanne's Children: A Daring Rescue in Nazi Paris
Suzanne's Children: A Daring Rescue in Nazi Paris
In the late 1930s, Suzanne Spaak, a child of Belgium's leading political family, met a Polish Jewish refugee in Paris, and she discovered a new purpose; helping people escape from the Nazi regime. When Paris fell, she used her wealth and connections in service of the Resistance, arranging for thousands of children to be "kidnapped" out from under the Gestapo's nose. As liberating armies approached Paris, it seemed like safety might finally be achievable... until Spaak was caught in a Gestapo dragnet. For her "crimes" against the Nazi regime, she was executed — only shortly before Paris was freed. This powerful story was meticulously researched, but reads like a thriller, full of suspenseful twists — and starring a daring woman who gave her life to protect Europe's most vulnerable during World War II.
The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State
The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State
In 2014, 21-year-old Nadia Murad was living a quiet life in her Yazidi village in Iraq, dreaming of a future as a history teacher or salon owner — but all that changed when ISIS invaded, massacring most of her family and neighbors, and kidnapping women young enough to be used as sex slaves. Nadia was taken to Mosul and forced, along with thousands of other Yazidi girls, into the ISIS slave trade. Following months of abuse, she escaped and went on to become one of most vocal advocates for the girls and women left in captivity. Named one of the world's most influential people of 2016 by Time, Nadia tells her harrowing and ultimately inspiring story in a powerful new memoir. This courageous young woman's story is a moving testament of the human will to survive and a call to action to end abuses toward women worldwide.
Chasing Light: Michelle Obama Through the Lens of a White House Photographer
Chasing Light: Michelle Obama Through the Lens of a White House Photographer
Inside the White House, photographers capture the inner workings of a presidency — and the personalities of the First Family. Amanda Lucidon spent four years covering First Lady Michelle Obama, and in this new book, she shares 150 of her favorite photographs, along with reflections about what it was like to be so close to one of the most admired First Ladies in history. Lucidon follows Obama through her work to combat childhood obesity, promote girls' education, and support military families; watches her as she travels with her children; and observes the quiet moments between the First Lady and the President that most people never see. This intimate and vibrant book is a celebration of the values that made Michelle Obama an icon to so many people around the world.
Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life
Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life
Jenna and Barbara Bush were used to being in the public eye growing up in a political family — but when their own father became president, the scrutiny reached a whole new level. The sisters found their typical teenage mistakes making news across the country, saw pictures of themselves appear on tabloid covers, and had to go to college with Secret Service agents in tow to watch over them. In their new memoir, the sisters share their story of what life was like before, during, and after the White House — and about what the bond of sisterhood has meant to both of their lives. Funny, poignant, and personal, this is an intimate look at the inside story of the former first daughters.
The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America's Enemies
The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America's Enemies
Elizebeth Smith was an expert in Shakespeare when a 1916 job changed the course of her life — and American intelligence history. Smith's boss, a tycoon with connections to the US government, turned her language skills to code cracking. Along the way, she would meet groundbreaking cryptologist William Friedman, her future husband, and the couple would be critical to the development of the NSA. Smith would help catch gangsters and smugglers during Prohibition, expose Nazi spy rings in South America, and help crack multiple versions of the German Enigma machine. This intriguing story explores the development of modern intelligence through the life of one unforgettable woman.
Gold Dust Woman: The Biography of Stevie Nicks
Gold Dust Woman: The Biography of Stevie Nicks
From her days with Fleetwood Mac to her current solo career which, at age 69, still packs major venues like Madison Square Garden, this biography celebrates Stevie Nicks' enduring influence on rock and roll — both personally and in the music of those who came after her. Biographer Stephen Davis dug deep into research and conducted in-depth interviews to create this portrait of Nick's personal and professional life, from the good — being invited to join Fleetwood Mac and turning the band into a top seller — to the bad — becoming addicted to cocaine, pot, alcohol, and Klonopin. Throughout, Nicks' glamor, charisma, and talent shines through. It's an essential title for any fan of this groundbreaking musician.
Empress of the East: How a European Slave Girl Became Queen of the Ottoman Empire
Empress of the East: How a European Slave Girl Became Queen of the Ottoman Empire
When a Christian girl named Roxelana was abducted from her home by slave traders, no one could have predicted that she would become one of the most powerful and shrewd rulers of her time. When she was delivered to the harem of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent in Istanbul, he was fascinated by her: not only did he vow not to keep any other concubines, but he freed her so that the pair could marry. Roxelana's intelligence and daring proved a tremendous asset to Suleyman's rule, forcing him to keep pace with a rapidly changing world — and at the same time, her power allowed her to achieve works of philanthropy that no one else could have imagined. Author Leslie Pierce creates a compelling portrait of an astonishing woman, who went from powerlessness to holding the reins of an empire.
In Such Good Company: Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, and Fun in the Sandbox
In Such Good Company: Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, and Fun in the Sandbox
Fans of The Carol Burnett Show will love this peek behind the curtains from the comedy legend herself! For eleven years, Burnett, her co-stars, and a lengthy list of guest stars made people laugh with their wacky sketches and hilarious improvisations. To create this book, she rewatched all 276 episodes so that she could illustrate the magical chemistry and spirit of fun that won her show twenty-five Emmy Awards and won her so many dedicated fans. She celebrates the unexpected moments that both audience and cast could never have predicted but would never forget, and also sheds a light on the tender and sweet moments that kept her coming back ready to work every day. Heartfelt and hilarious, this is a must read for any fans of Burnett's special brand of comedy.
A Beautiful Work in Progress
A Beautiful Work in Progress
Mirna Valerio is a long-distance runner who is shattering stereotypes that keep people from lacing up their shoes and discovering the joy of running: neither skinny nor white, she's regularly faced public comments that she must not be a "real" runner. In her optimistic, body-positive memoir, Valerio talks about her journey from first steps to ultramarathons with honesty, humor, and heart. Valerio challenges the idea that you can determine health from appearance, and encourages other women like her — women who have been told that their size means they can never be athletes — to take on the challenge of finding a form of exercise that they love. Throughout, she reminds her readers that every runner will sometimes get a DNF (Did Not Finish): the important thing is that you DNQ: Did Not Quit.
What Happened
What Happened
Finally free from the restrictions and scrutiny of life as a running politician, Hillary Clinton opens up about the 2016 election in this candid new memoir. From her experiences over years as a woman in politics, facing double-standards and constant criticism, to the challenge of running in one of the most polarizing, vicious elections in US history, to how she recovered from the devastating loss, Clinton reveals what it was like for her personally, as well as highlighting what her experiences say about our society. She also tackles the dangerous truths about external interference in the election and what it means for American democracy. Poignant, hard-hitting, and honest, this book is a must for anyone who cares about the future of American politics.
We're Going to Need More Wine: Stories That Are Funny, Complicated, and True
We're Going to Need More Wine: Stories That Are Funny, Complicated, and True
When Gabrielle Union published a powerful editorial urging society to provide more support to survivors of sexual assault — and revealing her own story as one of them — she made the world sit up and take notice. Now, in a collection of essays, she tackles even more issues with the same passion, writing about everything from feminism and color to power and fame to life as a child, moving between a home in majority white Californian suburbs and her black relatives' home in Nebraska. Throughout, she reminds her readers of the importance of empathy, the value of humor, and the power of standing together in support of those in need. Funny, vulnerable, and deeply real, this book recognizes all the complexity of life as a modern woman.
A Woman's Work: The Storied Life of Pioneer Esther Morris, the World’s First Female Justice of the Peace
A Woman's Work: The Storied Life of Pioneer Esther Morris, the World’s First Female Justice of the Peace
When Esther Morris organized a tea party in Wyoming, she had no idea that it would become what some call "the second most important tea party in America" — the meeting that would lead to her state become the first in the country to grant women the vote. But that was only one of Morris' many achievements: over her remarkable life, she would make a difference on three different frontiers and make history as the first female justice of the peace. In this historical novel, author Marian Betancourt tells the compelling story of a woman whose life paralleled the progress of the 19th century — and who insisted on being at the forefront of the wave of change.
