Bold Women of Medicine: 21 Stories of Astounding Discoveries, Daring Surgeries, and Healing Breakthroughs

Gr 7 Up—Latta makes adventurous women relatable by sharing their triumphs and challenges, such as illnesses, sexism, depression, or frustrations over politics. Latta's focus is global, highlighting Somaliland Republic's Edna Adan Ismail, who educated individuals against female genital mutilation; Jeri Nelson, who operated on herself while working in Antarctica; and physical therapist Adele Levine's work with traumatic brain injuries and amputees. Certain patterns emerge as motivating factors in these individual's stories: a personal connection to health care, a drive to do more, or a desire to create social or political change. At the end of each entry, there are a few websites listed where readers can find more information. Some may wonder why certain figures, such as Margaret Sanger, were omitted, but the text only covers accredited physicians, not nurses or health care advocates. This could be used as a stand-alone collected biography, but each chapter does build on the one before. The book could be utilized within a larger context in social studies or history units, illustrating how factors such as the rise of the middle class, the Industrial Revolution, and societal reforms impacted women in medicine.