The presence of an introduction by Gloria Steinem makes this fascinating book's feminist outlook clear. Almost 125 women are profiled in the context of the times in which they lived. The entries are divided into three periods: ``The Dawn: Prehistory to 1750''; ``From Revolution to Revolution: 1750 to 1890'' (a typo in the table of contents makes that 1850); and ``The Global Community: 1890 to the Present.'' Rulers and politicians, artists and performers, reformers, scientists, and humanitarians are all covered. A real effort has been made to include at least a few women from beyond Europe and America, e.g., Murasaki Shikibu, who wrote the medieval Japanese classic The Tale of Genji, and Eka Esu-Williams, who is currently involved in AIDS education in Africa. The entries are necessarily brief but give enough of the person's life to encourage more exploration; a long bibliography of mostly adult titles helpfully notes appropriate sources for further reading for young readers. With a sprinkling of b&w photographs and prints, this should be useful in most collections; it is well done and supports modern history curricula. (indices) (Nonfiction. 10+)
