We the Women

“A vital reminder of the importance of women’s contributions to our history—and a call to action for anyone committed to carrying forward the work that they began.”—Melinda French Gates

“A fascinating book with the colorful tales of more than thirty of these risk takers, visionaries, and pioneers.”—Walter Isaacson

“We the Women is a powerful retelling of American history, one that is long overdue. With clarity and conviction, Norah O’Donnell brings to life the women whose courage helped shape our nation—often without recognition and against the odds. Their stories are a powerful reminder that progress has never been inevitable—it has always been driven by women willing to step forward to create a better future.”—Sheryl Sandberg, founder of Lean In

“We the Women brings to the forefront the women who fought to help us live up to our founding ideals. As we commemorate our 250th anniversary, Norah O’Donnell reminds us that we cannot ignore the mothers, daughters, and sisters whose lives and work were central to the story of us. With a keen eye for detail and an interviewer’s desire to understand more fully, O’Donnell invites us into important lives lived fully. We are a richer—and better—country when we acknowledge these women and the remarkable but largely untold contribution they made.”—Ken Burns, filmmaker

“We the Women is a book that not only adults will love, but young readers as well. Norah O’Donnell makes history feel immediate and alive. By helping young people see themselves, and the girls around them, in these stories, We the Women expands how we imagine what women have done and what they can do. The result is a book essential for our moment.”—Frédérique Irwin, president and CEO of the National Women’s History Museum

“In We the Women, Norah O’Donnell brings long-overdue attention to the trailblazers, adventurers, inventors, organizers, and everyday women who built this country in ways history too often overlooked. It is a powerful testament to the extraordinary women who shaped America, and an essential reminder that their contributions are a vital part of our shared history.”—Billie Jean King, sports icon and equality champion

“This is more than a history book; it’s a moving portrait of resilience and progress, reminding us that America’s strength has always owed much to the determination of its women.”—Arianna Huffington

“Troublemakers and codebreakers, soldiers and doctors, poets and athletes—and heroines all . . . A lively, engaging account of women who helped shape the nation, even if the historians sometimes failed to notice.”—Susan Page

“By skillfully weaving together individual stories of groundbreaking women, this terrific book reveals the central, though often hidden, role that women have played at every stage of our country’s history.”—Doris Kearns Goodwin