This highly readable and informative book is categorized as young adult nonfiction/history and it's good reading for older adults, too.

It's the kind of book I wish had been around when I was a girl growing up on movies like The Sands of Iwo Jima, The Bridge on the River Kwai, and The Great Escape. I was fascinated by war and wanted to see women portrayed in the thick of things. Unfortunately, back then (and, sadly, still now) women's contributions to the war effort were lucky to get more than a sentence: women worked in factories, nursed the wounded, and knitted socks for the soldiers.

As a girl who sought adventure it was frustrating and embarrassing not to see examples of women who had done heroic things in history books. Even as a young Marine and then college/graduate student it was a challenge to find books and primary sources about women who contributed to the war effort beyond working in factories or nursing the wounded (often times the images presented were of clean, orderly factories and hospitals far away from danger). If a history book mentioned that women were allowed to join the military during WWI, they got a sentence and maybe a group picture with a caption that stated women joined to "free a man to fight."

As an adult I understand the importance of factory work for the war effort as well as for the advancement of women's rights. I've read about the gruesome duty and long hours nurses worked. And if the woman who joined the military in WWI mainly did paperwork they are not to be dismissed because, as anyone whose been in the military knows, accurate and timely paperwork is sometimes just as important as water and food.

But I'd wager that no one, not even women in 1914, wants to join the military to do paperwork. Women, like men, have always wanted to do something to help when the chips are down (for altruistic reasons and/or to escape their lives) and this book shows that they did, whether officially in the military or with some other organization or by taking matters into their own hands.

Women Heroes of World War I definitely helps round out the picture of what women are capable of doing during wartime and what 16 brave women did during World War I.

The book is divided into four sections:

Part I: Resisters and Spies

Edith Cavell
Louise Thuliez
Emilienne Moreau
Gabrielle Petit
Marthe Cnockaert
Louise de Bettignies


Part II: Medical Personnel

Elsie Inglis
Olive King
Helena Gleichen
Shirley Millard


Part III: Soldiers

Maria Bochkareva
Flora Sandes
Marina Yurlova
Ecaterina Teodoroiu


Part IV: Journalists

Mary Roberts Rinehart
Madeleine Zabriskie Doty


There are photographs scattered throughout the book, quotes, and mini articles in text boxes that give a bit of background on things such as poisoned gas, weapons & wounds, Greece's neutrality and side-switching, Marie Curie & Radiography, Rosa Luxemburg, the influenza pandemic of 1918, the Russian Revolution, and more.

There's an introduction to each Part which provides context and each chapter focusing on one women begins with her picture, a quote, and ends with a "Learn More" text box that includes books and occasionally websites about the subject. There's a seven page bibliography would have made me weep tears of joy as a teenager. Entries with an asterisk point out books suitable for younger readers. A three page glossary explains some general concepts (e.g. artillery, shrapnel), historical events (e.g. Franco-Prussian War, Triple Entente), and people (e.g. Kaiser Wilhelm, Tsar Nicholas II). There is no filler or fluff in this book.

Taken as a whole, the features of the book provide context and background about the war and women's lives leading up to, during, and after WWI. It covers the Western, Eastern, and Italian fronts, and conditions for civilians within Germany.

Women Heroes of World War I would be an excellent addition to both school and public libraries and appropriate for both readers new to WWI and those who've already read much about the subject, whether YA or plain old adult readers.

This book is part of the Women of Action Series from Chicago Review Press. Atwood has two previous titles in the series, Code Name Pauline: Memoirs of a World War II Special Agent, Pearl Witherington Cornioley and Women Heroes of World War II: 26 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance, and Rescue. ( )

Most of the time when I read about war, I tend to read fictional accounts of WWII. But, sadly, war is war and no matter what timeframe you are reading about there will be horrific details and stories of heroic people who risked their lives to help others. Atwood's research shows that women were definitely prominent in saving the lives of numerous people during war-time and not just in a hospital or in the home. Numerous women took on the role of spies and resisters helping to hide soldiers or to move information across enemy lines to leak details of plans like to blow up the British tunnel. I think most people would be quite surprised at the level of danger many of these women put themselves in, much like their husbands, brothers, and fathers.

Atwood covers each woman in a chapter consisting of just a few pages, telling the story of how she got involved in the war, her heroic deeds, and what happened to her after the war. Sadly, many of the women were arrested and sentenced to life in prison or to death. In fact, due to one of the women featured in the book, Edith Cavell, death sentences for women were no longer ordered. Her execution was remembered as one of inspiration for women because Cavell took her duties seriously and faced death with a "calm dignity". Stories like this were tragic but also proved that women, much like men, were willing to fight for their freedoms.

This book sat on my shelf too long and I am so glad that I finally read it. It is definitely an inspiring look at history and the role women played in unexpected areas. Many of them could be an inspiration for a fictional novel based on the war. Since each chapter stands alone, it is a great book to keep in the car and read while waiting in the pick-up line at school or at the doctor's office.

This book like her others about women heroes are written for middle school readers on up. Even though they are considered a young adult series, adults will appreciate the history and facts as well. ( )

Woman Heroes Of World War I
(Katherine J Atwood)

16 snapshots of courageous woman who served their countries in World War I.

Aside from being a very interesting read, the author is to be commended for acknowledgements, glossary, notes, photos, extensive bibliography and well formed index.

The book jacket says it best.
"These and other suspense filled stories of daring girls and women from around the world are told through fast paced narrative, dialogue, direct quotes and document and diary excerpts.
Historical background information opens each section, and each profile includes informative sidebars and Learn More lists of books and websites for further study."

4.5 ★ ( )

Women Heroes of World War I: 16 Remarkable Resisters. Soldiers. Spies and Medics by Kathryn J. Atwood is a gem of women’s history. The author’s writing style is plain and straight forward but it is the content that is outstanding!

The author starts out with explaining some of the differences between WWI and WWII. WWI came to be partly because of a surge of nationalism and desire to grab territory not so much for humanitarian goals. I have read a lot about the role of women in WWII but I did not know that women poured in to fill the jobs for males as they did for WWII. These stories are real but they have an unbelievable quality to them. It is amazing to learn about women did for their countries, they were spies under very dangerous conditions and created innovations, and even fought for their country on the battlefield.

This book is divided into sections for the different roles that women played during WWI : “Resisters and Spies”, Medical Personnel”, “Soldiers” and Journalists”. All were heroes. They risked their lives repeatedly to save lives. The execution of Edith Cavell, a very brave British nurse by German firing squad led to a political storm against Germany. One of the spies in this book, transported the private messages from the captured by having them written in lemon juice on her petticoat. When she got to the other side, the information was distributed to all the relatives of the captured. Elsie Inglis, a Scottish woman surgeon, she came up with the idea of a mobile hospital unit manned by women. Olive King, a daring Australian woman bought her own truck to use as ambulance. Those are just tidbits from a few of the chapters.

At the end of each chapter, the author has listed “places to learn more”, usually books about the woman in the chapter. I am going through them to find books on my favorite women! I am recommending this book to two of my close friends so I definitely recommend this book to all women and men who want to learn more about the special ways that women were heroes in the WWI.

I received this book from the publisher as a win from FirstReads but that in no way influenced my thoughts or feelings in my review. ( )