Remarkable Minds - (Magnificent Minds) by Pendred E Noyce (Hardcover)

About the Book

."..presents the stories of seventeen women of science working in seven countries over a timespan of more than three centuries. From a scandalous French noblewoman who introduced Newton's ideas to France to the African American granddaughter of slaves who pioneered the field of chemotherapy, from a mathematical prodigy who retired from the world to practice charity to the daughter of a Nobel laureate determined to follow in her mother's footsteps, this book portrays women of strong personality who defied stereotypes and found their own way."--Front jacket flap.

Book Synopsis

Winner:
2015 Foreword Reviews INDIEFAB Book of the Year, Juvenile Nonfiction (Children's)

Full of the inspirational stories girls need for exploring a future in science

For centuries, women have risen above their traditional roles to pursue a new understanding of the natural world. This book, which grows out of an exhibit at the Grolier Club in New York, introduces the lives, sayings, and dreams of 16 women over four centuries and chronicles their contributions to mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomy, and medicine. Some of the notable women portrayed in the book include French mathematician Marie-Sophie Germain, known for her work in Elasticity theory, differential geometry, and number theory; Scottish chemist Elizabeth Fulhame, best known for her 1794 work An Essay on Combustion; and Rita Levi-Montalcini, who, with colleague Stanley Cohen, received the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of nerve growth factor. A companion volume to Magnificent Minds by the same author, this book offers inspiration to all girls and young women considering a life in the sciences.

Review Quotes

"Remarkable Minds: 16 More Pioneering Women in Science and Medicine introduces young readers ages 12 and older to the lives, sayings, and dreams of sixteen women spanning over four centuries and chronicles their contributions to mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomy, and medicine . . . . Remarkable Minds offers inspiration to all girls and young women considering a career in the sciences. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented . . . specifically designed for young readers ages 12 and older, and for use with students in grades 7 to 12. Remarkable Minds is very highly recommended, especially for school and community library biography and science history collections." --Midwest Book Review

"Following closely on the heels of Magnificent Minds: 16 Pioneering Women in Science & Medicine, Remarkable Minds showcases sixteen more women who made pivotal contributions to science and medicine . . . . Noyce succeeds especially at placing the women in context of their time and place, imparting a sense of their struggles and also, when appropriate, their advantages. With facts and well-placed anecdotes, she makes clear how the barriers to women differed (and remained the same) across countries, time periods, and social classes . . . . Extremely readable, clearly written, and occasionally provocative, this captivating volume should spark further interest in any one of these scientists, in their fields, and in their cultural circumstances." --Lisa Martincik, VOYA

"There will come a day when gender and race and sexual orientation matter not one whit and equal opportunity exists for all. Alas, too many talented young girls still shy away from advanced math and science programs because subtle external forces work against them. Remarkable Minds shouts 'you can do it' seventeen times over in its vivid portrayals of brilliant women from the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, electrical engineering, astronomy, and more." --Matt Sutherland, Foreword Reviews

"This well-researched, interesting companion to the author's Magnificent Minds: 16 Pioneering Women in Science and Medicine . . . adds 17 women. Examining notable figures who worked in areas as diverse as astronomy and DNA research, this exploration is a revelation . . . . Here is a solid cadre of determined women, inspired in their approach to their chosen domains, all using their considerable talents to overcome the social expectations of their times to further knowledge. Each is awarded a lucidly written, readable biographical essay that not only delineates her research but also includes personal details that bring her to life . . . . Sidebars on relevant topics add to the appeal, and illustrations (many tiny) are liberally scattered throughout. VERDICT This scholarly look at 17 remarkable, intelligent women devoted to research in science and medicine will round out science or biography collections." --Patricia Manning, School Library Journal

About the Author

Pendred E. Noyce is a physician and an educator. She is the author of The Baffling Case of the Battered Brain, The Desperate Case of the Diamond Chip, Magnificent Minds: 16 Pioneering Women in Science & Medicine, The Perilous Case of the Zombie Potion, and The Vicious Case of the Viral Vaccine, as well as the award-winning Lexicon Adventure series. She has helped lead National Science Foundation education projects and helps run a foundation dedicated to math and science education. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts.