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Summary
Summary
Come along for a joy ride in this enthralling tribute to the daring women - Motor Girls, as they were called at the turn of the century - who got behind the wheel of the first cars and paved the way for change. The automobile has always symbolized freedom, and in this book we meet the first generation of female motorists who drove cars for fun, profit, and to make a statement about the evolving role of women. From the advent of the auto in the 1890s to the 1920s when the breaking down of barriers for women was in full swing, readers will be delighted to see historical photos, art, and artifacts and to discover the many ways these progressive females influenced fashion, the economy, politics, and the world around them.
Author Notes
SUE MACY is the author of Bulls-Eye- A Photobiography of Annie Oakley; Swifter, Higher, Stronger- A Photographic History of the Summer Olympics; Freeze Frame- A Photographic History of the Winter Olympics; Play Like A Girl- A Celebration of Women in Sports; Winning Ways- A Photohistory of American Women in Sports; and A Whole New Ball Game- The Story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She brings a consciousness of the history of women in sport to the story of sharpshooter Annie Oakley and carries this mythic and historic figure gracefully into modern light. She has won numerous awards and starred reviews for her books. Winning Ways and A Whole New Ball Game were both named ALA Best Books for Young Adults and NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 6 Up-This meticulously researched account of early automobiles and women is an excellent companion to Macy's previous title Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (with a Few Flat Tires Along the Way). Macy delves into early automobile history through the use of primary sources, period photographs, and archival materials to show how women cracked gender stereotypes and whizzed past societal barriers. The prevailing sentiment in the early 20th century was that driving was too messy, strenuous, and nerve-racking for women. However, women proved themselves over and over again, competing in endurance races, cross-country trips, and speed trials. Of particular interest is the role the car played in the suffrage movement. As women became more mobile, they could gather for meetings and make their collective voices louder. The role female drivers played during World War I is also discussed. Once the Great War ended, some of these figures didn't want to relinquish their employment, foreshadowing similar home front experiences after the Second World War. Overall, it is important to note that this book tells the story of a narrow group of people; many, many women were prohibited from driving well past the time period covered. VERDICT Although it may take a bit of selling on the part of librarians, this insight into women automobile pioneers is well worth it. Highly recommended for tween and teen history collections.-Lisa Crandall, formerly at the Capital Area District Library, Holt, MI © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Macy builds on Wheels of Change, which examined the connections between women's rights and the mobility offered by the bicycle, as she chronicles the history of the automobile and the paths that led women to become motorists. Against a backdrop of captivating archival photographs and excerpts from periodicals, she introduces several "Motor Girls" who made strides behind the wheel. In 1909, Alice Ramsey became the first woman to drive a car across the United States; she was followed by numerous other cross-country female drivers and racers. A section on WWI demonstrates how the war necessitated that women pilot ambulances and other automobiles, further solidifying that woman could, and wanted to, drive vehicles. Using the lens of automotive history to inform a greater narrative about women's liberation, Macy capably shows how threads of the past are intertwined. Ages 10-up. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* In Wheels of Change (2011), Macy revealed the liberating effect that bicycles had for women, and here she extends this theme to the empowering history of the automobile. At the turn of the twentieth century, cars were navigating America's roads for the first time, and women were eager to get out of the house and behind the wheel. While Macy traces early automotive innovations (automation, electric starters, closed carriages, etc.), her focus remains on how women used the car to achieve independence and win the right to vote, embarking on lengthy auto tours to gather support for their cause. She explains how women were banned from auto racing viewed as a man's sport in Europe and the U.S., only to see many silent film actresses embrace roles involving exciting car chases. Later, during WWI, women stepped up to drive ambulances and deliver supplies, further establishing their tenacity and competence behind the wheel. Macy's lively writing and vivid descriptions of treacherous road conditions become all the more fascinating when combined with the crisp archival photos, car advertisements, news stories, and quotations embellishing each chapter all captioned and cited. Biographical spreads on motor girls and lists of early, absurd driving laws and etiquette add to the engaging nature of this well-researched text. Steer any reader with an interest in history towards this fantastic book.--Smith, Julia Copyright 2017 Booklist
