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Give Her Credit: The Untold Account of a Women's Bank That Empowered a Generation
The galvanizing true story of a group of remarkable women in the 1970s male-run world of business, banking, and finance. They didn’t play by the rules. They changed them and made history.
In the 1970s, a new wave of feminism was sweeping America. But in the boys’ club of banking and finance, women were still infantilized—no credit without a male cosigner, and their income was dismissed as unreliable. If bankers weren’t going to accommodate women, then women had to take control of their own futures. In 1978 in Denver, Colorado, the opening of the Women’s Bank changed everything.
It was helmed by bank officer B. LaRae Orullian and the brainchild of whip-smart entrepreneur Carol Green, who forged a groundbreaking path with their headstrong colleagues, among Judi Foster, investment research whiz; Edna Mosley, unyielding civil rights advocate with the NAACP; Mary Roebling, renowned financial executive; Betty Freedman, a socialite and fundraiser; and Gail Schoettler, a formidable Denver mover and shaker for social justice. Coming together and facing their own unique road to revolution, they built the most successful female-run bank in the nation. It wasn’t easy.
Give Her Credit follows the challenges, uphill battles, and achievements of some of the enterprising women of Denver who broke boundaries, inspired millions, and afforded opportunities for every marginalized citizen in the country. It’s about time their untold story was told.
In the 1970s, a new wave of feminism was sweeping America. But in the boys’ club of banking and finance, women were still infantilized—no credit without a male cosigner, and their income was dismissed as unreliable. If bankers weren’t going to accommodate women, then women had to take control of their own futures. In 1978 in Denver, Colorado, the opening of the Women’s Bank changed everything.
It was helmed by bank officer B. LaRae Orullian and the brainchild of whip-smart entrepreneur Carol Green, who forged a groundbreaking path with their headstrong colleagues, among Judi Foster, investment research whiz; Edna Mosley, unyielding civil rights advocate with the NAACP; Mary Roebling, renowned financial executive; Betty Freedman, a socialite and fundraiser; and Gail Schoettler, a formidable Denver mover and shaker for social justice. Coming together and facing their own unique road to revolution, they built the most successful female-run bank in the nation. It wasn’t easy.
Give Her Credit follows the challenges, uphill battles, and achievements of some of the enterprising women of Denver who broke boundaries, inspired millions, and afforded opportunities for every marginalized citizen in the country. It’s about time their untold story was told.
219 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2025
3161 people are currently reading
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About the author
Grace L. Williams
4 books11 followersGrace L. Williams is a scholar of feminism and economics who moonlights as a financial reporter and podcast co-host. Whether it's shares of a company or this season's must have, Williams is passionate about what we’re buying, why we’re buying it, and how it contributes to many a bottom line. Throughout her near-decade of self-employment, she has tapped into the mindset of consumers and "followed the money" to dig deep into what they prioritize and care about as it plays out against an ever-changing market landscape. Williams is the author of Give Her Credit, a book that spotlights women's banks in the 1970s and is an alum of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where ironically she wrote a thesis on “Freeganism,” which is the magical art of surviving while buying nothing. Her writing has been featured in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, Harvard Business Review, Yahoo Finance, Stephens, Financial Advisor IQ, and RIA Intel, among many others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 330 reviews
March 5, 2025
You need to give credit where credit is due. Grace Williams came up with a really good title for her book, Giver Her Credit (see what I did there?!). The story follows the creation of the Women's Bank of Denver in 1978. The bank came on the heels of a law change which finally allowed women to bank without their husbands. Hooray for progress!
Unfortunately, Williams runs into a few problems with her writing. First, she seems to put on the rosiest possible outlook on things she approves of. For instance, the beginning of the book talks about how progressive the west was in comparison to the east of the U.S. She lists many positive and selfless reasons why this would be. However, she skips one of the main reasons why the west was more likely to give women the vote and other rights. See the western states had a dearth of women. Political leaders knew they needed a hook to balance out the population and progressive ideas were the best way to do it. This doesn't fit her altruistic explanation and isn't mentioned.
We run into a couple major problems with the characters she presents. There are way too many. The book is less than 200 pages and contains at least 5 main characters and another dozen supporting characters. They are all presented in very positive light even when there is a big blow up and multiple resignations. Yes, the monolithic and faceless male chauvinists are presented badly (fair enough), but otherwise there is no real narrative conflict. Williams packs so much into a short page count and nothing is given room to breathe.
There is a great story here, and Williams does present some interesting facts. However, she needed to either make this book much longer or cut numerous people to allow for well paced and cohesive narrative.
(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by the publisher.)
Unfortunately, Williams runs into a few problems with her writing. First, she seems to put on the rosiest possible outlook on things she approves of. For instance, the beginning of the book talks about how progressive the west was in comparison to the east of the U.S. She lists many positive and selfless reasons why this would be. However, she skips one of the main reasons why the west was more likely to give women the vote and other rights. See the western states had a dearth of women. Political leaders knew they needed a hook to balance out the population and progressive ideas were the best way to do it. This doesn't fit her altruistic explanation and isn't mentioned.
We run into a couple major problems with the characters she presents. There are way too many. The book is less than 200 pages and contains at least 5 main characters and another dozen supporting characters. They are all presented in very positive light even when there is a big blow up and multiple resignations. Yes, the monolithic and faceless male chauvinists are presented badly (fair enough), but otherwise there is no real narrative conflict. Williams packs so much into a short page count and nothing is given room to breathe.
There is a great story here, and Williams does present some interesting facts. However, she needed to either make this book much longer or cut numerous people to allow for well paced and cohesive narrative.
(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by the publisher.)
December 15, 2024
“Let the women vote, they can’t do any worse than the men.”
I'll start off my saying I don't typically read non-fiction. This Kindle First book for December sounded intriguing, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Please take this review with a grain of salt.
I appreciate the research that was put into writing this book - it's an interesting topic that women faced not very long ago. I'm all about women-empowerment and equality and I was hopeful this book would run with that. However, I think this book would have benefitted from another round of editing -- for a short 200 page book, this book felt LONG. The author introduces just about EVERYONE who had a hand in women's banks and goes into too much detail on many of their backgrounds. If we took out all of details, the rest of the story is the group meeting monthly and waiting around. I know it was a group effort, and again, I appreciate the research the author's research, but it may be been better to focus on 3-4 of the main individuals (or at least get into all of the details on just a few) while telling the overall story.
I enjoyed the beginning, and felt the epilogue summed up the book quite nicely, but could have done with a shorter version of the rest of it.
I'll start off my saying I don't typically read non-fiction. This Kindle First book for December sounded intriguing, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Please take this review with a grain of salt.
I appreciate the research that was put into writing this book - it's an interesting topic that women faced not very long ago. I'm all about women-empowerment and equality and I was hopeful this book would run with that. However, I think this book would have benefitted from another round of editing -- for a short 200 page book, this book felt LONG. The author introduces just about EVERYONE who had a hand in women's banks and goes into too much detail on many of their backgrounds. If we took out all of details, the rest of the story is the group meeting monthly and waiting around. I know it was a group effort, and again, I appreciate the research the author's research, but it may be been better to focus on 3-4 of the main individuals (or at least get into all of the details on just a few) while telling the overall story.
I enjoyed the beginning, and felt the epilogue summed up the book quite nicely, but could have done with a shorter version of the rest of it.
December 5, 2024
I am on the line about this book. I must have misunderstood the book's synopsis because I thought that this was going to be about the first-ever women's bank—it is not. There were so few banks that actually followed the letter of the law at that time period that you can see why something like this was groundbreaking, life-changing, and filled a great need for women.
I can't believe how far women have come, and reading this book has helped me understand just what women just a few years younger than I was at the time went through to get where we are today.
This book was quite interesting if you don't mind that it has extremely dry writing and too many primary, secondary, and tertiary characters. I know it was necessary, but I felt like I needed a spreadsheet to keep track of everyone.
It was a bit of a chore to keep up with everything, and it may have been more enjoyable if I had a degree in finance!
*ARC supplied by the publisher Little A Publishing, the author, and NetGalley.
I can't believe how far women have come, and reading this book has helped me understand just what women just a few years younger than I was at the time went through to get where we are today.
This book was quite interesting if you don't mind that it has extremely dry writing and too many primary, secondary, and tertiary characters. I know it was necessary, but I felt like I needed a spreadsheet to keep track of everyone.
It was a bit of a chore to keep up with everything, and it may have been more enjoyable if I had a degree in finance!
*ARC supplied by the publisher Little A Publishing, the author, and NetGalley.
April 28, 2025
A Woman’s Bank is Needed.
Women had a rough banking issue back in the day. They needed to have their husbands get their loans for them. Or their fathers or brothers get their loans. Women couldn’t get loans back then. Especially if they are single.
Even if they made more money than their husbands. No, no, no! No loans. Unless their husbands co-signed for them. Banking was not kind to women.
So, some women got together and talked amongst themselves. And they talked about what if there is a bank for women. And the women liked the idea. So they formed a group of women who were interested.
A lot of the women were interested and they started having conversations about it. They had meetings every month to discuss it and break it down into pieces.
There is a lot to know about banking and they wanted to be successful. There were other women banks that were not very successful. Many of them failed. Including The Women’s Bank of New York.
They didn’t want their women’s bank to fail. They wanted it to succeed. So they had experts come to their meetings to talk with them about banking. Man or woman, they took their advice.
It was an uphill and downhill struggle, but they persevered and they survived. They succeeded where so many other banks had failed. They founded their bank in 1977. It folded in 2022. A good informative book.
Four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Women had a rough banking issue back in the day. They needed to have their husbands get their loans for them. Or their fathers or brothers get their loans. Women couldn’t get loans back then. Especially if they are single.
Even if they made more money than their husbands. No, no, no! No loans. Unless their husbands co-signed for them. Banking was not kind to women.
So, some women got together and talked amongst themselves. And they talked about what if there is a bank for women. And the women liked the idea. So they formed a group of women who were interested.
A lot of the women were interested and they started having conversations about it. They had meetings every month to discuss it and break it down into pieces.
There is a lot to know about banking and they wanted to be successful. There were other women banks that were not very successful. Many of them failed. Including The Women’s Bank of New York.
They didn’t want their women’s bank to fail. They wanted it to succeed. So they had experts come to their meetings to talk with them about banking. Man or woman, they took their advice.
It was an uphill and downhill struggle, but they persevered and they survived. They succeeded where so many other banks had failed. They founded their bank in 1977. It folded in 2022. A good informative book.
Four stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
December 30, 2024
I had really hoped to enjoy this book and while I did learn some new things, the book itself read like an 8th grade social studies paper.
September 10, 2025
A fascinating and engaging read that documents, once again, when people believed women were just too hysterical and untrustworthy to have their own bank accounts or own property. I found this an easy read, one that I enjoyed because it was quick and kept me curious. I don't read a lot of non-fiction so it was nice to jump into this one and have it feel interesting and easy. I found that the first bank started in Colorado fascinating, I loved learning about the first women who started it and why.
It was a bit shocking to realize that the timeframe this story is told in isn't as far away from my current year as I'd like - especially with such ridiculous ideas about women. But it's a great marker for how much we've gained and what we will not lose. We won't go back.
It was a bit shocking to realize that the timeframe this story is told in isn't as far away from my current year as I'd like - especially with such ridiculous ideas about women. But it's a great marker for how much we've gained and what we will not lose. We won't go back.
December 30, 2024
Couldn’t put it down. Crazy to think all of this only happened about 50 years ago.
July 4, 2025
The book offers a view into the worlds of finance and banking; more specifically, the legal and societal barriers that women had to overcome in order to run their own businesses, obtain bank loans or even establish credit. The establishment of The Women’s Bank in Denver in 1978 was a significant achievement, accomplished by a coalition of women (and a few men) who spent several years towards its founding and development. Their story reminds us of the pervasive discrimination that women faced in the business world in the not too distant past.
But while the subject is compelling, the writing is somewhat pedantic, with lots of extraneous details along with short bios about too many people. As a result, it’s a bit of a slog to get through. And that’s a shame because it’s an important story.
But while the subject is compelling, the writing is somewhat pedantic, with lots of extraneous details along with short bios about too many people. As a result, it’s a bit of a slog to get through. And that’s a shame because it’s an important story.
March 6, 2025
A necessary read, even if you don't care about finance in your daily life. It's so important to acknowledge that women, and indeed people, are stronger together and capable of amazing feats to address the issues that they see in the world. This book is a resolute message that no one is helpless and change starts with asking "how?".
January 21, 2025
This book was soooo boring. The true story is great but it could’ve been told in 50 pages. I only finished because I had the audio.
January 25, 2025
important women’s history
The author clearly was enthusiastic about telling the story of the formation of the Women’s Bank in Denver in the 1970s. She highlights the difficulties women had in getting credit and rising to positions of leadership.
The author clearly was enthusiastic about telling the story of the formation of the Women’s Bank in Denver in the 1970s. She highlights the difficulties women had in getting credit and rising to positions of leadership.
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February 22, 2025The premise of this book sounded so interesting! I thought I was going to learn all about the first women’s bank (you sort of do but it’s actually just about one women’s bank, not the first). You can tell the author is really passionate about the research, but it felt like exactly that, a bunch of research notes bound into a book. There was little to no organization in the way it was laid out. There were a lot of repeats and the timeline jumped around like crazy. The individual stories of the women were the most interesting part, and I wish there was more way more of that and way less of sidebar financial data that really didn’t drive the story.
January 17, 2025
I really enjoyed learning about this topic, but I found the writing a little choppy. The best parts were about LaRae’s journey!
January 7, 2025
I don’t even know where to start, but the Wild West is as good a place as any. It’s safe to say the west was wild from the beginning, owning to its own rules and standards. Unlike the more traditional east, the west was home to more forward thinking, even towards women. I suppose it makes since that today the west is still known as progressive and why it also stands to reason that the first real Women’s Bank opened in 1978 in the western city of Denver. It only took them decades of history and three years to do it.
The book begins in 1975, also the year I was born, and details the lives of many women and their struggle to create this bank, along with all the hurdles and all the ridiculousness that occurred along the way. Since the stories happened during my lifetime and I can draw parallels with my mom and her friends I found myself COMPLETELY FASCINATED with the history and stories.
It was 1975 and women couldn’t get credit. Couldn’t get loans. If married, their salary didn’t count towards a loan. They weren’t allowed into certain “all male restaurants and grills.” They couldn’t or shouldn’t wear pants. They had to wear pantyhose. They were dismissed from their job if pregnant and if they wanted to stay employed they had to show proof of birth control. The struggle and lack of equality was endless.
And I remember it. I remember everything coming addressed to my dad or to Mrs. Dad’s Name. I remember my mom and her friends not having credit cards or cars or anything in their own name. I remember them babysitting because they had trouble getting and keeping real jobs. And whoa…how much has changed in my lifetime?! It’s incredible and their generation paved the way.
And yet, while some of it was absolutely necessary I’m still left with the question…have we taken feminism too far? Will we ever arrive at a place where women are happy? Do we all want to work full time and be independent or were we happier at home raising kids? Is there a middle ground? How much do we want to saddle ourselves with? I have so many questions and I haven’t found the answers. It will probably always remain the million dollar question, but I will never quit trying to find the answer.
The book begins in 1975, also the year I was born, and details the lives of many women and their struggle to create this bank, along with all the hurdles and all the ridiculousness that occurred along the way. Since the stories happened during my lifetime and I can draw parallels with my mom and her friends I found myself COMPLETELY FASCINATED with the history and stories.
It was 1975 and women couldn’t get credit. Couldn’t get loans. If married, their salary didn’t count towards a loan. They weren’t allowed into certain “all male restaurants and grills.” They couldn’t or shouldn’t wear pants. They had to wear pantyhose. They were dismissed from their job if pregnant and if they wanted to stay employed they had to show proof of birth control. The struggle and lack of equality was endless.
And I remember it. I remember everything coming addressed to my dad or to Mrs. Dad’s Name. I remember my mom and her friends not having credit cards or cars or anything in their own name. I remember them babysitting because they had trouble getting and keeping real jobs. And whoa…how much has changed in my lifetime?! It’s incredible and their generation paved the way.
And yet, while some of it was absolutely necessary I’m still left with the question…have we taken feminism too far? Will we ever arrive at a place where women are happy? Do we all want to work full time and be independent or were we happier at home raising kids? Is there a middle ground? How much do we want to saddle ourselves with? I have so many questions and I haven’t found the answers. It will probably always remain the million dollar question, but I will never quit trying to find the answer.
December 13, 2024
This was an incredibly interesting story about one of the first banks owned by all women and that lended money to women. A super fast read too.
May 20, 2025
Sometimes there are books with really interesting subject matter but you wish they existed in a slightly different writing style.
This is one of those.
This is one of those.
January 15, 2025
Thankful for those who tried
Free Kindle book. Great history of the struggles women had in the 70's and 80's to have financial freedom. This book highlights the women who helped form a truly equitable bank in Denver. Not a story, but more factual of events that took place for the bank to form. This book definitely took a lot research and effort to write.
Free Kindle book. Great history of the struggles women had in the 70's and 80's to have financial freedom. This book highlights the women who helped form a truly equitable bank in Denver. Not a story, but more factual of events that took place for the bank to form. This book definitely took a lot research and effort to write.
December 6, 2024
Give Her Credit: The Untold Story of a Women's Bank That Empowered a Generation tells a true story of remarkable women that changed the financial game. These women did not play by the rules. Instead, they changed them and made history.
Feminism began sweeping the nation in the 1970s. But not in every sector. Banking and finance was still the boy's club. Women needed a male co-signer. Income was completely ignored or considered unreliable. Loan applications would include invasive questions about birth control. It wasn't until 1978 that women were given access to lines of credit without a man "vouching" for her. The Women's Bank in Denver, Colorado, would operate like other banks with one caveat: women would be treated fairly and given the same financing/business opportunities usually reserved for men.
In just under 200 pages, we are introduced to a slew of characters. Most are the founders and members involved in the opening of Women's Bank. Others are women who struggled to become entrepreneurs but was granted a loan and given financial advice at the Women's Bank. And the stories I took a liking to most were of the women who made a career in banking, starting from a messenger girl to coin wrapper girl to businesswomen on Wall Street. While I appreciated the many examples, it was still too much jammed into so few pages.
These women came together to build the most successful female-run bank in the nation. Give Her Credit tells their story—the challenges and the achievements. From the rounded countertops design to control of the stock. It is inspiring, revolutionary and will give female readers a jolt of pride. On the same coin, this nonfiction book is a blaring reminder that history can, and often does, repeat itself. Hence, here we are in 2024 fighting for women's rights and equal pay. Deliberate timing on the author's or publisher's part? Hmmm...
Bookhearts, I recommend reading this appropriately titled new book when it releases in the new year. Give Her Credit where credit is due!
Happy Early Pub Day, Grace L. Williams! Give Her Credit will be available Tuesday, January 1, 2025.
Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie
Feminism began sweeping the nation in the 1970s. But not in every sector. Banking and finance was still the boy's club. Women needed a male co-signer. Income was completely ignored or considered unreliable. Loan applications would include invasive questions about birth control. It wasn't until 1978 that women were given access to lines of credit without a man "vouching" for her. The Women's Bank in Denver, Colorado, would operate like other banks with one caveat: women would be treated fairly and given the same financing/business opportunities usually reserved for men.
In just under 200 pages, we are introduced to a slew of characters. Most are the founders and members involved in the opening of Women's Bank. Others are women who struggled to become entrepreneurs but was granted a loan and given financial advice at the Women's Bank. And the stories I took a liking to most were of the women who made a career in banking, starting from a messenger girl to coin wrapper girl to businesswomen on Wall Street. While I appreciated the many examples, it was still too much jammed into so few pages.
These women came together to build the most successful female-run bank in the nation. Give Her Credit tells their story—the challenges and the achievements. From the rounded countertops design to control of the stock. It is inspiring, revolutionary and will give female readers a jolt of pride. On the same coin, this nonfiction book is a blaring reminder that history can, and often does, repeat itself. Hence, here we are in 2024 fighting for women's rights and equal pay. Deliberate timing on the author's or publisher's part? Hmmm...
Bookhearts, I recommend reading this appropriately titled new book when it releases in the new year. Give Her Credit where credit is due!
Happy Early Pub Day, Grace L. Williams! Give Her Credit will be available Tuesday, January 1, 2025.
Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie
July 31, 2025
Really wanted more from this.
The topic itself is interesting, it never occurred to me before that there had to be a first women’s bank.
The execution is where I lost interest. There is a lot of focus on the women’s physical appearance. So many mentions of “her sky blue eyes” or “tight, form fitting clothes.” I understand that women are judged based on their physical appearance, but after a certain point you don’t need to remind me that she’s blonde with blue eyes and a nice figure.
It also felt like there was a lot of written fluff impeding actually getting to the bank opening. Clearly a lot of research went into this so that aspect of it is there. We just spend so much time on these women’s personal lives that it feels more like I’m reading about them rather than the bank they want to open.
This book also reads like a college report. In of itself that’s not awful, it’s just so boring. There are attempts at humor and being more entertaining but it just falls flat. I want to know about the bank yes, but I don’t want to feel like I’m reading off a statistics page about various facts.
Disappointed with this read. I went into it wanting to learn more about women’s economics and left barely understanding how the bank performed.
The topic itself is interesting, it never occurred to me before that there had to be a first women’s bank.
The execution is where I lost interest. There is a lot of focus on the women’s physical appearance. So many mentions of “her sky blue eyes” or “tight, form fitting clothes.” I understand that women are judged based on their physical appearance, but after a certain point you don’t need to remind me that she’s blonde with blue eyes and a nice figure.
It also felt like there was a lot of written fluff impeding actually getting to the bank opening. Clearly a lot of research went into this so that aspect of it is there. We just spend so much time on these women’s personal lives that it feels more like I’m reading about them rather than the bank they want to open.
This book also reads like a college report. In of itself that’s not awful, it’s just so boring. There are attempts at humor and being more entertaining but it just falls flat. I want to know about the bank yes, but I don’t want to feel like I’m reading off a statistics page about various facts.
Disappointed with this read. I went into it wanting to learn more about women’s economics and left barely understanding how the bank performed.
January 10, 2025
I love microhistories, and while I was a bit skeptical going into this one that there was enough material here for a book, Williams surprised me with this delightfully entertaining and intriguing piece of narrative nonfiction about the women’s bank in Denver.
I generally don’t love nonfiction history that focuses heavily on biographical information (preferring instead a broader sociocontextual perspective), but it worked well here and a lot of that is down to Williams ability as a writer. Like all good narrative nonfiction this reads like a novel, and its real-life “characters” are both compelling and easy to invest in.
Sometimes reading things like this makes me kind of mad, thinking about how relatively recent it is that women had so little control over their finances (not to mention that the country now feels like it’s going backward in that regard, further adding to my anxiety and unrest), but the tone and trajectory of this (while certainly recognizing the central misogyny at play) mostly makes it feel like a success story, and I loved that.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I generally don’t love nonfiction history that focuses heavily on biographical information (preferring instead a broader sociocontextual perspective), but it worked well here and a lot of that is down to Williams ability as a writer. Like all good narrative nonfiction this reads like a novel, and its real-life “characters” are both compelling and easy to invest in.
Sometimes reading things like this makes me kind of mad, thinking about how relatively recent it is that women had so little control over their finances (not to mention that the country now feels like it’s going backward in that regard, further adding to my anxiety and unrest), but the tone and trajectory of this (while certainly recognizing the central misogyny at play) mostly makes it feel like a success story, and I loved that.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
December 19, 2024
Such a good premise for a book, the concept of it sucked me immediately in. (Also the cover is stunning?!) I was led to believe that it would be hidden figures-esque, with a clear plot and strong female protagonists. But it started to drag after the first couple chapters. There were just SO many different characters who got maybe a couple sentences of background and then disappeared for 10 chapters, only to reappear being referenced in a totally different way. Think for the first couple introductions you are being introduced to Betty freedman, and then you associate her as Betty, only to then have her referenced in passing as Mrs Marshall freedman. I can barely remember her last name let along her husbands name and last name to recognize her?! Good luck. I truly had no idea about the history behind banking and women’s rights, so in that regard it was splendid because it did give a rich history and backstory of women in finance. All in all a quick informational read but not super captivating.
February 27, 2025
I think my review will echo a lot of the others featured here. Let me start by saying I enjoyed the book and learning about several strong women who impacted the way we were/are treated in the financial world. However, the story was itself was ultimately not that long and most of the book talked about the personal lives of the players involved. I understand this is relevant to a degree, but I actually expected the bank to hit a few more stumbling blocks. If you are passionate about women's rights and enjoy a bit of history, I'd still recommend this book. But if you're looking for a captivating historical event, this isn't it.
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April 16, 2025I unfortunately will not be giving this book a rating because I just could not get through it.
The synopsis was interesting to me - a look into the history of banking emphasizing barriers women had to overcoming in financial spaces. The presentation is what missed for me.
The research that went into this was great, but I found the writing to be very dry and it could have gone through additional editing to help with consistency. I don't typically read non-fiction so maybe that is playing a part in my reading experience of this book.
At times it felt like I was reading a high school research paper. Many phrases were repeated more times than necessary and the transition words didn't flow with the writing. It felt almost like the author was trying to hit some sort of word count.
The synopsis was interesting to me - a look into the history of banking emphasizing barriers women had to overcoming in financial spaces. The presentation is what missed for me.
The research that went into this was great, but I found the writing to be very dry and it could have gone through additional editing to help with consistency. I don't typically read non-fiction so maybe that is playing a part in my reading experience of this book.
At times it felt like I was reading a high school research paper. Many phrases were repeated more times than necessary and the transition words didn't flow with the writing. It felt almost like the author was trying to hit some sort of word count.
January 2, 2025
Very interesting book - I learned so many things. However it wasn't very well edited/written in some places. Inconsistent use of calling some women in the book "Mrs. Soandso" and others by their first name. In talking about Eisenhower's win, incorrectly used percentage vs. percentage point difference in describing the winning difference - very basic mathematical mistake and one of my pet peeves. Also incorrectly used several basic business terms - including scope creep. I'm wondering if the author was not someone based in the business world. Some really basic editing could have caught these items I believe! Otherwise a solid book about a topic I had not read about before.
January 21, 2025
This book offers an insightful yet somewhat dry look into the legal landscape and the working experiences of women in the 1970s. While the narrative can feel a bit flat at times, the real value lies in its portrayal of the women at the heart of the story. Their educational achievements alone are impressive, but it’s their courage to step onto uncertain ground—breaking through societal and professional barriers—that makes them truly inspiring.
Overall, a good read, showcasing women’s resilience, strength, and determination, making it a worthwhile book for anyone interested in gender dynamics, financial empowerment, and the history of women in the workplace, and financial spaces.
Overall, a good read, showcasing women’s resilience, strength, and determination, making it a worthwhile book for anyone interested in gender dynamics, financial empowerment, and the history of women in the workplace, and financial spaces.
March 17, 2025
This book covers an incredibly important story, but I had a hard time keeping track of all the people involved. I made it about halfway through before skipping to the end.
That said, the history is wild. The part that stuck with me the most? The so-called “pantyhose tax.” In the 1970s, working women had to constantly replace flimsy, overpriced pantyhose—an unofficial cost of being “professional.” A woman named Sullivan called it out, pointing out the absurdity of a country that could send men to the moon but couldn’t make durable pantyhose for women on Earth.
And then there’s the fact that banks could straight-up ask women about their birth control, family plans—basically anything—before deciding if they’d give them a loan. It’s mind-blowing to think how recent this was. A fascinating, frustrating read.
That said, the history is wild. The part that stuck with me the most? The so-called “pantyhose tax.” In the 1970s, working women had to constantly replace flimsy, overpriced pantyhose—an unofficial cost of being “professional.” A woman named Sullivan called it out, pointing out the absurdity of a country that could send men to the moon but couldn’t make durable pantyhose for women on Earth.
And then there’s the fact that banks could straight-up ask women about their birth control, family plans—basically anything—before deciding if they’d give them a loan. It’s mind-blowing to think how recent this was. A fascinating, frustrating read.
April 27, 2025
Goodness! Having to do so much just to have a little, but still have some who say you’ve got too much! More stories like these need to be told. The 70s?! A woman couldn’t bank without her husband… or really a man to proverbially hold her hand like a child. Don’t even get me started on the racial divide in banking. Please remember that many people who still think like this run the US or are in a leadership role somewhere. It’s absolutely sickening! Kudos to the women who saw the problem needed an answer.
January 10, 2025
required reading
My grandmother was a massive advocate of banking and savings accounts. I can remember going with her and her passbook to deposit and withdraw money. Little did I know as a young girl the fight and the pride she must have felt to be able to have her own account. It is necessary to know the stories and fights of the women who have come before us. Thank you Ms. Williams for an excellent book.
My grandmother was a massive advocate of banking and savings accounts. I can remember going with her and her passbook to deposit and withdraw money. Little did I know as a young girl the fight and the pride she must have felt to be able to have her own account. It is necessary to know the stories and fights of the women who have come before us. Thank you Ms. Williams for an excellent book.
May 1, 2025
okay this took me forever to read bc i am just not a nonfiction girly. it was a little hard to follow along at some points, like it seemed to bounce around between people’s backstories a lot, but that could just be me not knowing how to read. overall i really enjoyed this book & made a ton of notes & highlights bc it was relatable, ridiculous, & touching. also i love women & love when they succeed
January 22, 2025
It's interesting to read about how only 50 years ago a woman couldn't open a bank account by herself, and that not many women worked in banking. A lot has changed in 50 years, thanks to some persistent women who worked hard to make things more accessible for everyone. This story shows how that was accomplished in Denver, CO, specifically.
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