She Shapes History

by Sita Sargeant

Genres: Nonfiction

Paperback

Reviews

[Emmaby Barton Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

i feel like i know very little about australian history so it’s always nice to learn more - especially with a focus on women! a fun book with lots of interesting information - definitely worth taking when you travel around bus!

as with anything like this, i think my biggest takeaway is always shock and grief for how our ancestors (women, queer, poc etc) endured so much - and fought for so many things we are so grateful to take for granted today (one thing that really stood out to me was how many women had to stop work when they got married)

money
- women on all our notes!
- charles not replacing the queen on our five dollar note and instead it being first nations artwork
- edith cowan’s maiden speech on the fifty dollar note

canberra
- aboriginal tent embassy

victoria
- castlemaine being where first two women cast their vote in aus (except their votes didnt count and laws were changed to explicitly prevent women voting :/)
- anne drysdale and caroline newcombe - i learned about them at the NGV last week so was cool to see them in here too! yay gay people <3

south australia
- police not originally in adelaide as was mostly middle class people
- emu field (nuclear bomb testing) and the irati wanti campaign to prevent further a nuclear waste dump on country

western australia
- such an interesting history - especially re. broome and japanese/other asian people coming to the area, particularly for pearling (black birding is obviously fucked btw)
- robin Elizabeth miller of the flying doctors service is v cool)
- pilbara strike - definitely need to learn more about this era of first nations history

northern territory
- i always forgot darwin was bombed in the war - interesting reading more about that history

queensland
- lilian cooper and josephine bedford - more gays! medical/health reform! and they are buried together <3
- the person who created marry poppins was born in QLD
- gold coast meter maids preventing parking fines is kinda slay

tasmania
- ‘colonial tasmania was built, both literally and metaphorically, on the foundations of convict women’s labour and humiliation, and the loss of first nations culture’
- hair of convict women in the walls of buildings to fortify them
- truganini - and the disrespect she (and so many first nations people) experienced during her life and after death (her skeleton being on display despite her fears of that happening - thankfully she has now been cremated and her ashes spread on country as she wished)

[Jane Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The stories are as fun, wild, and varied as you can imagine — full of women who’ve been overlooked by history but had far more impact than we usually realise or give them credit for.

I first heard about She Shapes History after doing the “Badass Women of Sydney” tour, which inspired me to borrow the book from my local library. I’m so glad I did. With walking tours mapped out in every major city, it’s inspired me to try and visit them all and see the places where these incredible stories unfolded.

A brilliant blend of history, activism, and storytelling — highly recommended.

[Saturday's Child · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read that is part travel guide, part non-fiction history that shines a light on some amazing women.

[Alice Bloomfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m sure going on the actual walks with the guides is better. This allows you to go about the wonderful female history of Australia on your own time at your own pace.