Uppity Women Speak Their Minds

Uppity Women

by Vicki León

Quotes from little-known vixens and forgotten boat rockers to famous trailblazers, troublemakers, and headline grabbers.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Historical, Biography, Womens, Feminism

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

A prolific author of non-fiction, author of numerous books for young and old, Vicki León delights in unearthing unusual facts, fresh anecdotes, and uncommon statistics to create her books on the natural world and the flip side of history. Her book have won rave reviews from a long list of media that includes People magazine. Publishers Weekly, the Los Angeles Times, Voice of America, and numerous NPR stations.

Her bestselling titles for 10 and up include A Raft of Sea Otters, The Secrets of Tidepools, and three titles in the Outrageous Women series.

Her popular titles for older readers include Uppity Women of Ancient Times, Uppity Women of the Renaissance, and the other Uppity titles and the travel title Scenic Highway One.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice idea, but the execution could have been better. Its strongest feature is the diversity in the women depicted: old and young; single and married; rich and poor; spanning many centuries; women of different ethnicities and nationalities—this work shows a very broad spectrum, and it does not shrink from mammoth task of representing women throughout human history. I also like that it doesn’t take a moral stand. Here are women who ignored the conventions of their times, but not all of them are heroes. It’s up to the reader to learn about their accomplishments and see their place in history—regardless of the type of role model each woman was (or wasn’t). For example, one of the women mentioned here was a slave-owner who helped John Wilkes Booth. Another woman mentioned was Harriet Tubman. Two radically different women who were motivated by completely different forces—one a villain and one a hero—and I never expected to find them side-by-side in a history book. This book doesn’t “side” with either of them; it simply lists some of their accomplishments. Some of these women made the world a better place. Others didn’t.

Perhaps the biggest flaw is the limited space. Each woman gets only one page, which is only a handful of sentences, so there is very little historical context for any of them. For this reason, some of the quotes from these women are robbed of their power. Worse, some of the most interesting and groundbreaking things that they did are not even mentioned. For example, Eleanor of Aquitaine was “uppity” and ahead of her time in many respects, but you wouldn’t necessarily know that from reading this book. She was a duchess in her own right, and she controlled many lands in her own name, but that isn’t mentioned here. Because of this, she was a very eligible lady, but that also isn’t mentioned. When she split with her first husband, the king of France, she was able to retain the rights to her land—also not mentioned. What is mentioned is how powerful her husbands were. She went to war herself, leading some 300 women in the Second Crusade. That is utterly amazing to me, but it isn’t mentioned here. Instead, this book talks about her son, King Richard the Lionheart. Yes, her son was interesting, but so was she. I wanted to read more about her. Instead, I learned about three of her male relatives. Reading this book was like looking at a photograph that focuses on the wrong object. It was interesting, of course, but it could have been so much better.

[Laurie Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vicki Leon’s UPPITY WOMEN SPEAK THEIR MINDS is a treasure trove of quotes and the stories behind them. Featuring women from every social stratum—street urchin to nobility—and a wide variety of cultures, it includes those who dressed as men and went to war, a lighthouse keeper, spies, harlots, rebel-spirited nuns, authors, and even a few politicians.

One of my favorites quotes is, “A learned woman is thought to be a comet, that bodes mischief whenever it appears.” —Bathsua Makin (1612-1683)

[Vincent Darlage · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun little book filled with the clever sayings of clever women. Many of my favorite female authors and historical figures are well-represented in this volume. It has a broad range of diverse women: married; single; rich; poor; young; old; different nationalities & ethnicities. In some cases the brief bio accompanying the quote left much to be desired - but it occasioned me to look many up and increase the knowledge I carry around in my head about some wonderful people.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uppity Women Speak Their Minds is a compilation of succinct summarizations and quotes from various 'uppity' women throughout history. From civil rights activists to slaves to political/military players, this book has a great selection of awesome women and things that they said (the author even provides context for the quote so readers have a better idea of where the speaker was coming from), some of which were amusing, some of which were heartbreaking, some of which are still relevant today, and all of which are interesting.

[Megan Stolz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of short pieces focused on an uppity woman from history with a quote and why they're uppity. Easy to read and a great intro to a lot of women who are often forgotten by history. My main criticism is I would have liked a more even spread across the world -- it's pretty Western centric (with a few exceptions).

[Blanca Parra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quotes and stories from women, over the centuries. I found this book par hazard, at a Barnes&Noble store. A treasure.

[Tayler Morrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love learning and reading about women in history. They are so fun, especially when it comes to the subject of “uppity women”. I love the famous quote, “Well-behaved women rarely make history,” and this book falls into that category. This book has short one page vignettes about women and a quote they are famous for. I often found myself smiling or doing imaginary fist pumps after reading about each woman. There were even some coarse women that I literally would laugh out loud after reading. I loved this easy, fast read, but wish that it was organized in a different way–maybe either alphabetically or chronologically.

[Shannen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat less satisfying than I anticipated. Some of the quotes weren't very good and just seemed like they were grasping for something the lady had said (however trivial). At least one was something someone else had said about her, and not a quote from the woman herself.

[Maria-Andrea Nivon Galvez · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a quaint little book. A bountiful handful of the quotes seemed extremely less appealing in comparison to others but overall the stories behind the women who said these quotes tended to be the most appealing portion of the book. Worth a read if just for the history.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is fine and can be entertaining, but there are so many women that could have been included in lieu of a few very odd choices.

[Keeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4. 5

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a great read! It's a collection of famous quotes from remarkable women - from rebels to reformers. There's tons of eye-opening quotes to absorb.

[LaGina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dont know where or how I cane across this book but it was a good start for 2023! Love some of the witty sayings these sassy women had to give.

[Annie Carrott Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many unknown (and some known) names through the ages of women who defied the limited expectations of their time. This little book packs a punch!

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting, but should be more uppity! Case in point: "It wasn't long before I repented of having distinguished myself. Even boys become unpopular if it's discovered they are fond of their books. For a girl, it's worse," wrote Lady Murasaki (ca. 978-1025) in her diary. But she wrote the 1,100 page masterpiece, 'The Tale of Genji', which is the world's first novel! Much better: "I am like a deeply built ship-I drive best under a strong wind," proclaims Jessie Benton Fremont (1824-1902), the American daughter of a Senator and a poet.

[R. Cane]

still read alllll the time. love to open up to random pages for inspiration or cheer, or reminder of the amazing strength and ingenuity of women, all times! desert island book ;)

[Meghan Bohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

What it says on the tin; very Anglo-centric.

[butterflygloss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book of historical feminists! There were a few controversial people in there, but nonetheless the book as a whole was amazing

[Brigitte · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun collection. Not all of the passages really fit the different themes, but an interesting read nonetheless.

[Briana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read on a verity of women throughout history. There were some passages that needed a bit more to fully get why she was influential.

[Toni Kief]

I love Vicki Leon's books. There is so much history that has been lost, and she provides tasty bits that drive me to read more. This is a short and sassy brief paragraph and then a bold statement made by the forgotten and slightly known women of history. I consider this book to be an appetizer that makes me hungry for more. I feel I could do/say something that can influence the world too.