Normal Women, Philippa Gregory
Normal Women, Philippa Gregory
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Normal Women

Author: Philippa Gregory

Narrator: Philippa Gregory, Hannah Berchtold

Unabridged: 7 hr 34 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Red Shed

Published: 02/27/2025

Synopsis

The bestselling, critically acclaimed new women’s history book from Philippa Gregory for 2025 – adapted for teen and YA readers! SHORTLISTED FOR THE BRITISH AUDIO AWARDS 2025! Today, when we think of women of the past, we often think of the 1800s and 1900s – crinolines and stage coaches, bonnets and balls – a time when women were told they were naturally inferior to men, and must stay at home while men went out to work and have fun. HUGE MISTAKE! Join multi-award-winning author Philippa Gregory as she tells the story of ordinary English women, making history for 900 years. Meet farmers, highwaywomen, pirates, ‘female husbands’, slaves, soldiers, criminals, writers, inventors, rioters and more – protesting, working, playing, taking risks, getting rich (and getting even!). Adapted by Philippa Gregory from her best-selling, critically acclaimed . This edition for younger readers has simplified, age-tailored content, delivered in bitesize sections. Read by Hannah Berchtold and Philippa Gregory. Shortlisted for Best Audiobook: Young Adult Books at the British Audio Awards (Speakies). PRAISE FOR (teen edition): ‘Impressively researched, by turns inspiring and chilling … brilliantly told’ – Cressida Cowell ‘This book is redemption for unsung female heroes. Prepare to feel aghast, proud and inspired’ – Geri Halliwell ‘Uplifting and empowering’ – Edwina Dunn, The Female Lead PRAISE FOR (main edition): A BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 ‘A lasting work of social history’ ‘A genuinely new history of our nation’ DAN JONES ‘This celebration of women is a triumph of popular history’ SPECTATOR 'Philippa Gregory uses all her bestseller skills to weave a narrative with pace' ANTONIA FRASER ‘You’ll lose count of the number of things you learn about women and their skewed place in history … the book reframes the past … an essential read’ INDEPENDENT, FIVE-STAR REVIEW

About Philippa Gregory

English born author, Philippa Gregory, received her degree in History from the University of Sussex, followed by a PhD in 18th century literature from the University of Edinburgh. Along the journey of her education, she discovered that she had an uncommon interest in the Tudor period. Using her history background, she first wrote The Other Boleyn Girl, which to her credit, was made into a TV drama, and followed by a major film.

Gregory has put much of her effort and personal money into a 20 year old charity that she founded. It is Gardens for The Gambria, that teaches school children to plant market gardens which are irrigated by the almost 200 wells that the author has funded. She is also a patron of The UK Chagos Support Association, a displaced people in the Indian Ocean.

Gregory was selected as the 2008 Edinburgh University Alumna of the Year. She lives with her family on a small farm in Yorkshire.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Laura on October 07, 2023

Olivia Cranmer. Mary Boyle. Barbara Leigh Smith. Flora Sandes. Who are these women? Well - not only are these women new additions to my list of inspirational people, but they are women whose stories have gotten lost in history alongside millions of others. This book is filled with empowering and upli......more

Goodreads review by KAdelaide on January 03, 2024

Normal Women I didn't really enjoy reading this book, and I normally love Phillippa Gregory books.  I am amazed at other reviews of this book that have been so complimentary. 1. The book is very long (580 pages). I believe it could have been culled back quite alot. The Summary at the end of the book i......more

Goodreads review by Stephen on February 24, 2024

Very detailed analysis of women's role since Anglo saxon to modern day and forever changing environment restricting and opening up women's role in society. Very interesting read historically......more

Goodreads review by Grace on June 05, 2024

Sat down to read 1 chapter and accidentally read the entire thing and consumed 1000 yrs of female history. I could not stop reading and I learnt so much everyone pls read......more

Goodreads review by Novelle on October 21, 2023

Four stars Normal women make history is the best overall summary of this great non fiction book. This spans from 1066 to modern times and we see how culture, and social changes affected us. So often we only hear about the how men shaped our world yet this gives us a fresh take on history and finally......more

Quotes

Early praise for : 'We all know the quote 'he who owns the narrative controls the story' So much of our history has been led and told by men. Gregory rewrites 900 years of history and reveals a path women can be proud of, and build from. What could be more uplifting and empowering?’ 'This redemption for the unsung female heroes lost through time. Prepared to feel aghast, proud and inspired when reading this book. Philippa Gregory is more than an author, she is warrior for the ‘normal’, the ordinary, a disruptor who refuses to be silenced, with her pen in hand she has 'slayed' once again.’ ‘Impressively researched, by turns inspiring and chilling, the history of the uphill struggle for women to achieve anything remotely resembling equality over 900 years is brilliantly told for young readers in this book. And older readers. This 58 year old learnt for the first time that a housewife was not entitled to her share of the family money in a divorce until as late as 1996, or that rape within marriage did not become a crime until 1992, and that right here and now in the UK a woman is killed every three days by a man. And what this clear account of the last 900 years of history for 50 percent of the population tells me is that nothing should be taken for granted, and that much more still needs to be fought for.’

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