Chemistry Was Their Life: Pioneering British Women Chemists, 1880-1949 (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781860949869)

British chemistry has traditionally been depicted as a solely male endeavour. However, this perspective is untrue: the allure of chemistry has attracted women since the earliest times. Despite the barriers placed in their path, women studied academic chemistry from the 1880s onwards and made interesting or significant contributions to their fields, yet they are virtually absent from historical records.Comprising a unique set of biographies of 141 of the 896 known women chemists from 1880 to 1949, this work attempts to address the imbalance by showcasing the determination of these women to survive and flourish in an environment dominated by men. Individual biographical accounts interspersed with contemporary quotes describe how women overcame the barriers of secondary and tertiary education, and of admission to professional societies. Although these women are lost to historical records, they are brought together here for the first time to show that a vibrant culture of female chemists did indeed exist in Britain during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Author: Marelene Rayner-Canham,Geoff Rayner-Canham
ISBN-10: 186094986X
ISBN-13: 9781860949869
Publisher: Imperial College Press
Language: English
Published: 01/01/2009
Pages: 560
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 2.05lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.20w x 1.40d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 06/01/2009
Scitech Book News 03/01/2010 pg. 38