[Dangerous] Women who Dared

Posted on by Dr Karen E McAulay

Earlier this year, IASH blogged about an exciting book that Ben Fletcher-Watson and Jo Shaw would soon be releasing.  And yesterday, I attended its launch – the third book of the Dangerous Women project:- 

The Art of Being Dangerous: Exploring Women and Danger through Creative Expression (Leuven University Press, 2021) edited by Jo Shaw and Ben Fletcher-Watson

Dangerous Women: fifty reflections on women, power and identity (Unbound, 2022) edited by Jo Shaw, Ben Fletcher-Watson and Abrisham Ahmadzadeh

Women Who Dared: From the Infamous to the Forgotten (Edinburgh University Press, 2025) edited by Ben Fletcher-Watson and Jo Shaw

It was a lovely book launch, and we had excellent speakers, who had all contributed to the book: Jo Shaw, Sara Sheridan, Ruth Boreham and Jo Spiller. 

Women who Dared is an anthology of short biographies – all of them historical ‘women who dared’.  I chatted with the speakers afterwards, and enjoyed hearing more about their work. There are so very many women of note, whom history has entirely forgotten about, so books like this are both very welcome, and very necessary.

Edinburgh University Press link

Book launch spoils!

Hooray for Legal Deposit

Posted on by Dr Karen E McAulay

Well, after all my Stationers’ Hall research a few years ago, you won’t be surprised to see me say that!

The Edinburgh Companion to Women in Publishing, 1900-2020 (Edinburgh University Press, 2024)

But I had reason to be grateful again today, when I needed to consult an expensive new book of essays from Edinburgh University Press. Only a few universities have it in electronic format (not accessible to external readers, for licensing reasons), but there was ONE printed copy in Scotland – presumably the legal deposit copy.  A trip to the National Library of Scotland was called for.  (I am so used to going upstairs to the rare books reading room, with all the book cushions and stands, weighted ‘book snakes’ and fragile volumes, that it was quite a novel experience to be heading to the general reading room to see a shiny new book in all its glory!)

From a drizzly start in Glasgow, it turned into a glorious warm and sunny autumn day, showing Edinburgh at its best.  (Which is more than can be said for Glasgow, sulking in the rain upon my return!)

And the book was fascinating, despite seemingly not referencing anything related to music.  It was wide-ranging in subject-matter and chronological coverage. (120 years is a long time in book-publishing.)  I read a couple of chapters, making a mental note that I might have reason to come back to it again next year.

Sometimes, you need to look at a book, just to make sure you haven’t missed anything! I can finish my article now, reassured that I haven’t overlooked any unexpected new commentary.  It was a long shot!