Motor Girls: How Women Took the Wheel and Drove Boldly Into the Twentieth Century

by Sue Macy

Hardcover, 2017

Status

Available

Call number

629.28

Collection

Publication

National Geographic Kids (2017), Edition: Illustrated, 96 pages

Description

Presents the first generation of female motorists who drove cars for fun, profit, and to make a statement about the evolving role of women.

User reviews

LibraryThing member VeraGodley
To celebrate Women's History Month we are looking at how women drove boldly into the Twentieth Century. Various contributions of women to the events in history and in today's world is highlighted in a variety of manners. Chat With Vera celebrates and acknowledges the women who bravely jumped into
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the seats of early automobiles and challenged the roads that lead to their abilities to participate more in the events that changed the world. International Women's Day is on March 8.

Sixty plus pages of photographs and drawings placing various women in automobiles during the turn of the century coupled with text that states the facts of events as they unfolded showing women rolling boldly forward will enable the reader to share the history and excitement of these participants who paved the way so today's women, young and old, would have the opportunity to drive a vehicle themselves and in various capacities.

Theirs was not an easy road. They were faced with strong opposition because they were women and seemingly unsuited for such activities. They drove perilous roads in unstable cars fitted with narrow wheels and weak tires.

History buffs will really enjoy viewing the plethora of antique photographs that vividly tell the story of these strong, adventurous women. I personally found the fragile and open cars daunting and further admire these women who ventured forth in them.

This book is surely a tribute to the daring women — Motor Girls, as they were called (and featured in a poem) at the end of the 1800s and early 1900s. Women who dared to change and who dared to learn new skills considered unsuited for them.

These ladies were ambulance drivers in World War I. Quite the controversary to have a woman that near battle and also to drive. But how brave they were and what a tremendously important task they undertook.

These women, "Motor Girls," chose to drive cars for a variety of reasons. It was fun. It liberated them from the constraints of culture of that time. They could earn money driving a vehicle. It gave them the opportunity to get "out 'n about" on their own.

A good book to have in any library. Be sure to see if your local library has a copy. If they don't, request it.

A girl with a book in a hammock,
As she gracefully swung to and fro,
Was the dream of the men in the summer,
A very few seasons ago.
The hammock gave way to lawn tennis,
And then came the "bike" for a whirl;
Like shadows in light they all fade out of sight,
giving place to the Motor Girl.
--"The Motor Girl," Lyrics by Charles J. Campbell ©1909

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are my own and I was not compensated.
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LibraryThing member Staciele
In the late 1800's, what began as horseless carriages or motor cars that held a driver and maybe one passenger with them exposed to the elements has led to over 130 years later having various types of vehicles on the road. Many of those early motor car inventors and salesmen would be shocked today
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to see the millions of women behind the wheel cars, trucks, and even semis. Motor cars began as steam or gas powered engines, but quickly also added electric cars. But, as people wanted to make longer trips, electric cars became more and more impractical. As things sometimes do, the electric cars have made a comeback and are a viable option for car owners today.

In MOTOR GIRLS, your child will be fascinated by the styles of cars, lack of laws for drivers, the bias in advertising against women, and how there were even manners of etiquette related to drivers and passengers of cars. I found so much of the information in this book to be new to me and became quite interested in it. I think about it often when I am driving now, how far women and the car industry have come in these last 100 plus years. During the same time women were trying to get the right to vote, they were also told they were incapable, too weak, or it wasn't ladylike for a woman to drive a car. Thank goodness for the women who got behind the wheel anyway and drove across the country, came up with the original idea of what we know as windshield wipers today, or proved they could race cars just as good as men.

This book includes profiles of women integral to the history of automobiles, numerous photos of cars from many generations, and fascinating articles teaching the progression of cars and driving through the years. The author makes this history lesson full of twists and turns and fun antidotes to keep kids and adults learning something new on every page.

Danica Patrick, a race car driver, offers the foreword, and her contribution to women and cars is also quite interesting. What a powerful message for young girls to show they can have an impact on the world whether it is behind the scenes or in the trenches. Finish up Women's History Month by reading this book with your daughter!
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LibraryThing member DonnaMarieMerritt
Fun book with interesting facts and photos. Nice for any car enthusiast on your gift list, especially young women.

Language

Original language

English

Physical description

96 p.; 10.3 inches

ISBN

1426326971 / 9781426326974
Page: 0.9612 seconds