The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women: From Earliest Times to 2004

This single-volume dictionary presents the lives of individual Scottish women from earliest times to the present. Drawing on new scholarship and a wide network of professional and amateur historians, it throws light on the experience of women from every class and category in Scotland and among the worldwide Scottish diaspora. The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women is written for the general reading public and for students of Scottish history and society. It is scholarly in its approach to evidence and engaging in the manner of its presentation. Each entry makes sense of its subject in narrative terms, telling a story rather than simply offering information. The book is as enjoyable to read as it is easy and valuable to consult. It is a unique and important contribution to the history of women and Scotland. The publisher acknowledges support from the Scottish Arts Council and the Scottish Executive Equalities Unit towards the publication of this title.

Reviews of The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women: From Earliest Times to 2004

The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women is a tour de force of scholarship, commitment, canny decision-making, and unstinting effort on the part of the editors and their 280 contributors. It replaces well-worn generalities and nagging gaps with sprightly details and moving stories. What the editors call "the remembered Scottish past" has just become exponentially richer. — Christine Bold Times Literary Supplement A splendid book, with fascinating lives on every page — Ian Jack The Guardian A landmark in the development of Scottish historical studies. — Christopher A Whatley History Scotland In spite of the recent explosion of Scottish historiography, few would deny that there is still a huge amount to be done. With The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women there is a great leap forward. It pushes out the frontiers not because it is a book about women, but because it tells us so much about Scotland's people. By shining a light on the lives of 830 women, it illuminates social relationships! It is an extraordinarily moving book, not only because it gives us so wide-ranging a picture of female activity and achievement, but because these dictionary entries convey, remarkably, a real sense of flesh and blood, and of Scottish society, especially over the last 400 years! Each entry has been given sufficient space to tell a real story, and the 280 contributors have responded to that opportunity. The result is a collection of narratives that meld into something much more than a reference book. It is a magnificent memorial to the late Sue Innes, one of the book's editors and instigators. — Jenni Calder The Scotsman Must surely represent one of the most important landmarks in Scottish publishing history! The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women is a unique contribution to the study of Scottish women's biography and an outstanding reference work which yields discoveries on every page… no home in Scotland should be without a copy. Textualities The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women is not just about Scottish women but about the wider, and under-told, story of Scotland itself. — Iain Hutchison I found myself inflicted by the minor trauma one suffers in reading a good reference tome — head full of page numbers to flick to next, fingers in an implausible tort, keeping pages marked, making notes on a newspaper of entries to check out later. — Roddy Lumsden BooksfromScotland.com Every facet of Scottish women's lives over the centuries is represented in what is both a fascinating record and valuable resource for furth research. — Jane Potter Women's History Magazine The editors and the numerous contributing authors do an admirable job of reclaiming the sometimes 'lost' achievements or fame of Scottish women, as well as admirably summarising the careers of those who are better-known, through the more than 1,000 brief biographies featured in this work… Overall, the book presents several centuries of Scottish women as a lively, interesting, accomplished, endearing, and intelligent community, with much to offer both the student of history and the casual reader who delights in biography of any length. Libraries which fancy themselves up to date on Scottish history publications, and scholars of Scottish or gender history who gratefully collect handy and useful reference volumes should waste no time acquiring this one. — Lisa Ford, Yale University Scottish Historical Review The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women is a tour de force of scholarship, commitment, canny decision-making, and unstinting effort on the part of the editors and their 280 contributors. It replaces well-worn generalities and nagging gaps with sprightly details and moving stories. What the editors call "the remembered Scottish past" has just become exponentially richer. A splendid book, with fascinating lives on every page A landmark in the development of Scottish historical studies. In spite of the recent explosion of Scottish historiography, few would deny that there is still a huge amount to be done. With The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women there is a great leap forward. It pushes out the frontiers not because it is a book about women, but because it tells us so much about Scotland's people. By shining a light on the lives of 830 women, it illuminates social relationships! It is an extraordinarily moving book, not only because it gives us so wide-ranging a picture of female activity and achievement, but because these dictionary entries convey, remarkably, a real sense of flesh and blood, and of Scottish society, especially over the last 400 years! Each entry has been given sufficient space to tell a real story, and the 280 contributors have responded to that opportunity. The result is a collection of narratives that meld into something much more than a reference book. It is a magnificent memorial to the late Sue Innes, one of the book's editors and instigators. Must surely represent one of the most important landmarks in Scottish publishing history! The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women is a unique contribution to the study of Scottish women's biography and an outstanding reference work which yields discoveries on every page… no home in Scotland should be without a copy. The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women is not just about Scottish women but about the wider, and under-told, story of Scotland itself. I found myself inflicted by the minor trauma one suffers in reading a good reference tome — head full of page numbers to flick to next, fingers in an implausible tort, keeping pages marked, making notes on a newspaper of entries to check out later. Every facet of Scottish women's lives over the centuries is represented in what is both a fascinating record and valuable resource for furth research. The editors and the numerous contributing authors do an admirable job of reclaiming the sometimes 'lost' achievements or fame of Scottish women, as well as admirably summarising the careers of those who are better-known, through the more than 1,000 brief biographies featured in this work… Overall, the book presents several centuries of Scottish women as a lively, interesting, accomplished, endearing, and intelligent community, with much to offer both the student of history and the casual reader who delights in biography of any length. Libraries which fancy themselves up to date on Scottish history publications, and scholars of Scottish or gender history who gratefully collect handy and useful reference volumes should waste no time acquiring this one.