Every page of this book riveted me. Brazen is a stunning graphic collective biography that tells the story of 29 different women who blazed trails for women. Some are famous (Josephine Baker, Hedy Lamarr, Nellie Bly) but most are not. I had not even heard of nearly half of the women in this book. Their stories are fascinating. Their impact on society, undeniable. My favorite story was that of The Shaggs, a girl band from the late 60s who was truly awful. Like, they legit had no talent for writing, singing, or playing instruments. Yet, somehow, they influenced some of our greatest musicians, including Kurt Cobain. Take a listen (over 1.2 million "views" on YouTube).
If someone asked me to name one fascinating thing about each of the women in this book, I could totally do it. And this is weeks after reading it. Their stories stayed with me and will continue to stay with me.
Below are examples of some of the pages. The first is from Afghan Rapper & Activist, Sonita Alizadeh's, story and the second is from the bearded lady, Clementine Delait's, story.
This is a book I want to own and I will be encouraging everyone to read it. Incidentally, the graphic format is my favorite way to read biographies. Give it a try!