Tag: history

Perseverance, with brains and brilliance: women in science

Tess

Did you know? Women are typically given smaller research grants than their male colleagues and, while they represent 33.3% of all researchers, only 12% of members of national science academies are women. (United Nations Report)

Despite tremendous progress, a significant gender gap persists within all levels of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines around the world. While female representation has progressed substantially over time, female researchers still have shorter and lower paying careers, despite a shortage of skills in many fields. Achieving science and gender equality is a core principle of the UN’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and an internationally agreed upon Sustainable Development Goal for the UN’s 2030 Agenda, to strengthen the ties between society, science and policy strategies for the future.

Today, on International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we recognise the vital contributions our female scientists have made that have changed the course of history, despite tremendous odds, disadvantages and social pressures. We’ve compiled a list of some of the inspiring books that feature the too often untold stories of women making ground-breaking discoveries in their fields. Read their inspiring stories and help support the next generation of women and girls in science.

Headstrong : 52 women who changed science–and the world / Swaby, Rachel
“52 insightful and inspiring profiles of history’s brightest female scientists and mathematicians. Highlighting not only that women in science are often treated with less respect than their male counterparts, but also that the STEM fields are still underrepresented spaces. Headstrong gives these lives the attention and respect they deserve–with the aim to encourage and inspire a new generation of women and girls to put on their lab coats.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

Why science is sexist / Gaston, Nicola
“Nicola Gaston, President of the New Zealand Association of Scientists scrutinises the sexism afflicting the discipline of science, from the under-representation of women to the ‘scientific’ argument that mental capabilities are gendered. Ultimately, she asks what can be done to combat unconscious bias in science – and to ensure that the future of scientific inquiry is both balanced and objective.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

 

A lab of one’s own : science and suffrage in the First World War / Fara, Patricia
“A Lab of One’s Own tells the fascinating and extraordinary stories of the lives of female scientists, doctors, and engineers who undertook endeavours normally reserved for men during WWI. It tells fascinating and extraordinary stories featuring initiative, determination, and isolation, set against a backdrop of war, prejudice, and disease. Patricia Fara investigates the enterprising careers of these pioneering women and their impact on science, medicine, women’s role during and after the first World War.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Wonder Women : 25 innovators, inventors, and trailblazers who changed history / Maggs, Sam
“A fun and feminist exploration of the forgotten women in Science, Technology and beyond. Smart women have always been able to achieve amazing things, even when the odds were stacked against them. Wonder Women tells the stories of the totally rad women in history who broke barriers as scientists, engineers, mathematicians, adventurers, and inventors. Includes interviews with women in STEM careers and a guide to women-centric science and technology organizations.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The comet sweeper : Caroline Herschel’s astronomical ambition / Brock, Claire
“The story of Britain’s first female professional scientist, Caroline Herschel. Having escaped domestic servitude in earlier life, Caroline Herschel learned astronomy while helping her brother William, then Astronomer Royal. Soon making scientific discoveries in her own right, she swept to international scientific fame and became the first woman in Britain to make her living from science. Brock tells the story of a woman determined to win independence and satisfy her astronomical ambition.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Nobel Prize women in science : their lives, struggles, and momentous discoveries / McGrayne, Sharon Bertsch
“Since 1901 there have been over 300 recipients of the Nobel Prize in the sciences, yet only 10 of them – about 3%- have been women. In Nobel Prize Women in Science, McGrayne explores the reasons for this astonishing disparity by examining the lives and achievements of 15 women scientists who either won a Nobel Prize or played a crucial role in a Nobel Prize-winning project. Revealing the relentless discrimination these women faced both as students and as researchers, celebrating how they were passionately in love with science.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The only woman in the room : why science is still a boys’ club / Pollack, Eileen
“Eileen Pollack grew up in the ’60s and ’70s dreaming of a career as a theoretical astrophysicist. Denied the chance to take advanced courses in science and math, she nonetheless made her way to Yale, where she went on to graduate with honors, as one of the first 2 women to earn a degree in physics. And yet, isolated, lacking in confidence, starved for encouragement, she abandoned her ambition to become a physicist. Years later, Pollack revisited her reasons for walking away from the career she once had coveted.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Mistress of science : the story of the remarkable Janet Taylor, pioneer of sea navigation / Croucher, John S
“It is hard to imagine a more male-dominated field in the 19th century than sea navigation. This was the high-point of the British Empire and sea navigation drove it. Yet in the midst of this domain, Janet Taylor emerged as a young woman able to match the best male minds in the field. She was one of the most remarkable scientists of the period, a gifted mathematician, astronomer, author and instrument maker, a teacher of navigation and a businesswoman.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Rise of the rocket girls : the women who propelled us, from missiles to the moon to Mars / Holt, Nathalia
“During World War II, when the brand-new minted Jet Propulsion Laboratory needed quick-thinking mathematicians to calculate jet velocities and plot missile trajectories, they recruited an elite group of young women who transformed rocket design. Based on extensive research and interviews with the living members of the team, Rise of the Rocket Girls offers a unique perspective on the role of women in science, illuminating both where we’ve been and the far reaches of where we’re heading.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Forgotten women. The scientists / Tsjeng, Zing
“Forgotten Women is uncovers the lost herstories of influential women who have refused, over hundreds of years, to accept the hand they’ve been dealt and, as a result, have formed, shaped and changed the course of our futures. From leaders and scientists to artists and writers, the fascinating stories of these women that time forgot are now celebrated, Forgotten Women is putting their achievements firmly back on the map.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Lost stories: Recent history related books

Alayne

We have an impressive amount of new history related books being added to the catalogue this month! The below list includes a history of The Black Death, the true story of Tutankhamun, the almost completely lost language of the /Xam people and the often erased lives of women in the middle ages.

Femina : a new history of the middle ages through the women written out of it / Ramirez, Janina
“The middle ages are seen as a bloodthirsty time of Vikings, saints and kings: a patriarchal society which oppressed and excluded women. But when we dig a little deeper into the truth, we can see that the ‘dark’ ages were anything but. Oxford and BBC historian Janina Ramirez has uncovered countless influential women’s names struck out of historical records, with the word FEMINA annotated beside them. As gatekeepers of the past ordered books to be burnt, artworks to be destroyed, and new versions of myths, legends and historical documents to be produced, our view of history has been manipulated. “– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Dreaming the Karoo : a people called the /Xam / Blackburn, Julia
“In spring 2020, Julia Blackburn travelled to the Karoo region of South Africa to see for herself the ancestral lands that had once belonged to an indigenous group called the /Xam. Throughout the nineteenth century the /Xam were persecuted and denied the right to live in their own territories. In the 1870s, facing cultural extinction, several /Xam individuals agreed to teach their intricate language to a German philologist and his indomitable English sister-in-law. The result was the Bleek-Lloyd Archive: 60,000 notebook pages in which their dreams, memories and beliefs, alongside the traumas of their more recent history, were meticulously recorded word for word. It is an extraordinary document which gives voice to a way of living in the world which we have all but lost. ‘All things were once people’, the /Xam said”– Publisher’s description.” (Catalogue)

India : a history in objects / Blurton, T. Richard
“An authoritative visual history of one of the world’s oldest and most vibrant cultures, drawing on South Asian art and artefacts from prehistory to the present. Arranged chronologically, and abundantly illustrated with expertly selected objects, this superb new overview connects today’s India with its past. Early chapters uncover prehistoric objects from 1.5 million years ago, examine artefacts from the Indus Civilization, and follow the emergence and transmission of Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism and Sikhism, as well as the incoming religions of Zoroastrianism, Islam and Christianity.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The passengers / Ashon, Will
“Between October 2018 and March 2021, Will Ashon collected voices – people talking about their lives, needs, dreams, loves, hopes and fears – all of them with some connection to the British Isles. He used a range of methods including letters sent to random addresses, hitchhiking, referrals from strangers and so on. He conducted the interviews in person, on the phone, over the internet or asked people to record themselves.”–Publisher’s description.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Tutankhamun : pharaoh, icon, enigma : lost for three thousand years, misunderstood for a century / Tyldesley, Joyce A
“A hundred years ago, a team of archaeologists in the Valley of the Kings made a remarkable discovery: a near-complete royal burial, an ancient mummy, and golden riches beyond imagination. The lost tomb of Tutankhamun ignited a media frenzy, propelled into overdrive by rumours of a deadly ancient curse. But amid the hysteria, many stories — including that of Tutankhamun himself — were distorted or forgotten.”–Publisher’s description.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

You don’t know what war is : the diary of a young girl from Ukraine / Skalietska, Yeva
“An important, harrowing and ultimately hopeful memoir about the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war as told through the diary entries of a young Ukrainian girl.” (Catalogue)

 

 

The world the plague made : the Black Death and the rise of Europe / Belich, James
“In 1346, a catastrophic plague beset Europe and its neighbours. The Black Death was a human tragedy that abruptly halved entire populations and caused untold suffering, but it also brought about a cultural and economic renewal on a scale never before witnessed. The World the Plague Made is a panoramic history of how the bubonic plague revolutionized labour, trade, and technology and set the stage for Europe’s global expansion.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Come to this court and cry : how the Holocaust ends / Kinstler, Linda
“A few years ago Linda Kinstler discovered that a man fifty years dead – a former Nazi who belonged to the same killing unit as her grandfather – was the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation in Latvia. The proceedings threatened to pardon his crimes. They put on the line hard-won facts about the Holocaust at the precise moment that the last living survivors – the last legal witnesses – were dying. Across the world, Second World War-era cases are winding their way through the courts. Survivors have been telling their stories for the better part of a century, and still judges ask for proof. Where do these stories end? “–Publisher’s description.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The life of Kathleen Hall

Xinxin

Kathleen Hall (1896-1970) was born in Napier and moved to Auckland where she trained as a nurse after completing secondary school. In 1922 she was accepted by the Anglican Society for the Propagation of the Gospel to undertake missionary work in China. She arrived there in 1923 and spent the next two years in Peking studying China’s language, culture and history. She was given a teaching position in Peking Union Medical College (Xiehe), a highly advanced institution with modern facilities which was funded by the American Rockefeller Foundation and operated by British & American Protestant missions.

Hall began working in missionary hospitals in Hejian in Hebei, Datong and Anguo in Shanxi where she became the ‘sister-in-charge’ of its base hospital. By 1933 she recognised the need for medical services in rural areas and applied to the bishop for permission to establish a ‘cottage hospital’ in Songjiazhuang in western Hebei.  She returned briefly to New Zealand to study midwifery but by 1934 was back in Songjiazhuang. She developed a reputation for providing medical care to rural peasants regardless of their ability to pay and worked long hours to assist them. She became known as “Dr Hall” among locals who remarked how “she was a good person who did numerous good things here”. In addition to her provision of medical care, she trained over 60 local nurses, taught literacy, donated food to the poor and provided funds to help build a new hospital.

“In this world of deep division, Kathleen Hall is a shining example of devotion, loyalty, and tenacity.”

– Miao Fan, NZ China Friendship Society

 

Kathleen Hall, 1896-1970. Hall, Mary :Photographs of Kathleen Hall. Ref: 1/2-181983-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23114625

 

Continue reading “The life of Kathleen Hall” →

Top 100 Non-Fiction books from 2022

Tess

Highlights of 2022

Our list of the top 100 non-fiction books for 2022 includes the best in memoirs and biographies, poetry, local history, science and technology, health, cooking, music, art and architecture. We’ve selected an eclectic mix of acclaimed local authors, New York Times Bestsellers, Pulitzer prize winners and breakthrough newcomers, meaning there’s plenty of choice for the deep-dive readers and coffee book lovers alike (and everyone in-between).

2022 Non-fiction Highlights — Browse the full list
Browse the full list with all our picks, or browse just the topic you enjoy!

I'm glad my mom died / Jeanette McCurdyMy fourth time, we drowned / Sally HaydenAs ever, the compelling human stories encompassing grief, love, personal trauma and strengths of character shine through, with a hearty selection of memoirs and biographies to choose from, including Sally Hayden’s critically acclaimed My fourth time, we drowned. Topping our most heavily reserved new non-fiction title of 2022 was Jennette McCurdy’s hit memoir I’m glad my mom died. A little further off the beaten path, was Hua Hsu’s ‘quietly wrenching’ coming-of-age memoir Stay True, and the visual delight of Kate Beaton’s graphic memoir Ducks: two years in the oil sands.

Contributions to the local poetry scene were beautifully espoused in Khadro Mohamed’s We’re all made of lightning and in the visual expressions of the poet/painter collaboration within Bordering on Miraculous. Shining locally likewise, the great architectural designs in Making Space and HomeGround, which highlight design as a conduits to push social boundaries in Aotearoa New Zealand communities.

Regenesis / by George MonbiotCalls for climate awareness were made riveting in The Alarmist, Nomad Century and Regenesis. Our oceans were also a focal point for many this year, and explored in great depth, with Jellyfish age backwards, Secrets of the Sea and in Adrift: the curious tale of Lego lost at sea, among others.

The collapse of historic empires, stories of divided nations and political parties in turmoil were explored in a multitude of ways in the vast array of global history titles featured on our list. Included are Legacy of Violence: A history of the British Empire by Pulitzer prize winning Historian Caroline Elkins, and Fragments of a contested past: Remembrance, denial and New Zealand history by Joanna Kidman.

Wawata: Moon Dreaming / by Hinemoa ElderWe let the world’s first astronomers take us on a star gazing tour, and found daily wisdom in Hinemoa Elder’s Wawata: Moon Dreaming. Cap off 2022 by allowing yourself to become enveloped in worlds both near and far, and understand our past, present and future within the Top 100 non-fiction books of 2022 list. Pair with our Top 100 fiction books list, and you’re all set for your Summer Reading Adventure.

Gung Ho: The life of Rewi Alley

Xinxin

Rewi Alley (1897-1987) was born in the Canterbury town of Springfield and grew up in Amberly and Christchurch. He moved to China in 1926 and, over the following decade, worked in a number of different professions including: a firefighter, a factory inspector and a relief worker. He witnessed severe poverty and inequalities of wealth in his adopted country. In 1937, he founded the Association of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives known as Gung Ho (“Work together”) with the American journalist Edgar Snow and several other associates. Gung Ho organised small-scale, self-supporting, cooperatives which created employment for workers and also provided resistance during the Japanese occupation.

Rewi Alley. Burt, Gordon Onslow Hilbury, 1893-1968 :Negatives. Ref: 1/2-036405-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22548741

China gave me an aim to life, a cause to fight for, each year more richly; a place in the ranks of the advancing millions; how great a thing has this been, what bigger reward could one imagine than that which has come to me, and now sustains!
– Rewi Alley

By 1940, he began establishing schools in various parts of China. One of his associates was the British adventurer George Hogg, who revitalised a school in the small village of Shuangshipu (Feng Xi’an). Alley joined Hogg and, in 1942, helped him move the school to the northern county of Shandan after it was threatened by Japanese troops. Following Hogg’s death from tetanus in 1945, Alley took over as headmaster, with administration gradually transferring to local officials following the Communist victory in 1949. By 1953 Alley had settled in Beijing and became a spokesperson for various international peace agencies, such as the World Peace Council. He immersed himself in writing about China and was well-known for his contribution to Chinese literature, writing and translating over 60 books — including the work of Bai Juyi, often regarded as being the finest poet of the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907). Several of Alley’s books and biographies are held in our collection and can be found through the Wellington City Libraries catalogue.

Rewi Alley teaching, Shandan School, Gansu, China. Alley, Rewi, 1897-1987 :Photographs. Ref: PA1-q-664-14-4. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23021115

 

 

‘China’s cause is my own cause’.

– Rewi Alley

 

 

 

Later in life he revived the Gung Ho organisation with other veterans of the movement and also conceived a plan for a new school in Shandan. He also met and often got to know many of China’s most influential government officials: including Song Qingling, Zhou Enlai, Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. Alley dedicated 60 years of his life in China and founded the NZ China Friendship Association. In 1987, both the New Zealand and Chinese governments honoured Alley for his work in Chin,a where he continues to hold the special status of being one of ‘China’s Top 10 international friends of all time’.

‘Eternal Glory to the Great Internationalist Fighter’.

– Deng Xiaoping, Chairman of China

Rewi Alley 60 years in China. Rewi Alley with his Chinese family. Alley, Rewi, 1897-1987 :Photographs. Ref: PA1-q-655-07-1. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/2318543

Rewi Alley speaking from a podium, China. Alley, Rewi, 1897-1987 :Photographs. Ref: PA1-q-642-07-4. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23029371

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2022 marks the 125th anniversary of Rewi Alley’s birth and his life and work to inspire people in both China and New Zealand.

Text sourced from https://nzhistory.govt.nz/people/rewi-alley

Rewi Alley resources

Marvellous Maps, Amazing Atlases & Charming Cartography

Kath

Who else loves gorgeous maps and atlases?  We know kids love them, but how many of us never lose that love as we grow up?  Poring over huge books of maps, learning about the world, history, people and animals is lots of fun, and there is something particularly beautiful about quality cartography.

If you’re a map lover, or you’d like to explore some atlases to see just what they’re all about, check out these from our collection:

An atlas of extinct countries : the remarkable (and occasionally ridiculous) stories of 48 nations that fell off the map / Defoe, Gideon
“Prisoners of Geography meets Bill Bryson: a funny, fascinating, beautifully illustrated and timely history of countries that, for myriad and often ludicrous reasons, no longer exist.” (Catalogue)

 

 

Brilliant maps : an atlas for curious minds / Wright, Ian
“Which nations have North Korean embassies? What percentage of young people live with their families? Which country lists volleyball as its national sport? How much does it cost to get a pint around the world? And where can you find lions in the wild? Revelatory, thought-provoking and fun, Brilliant Maps is a unique atlas of culture, history, politics and miscellanea, compiled by the editor of the iconic Brilliant Maps website.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Amazing world atlas : bringing the world to life / Ward, Alexa
“Bringing planet earth to life, this colourful and fun addition to Lonely Planet Kids takes you on a trip around the world that you’ll never forget. Filled with continental and regional maps, lively text, an entry for every country on the planet, plus mind-blowing facts, and an emphasis on the species that live on our planet, this is an essential resource for young readers wanting to learn about the world.” (Catalogue)

Philip’s atlas of New Zealand and the world
“Finally we’re included on the maps!  This updated edition of the bestselling Atlas contains: 16 pages of fully revised maps and statistical information; statistical information presented in a clear and accessible graphical format; a page dedicated to the islands of the South-West Pacific; separate New Zealand and Pacific index for easy access, latest world mapping; 200 country flags.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Atlas of everything : maps that help you make sense of the world
“Navigate the world like never before. Featuring over 50 maps of the world – one on every page – this unique atlas includes facts and figures on almost everything you’d want to know. From Nobel Prize winners and popular names, to endangered species and active volcanoes, the combination of maps and infographics makes this the perfect book for children to find out information in a quick and easy way, and remember it. Includes information on the origins of humans, ancient civilisations, the fashion industry, music around the world, film, sport, art and design, politics, the natural world, architecture, animal migration, oceans, natural disasters and space, to name just a few topics in this fact-filled book.” (Catalogue)

Strange maps : an atlas of cartographic curiosities / Jacobs, Frank
“An intriguing collection of more than 100 out-of-the-ordinary maps, blending art, history and pop culture to create a unique atlas of humanity.” (Catalogue)

 

New Zealand historical atlas : ko papatuanuku e takoto nei
“Surveys New Zealand history through a dazzling array of maps and graphics, covering the story of life on these islands from their origins through East Polynesian settlement, the building of pa in the Bay of Islands, the colonial era in the nineteenth century through to the present.” (Catalogue)

 

Atlas of the invisible : maps & graphics that will change how you see the world / Cheshire, James
“An unprecedented portrait of the hidden patterns in human society–visualized through the world of data.  In this triumph of visual storytelling, they uncover truths about our past, reveal who we are today, and highlight what we face in the years ahead.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

An atlas of geographical wonders : from mountaintops to riverbeds : a selection of comparative maps and tableaux / Bailly, Jean-Christophe
“This is the first book to catalog comparative maps and tableaux that visualize the heights and lengths of the world’s mountains and rivers. Produced predominantly in the nineteenth century, these beautifully rendered maps emerged out of the tide of exploration and scientific developments in measuring techniques.” ( Adapted from Catalogue)

These are just a selection of what we have on offer. For more atlases in our collection, click here.