The 100 Most Influential Women of All Time : A Ranking Past and Present

Social reformers, women's rights activists, scientists, labor leaders, politicians, artists, performers, sports figures, and other outstanding women, famous and obscure, are ranked and their lives and achievements on behalf of women and society described.

The author of several children's books, Felder has compiled a ranking of 100 eminent women plus 49 others who received honorable mention. Unfortunately, the methodology for choosing and ranking the names is not well described. Professors in women's studies departments at American colleges and universities were asked to choose the ten most influential women from a list of 150 names. The number of surveys distributed and the number actually returned are not mentioned; the rankings turn out to be based on the author's opinions ("my choices," she mentions in the introduction). There is no clear way to explain why, for instance, Elizabeth I ranks number 16 after Simone de Beauvoir but ahead of Rosa Parks. Other dictionaries of women's biography are more comprehensive and more clear-cut in their methodology. Index to Women of the World from Ancient to Modern Times: A Supplement (LJ 3/15/89) and Notable American Women (LJ 3/15/72) are only two of many. A marginal purchase at best.?Patricia A. Beaber, Trenton State Coll. Lib., N.J.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The latest in the series that includes The Black 100 and The Jewish 100 , this is an irresistible book by nature of its accessible format and gutsy ranking of important people. There's a gamelike element to reading this: who's number 1? 100? Can't stand the suspense? The first influential woman in this diverse and illustrious group is Eleanor Roosevelt. Felder is unequivocal in this choice, stating flatly that in spite of the controversies generated by this project, Roosevelt was her "number one from the beginning." Felder's succinct profile of each notable woman is quite passionate and surprisingly full of information. Oh yes, number 100: Lucille Ball. Felder fills the tremendous range her first and last choices imply with such women as Margaret Sanger (3), Rosa Parks (17), George Eliot (27), Rachel Carson (30), and Katharine Hepburn (96). Science, the arts, politics, the law--you name it and Felder has an obvious or intriguing candidate. Just in case you have the "what about . . ." urge, there's also an impressive Honorable Mention list. Donna Seaman