About the Author:
Before graduating from Harvard in 1976, Milbry Polk journeyed through Greece, Turkey, Persia, Pakistan, and Japan, surveyed Arthurian sites in Wales, traveled with Bedouin tribesmen in Jordan and Egypt, and kayaked throughout Alaska's Prince William Sound. In 1979 Milbry led a camel expedition retracing the route of Alexander the Great across Egypt. Her photojournalistic work includes stories on sailing the Mediterranean, ancient rock carvings in the Saudi Arabian desert, and rafting above the Arctic Circle. Her previous book was Egyptian Mummies. She is a member of the Explorers Club and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. She lives outside of New York City with her husband and three daughters.
Designer and writer Mary Tiegreen has been exploring the art of books and book making for most of her life. She has had the opportunity to learn about diverse areas of interest, including the history of Hollywood (MGM: When the Lion Roared), cooking and magic (The Secrets of Pistoulet), fashion (A Passion for Shoes), sex (TarotSutra), and golf (Let the Big Dog Eat). Women of Discovery is her first foray into the world of exploration. She lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband, Hubert, and big dog, Daisy.
From School Library Journal:
Adult/High School-"Celebration" is indeed the word for this exuberant assemblage of 84 amazing and outrageous individuals. Polk's vivid narratives capture the essence of each fascinating life and adventure, while Tiegreen's remarkable graphics create a sense of authenticity and immediacy, wrapping each account in a style that suits it perfectly. Readers feel they are witnesses to history thanks to well-chosen, first-person observations and ample visual contents such as contemporary maps, memorabilia, photos, and art. The "women of discovery" include aristocrats and paupers, ancient Vikings and modern scientists still in their prime. Some lives were more terrible than triumphant, but all "made comprehensible a part of the world that we didn't know, understand, or appreciate until they revealed it to us." The stories are loosely grouped into five freewheeling sections, each with a brief but thought-provoking introduction describing "Early Voyagers," "Intrepid Explorers," "Scientific Explorers," "Artist Explorers," and "Explorers on the Edge." Although a few of the names are well known (Maria Mitchell, Dian Fossey, Zora Neale Hurston), most will come as a complete surprise to readers, who will be wondering why they've never heard of these women before. This beautiful book is a browser's dream, but it should be equally attractive to students as a rich source of interesting research subjects. The authors hope that this book will guide anyone "[setting] forth on his or her own voyage of discovery."-Christine C. Menefee, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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