Two Great Reads For International Women’s History Day And Women’s History Month

International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month: Two Inspiring Books

Every March, Women’s History Month reminds us to celebrate the achievements, resilience, and contributions of women throughout history. It also encourages us to look more closely at the stories that were never fully told.

I have read in several sources that many of the actions of women in history have not been recorded in much detail. From this blog post by award-winning historian, author and broadcaster Dr. Bettany Hughes, “Why were women written out of History?” Bettany says in response to this interviewer

When asked whether women have featured less in history than men, she replied:

Absolutely, it’s the inconvenient truth that women have always been 50% of the population, but only occupy around 0.5% of recorded history. Clearly something has gone wrong here, the maths just doesn’t work.

When asked why this happened, she explained that if we look back to prehistoric times, we actually see the opposite.

To solve that particular problem I think we need to go right back to pre-history. When we go back into the pre-historic world, we see the polar opposite.

If you look at all the figurines made between about 40,000 BC, until around 5,000 BC – a period which really sees the flourishing of the modern mind- at that time around 90% of all these figurines are of women. So women are very present in the archaeological record, but then start to disappear once pre-history turns into history.

(Sarah) Perhaps that’s because historically we were focused on surviving childbirth, young marriage and the lack of even personal ownership and having a vote! Not that I’m bitter, or anything. 😉

Alongside many political, social, and religious changes over the centuries, women gradually lost positions of influence in many areas of public life and spiritual practice. Whatever the reasons, Women’s History Month reminds us that women’s stories are not separate from history—they are an essential part of the story of humanity.

Two Wonderful Books For Women’s History Month

I must have absorbed the spirit of Women’s History Month without realizing it because my recent library choices both centred on remarkable women whose stories deserve to be remembered.

Each book opened a fascinating window into history and left a lasting impression on me.

1. Nowhere’s Child by Kari Rosvall

At the same time that Hitler’s terrible Nazi regime was gassing families and attempting to wipe out its Jewish population, Hitler also had another awful dream related to world domination – the creation of a ‘pure’ Aryan race.

I knew that Hitler organized ‘Youth Groups’ to indoctrinate young children, but I didn’t know about the Lebensborn until I read this book.

Lebensborn translates from the German as ‘Spring of Life’. As families were dying in the gas chambers, Hitler came up with the idea of encouraging Nazi soldiers to have children with Scandinavian women to create an Aryan race.

Kari Rosvall’s mother was one of the women forced into this program. If a woman’s face and body measurements passed muster, they were approved to become pregnant by a Nazi soldier and have a baby for Germany. Over 10,000 children in all were affected by this program.

Nowhere’s Child on Amazon by Kari Rosvall

Children Forcibly Taken From Families

Some children were separated from their families, while others were born into the Lebensborn programme itself. Many endured enormous trauma, displacement, discrimination, and loss as a result of Nazi racial policies.

Kari Rosvall was one of those children.

She didn’t discover the full truth about her origins until she was 64 years old. Her mother’s own trauma made it almost impossible for them to develop a close relationship, and Kari was eventually adopted by a Swedish family after the war.

One of the most moving aspects of this memoir is seeing how trauma can echo through a lifetime, even when its origins remain hidden. Kari experienced ongoing health challenges and always sensed that something about her story was missing.

This is an unforgettable and deeply moving book. It reminds us why remembering history matters, and why we should always strive to ensure that such tragedies never happen again.

2. Empress Dowager Cixi

This book by Jung Chang (author of the amazing Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China – and if you haven’t read that, read it I command you!) is an account of the true story of a Chinese Emperor’s concubine.

On her husband’s death, she became a ruler until her son took the Chinese throne (1861-1875) – and then she was able to rule again, even after that (1875-1889).

Historically, I had some vague perception that China only really modernized after Chairman Mao

Instead, I discovered that Cixi introduced sweeping reforms that helped prepare China for the modern era. During her leadership, she encouraged foreign trade, supported the construction of telegraph lines and railways, modernised education and the military, and introduced many reforms despite fierce resistance from traditionalists.

Even while conducting court business from behind a yellow silk screen—a custom that reflected the restrictions placed upon imperial women—Cixi demonstrated remarkable political skill and determination.

If you are interested in an amazing woman of history, Cixi is your lady. There are portraits and actual photographs of her in the book, too.

Empress Dowager Cixi on Amazon by Jung Chang

Summary

Women’s History Month is an opportunity to remember that women have always shaped history, even when their stories were overlooked or left out of the historical record. This post reflects on why so many women’s contributions have been forgotten and explores how cultural and social changes affected women’s roles over time.

I also share two remarkable books that reveal very different, but equally powerful, stories of women in history. Nowhere’s Child uncovers the heartbreaking reality of Hitler’s Lebensborn program through the eyes of one of its surviving children, while Empress Dowager Cixi challenges long-held assumptions about the woman who helped lay the foundations of modern China.

Both books remind us that history is far richer than we are often taught, and that understanding the lives, courage, and resilience of women gives us a deeper appreciation of the human journey. Women’s history isn’t a separate story—it’s an essential part of all of our history.

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