Title and Author: Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong- and the New Research That’s Rewriting the Story by Angela Saini

Plot Overview: According to the book, women have been seen as inferior to men by their societies for centuries, and all too frequently science has been used to reinforce sexist ideals. The book explores how gender and science have had a complex relationship, even beyond the Victorian era, during which women were commonly seen as being biologically “built” or “better-suited” to work in the home. In the contemporary age (the past few decades), researchers are carrying out studies looking for inherent biological differences or similarities between genders. Also, women are beginning to be included in anthropological studies of human history through the study of modern hunter-gatherers, and issues are arising over medical trials having primarily male test subjects. Another subject touched on by the book, is how many scientific fields are changing (or resisting change) due to the relatively recent inclusion of women.

Critique: This book was especially compelling to me because I am seeking a scientific career. The book will likely be very interesting as well to people interested in reading about gender and/or science. It provides a very interesting look into the connections between science, gender, and society. There are many interesting new things that can be learned from the book, including many unrecognized female scientists. There is nothing particularly disappointing in the book from my perspective.

Star Rating: 4/5

From Ms. Yang: You might also like Headstrong: 52 Women who Changed Science- and the World. Hidden Figures, the book as well as the movie, is a great story about the African-American women who were instrumental in the push to get a man on the moon. Rise of the Rocket Girls covers a similar topic. And, there's also The Girls of Atomic City which is about a secret group of women who worked on the development of the atomic bomb during WWII.