Bygone Badass Broads

Bygone Badass Broads presents 52 biographical sketches of women throughout history who defied societal expectations and made significant contributions to art, science, politics, and exploration. Based on Lee's popular Twitter series, each profile spans 2-3 pages and includes black-and-white illustrations by Petra Eriksson. The collection spans multiple centuries and continents, featuring both renowned figures and lesser-known women whose stories have been overlooked by mainstream history books. The profiles cover pirates, scientists, athletes, warriors, artists, and revolutionaries who challenged the limitations placed on women in their respective eras. Each biography provides historical context, primary source quotations, and specific examples of the subject's achievements and impact. Lee maintains a casual writing style while grounding the narratives in historical research and documentation. The book serves as a corrective to traditional historical narratives that often exclude or minimize women's roles. Through these collected stories, patterns emerge about power, gender, and the consistent presence of boundary-breaking women throughout human history.

Readers appreciate the bite-sized biographical format and casual, humorous tone that makes historical figures accessible. The illustrations by Petra Eriksson receive frequent mentions for bringing the stories to life. Many readers note the book introduces them to lesser-known women from history, with one calling it "a great starting point to learn more." The diverse representation across cultures and time periods earns positive comments. Common criticisms include the writing being too informal or "trying too hard to be funny." Several reviews mention factual errors and oversimplification of complex historical events. Some readers wanted more depth and detail on each subject. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (14,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (500+ ratings) StoryGraph: 4.1/5 "Perfect for dipping in and out of" appears in multiple reviews. Critical reviews often cite the author's frequent use of modern slang and casual asides as distracting from the historical content.

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✦ Author Mackenzi Lee began sharing these women's stories through her Twitter account using #BygoneBadassBroads, gaining a massive following before turning the series into a book ✦ Each woman's story in the book is accompanied by stunning illustrations created by Petra Eriksson, bringing these historical figures to vibrant, colorful life ✦ The book features 52 women - one for each week of the year - spanning across centuries and continents, from ancient warriors to 20th-century revolutionaries ✦ Lee specifically chose to include many women whose stories had been deliberately erased, overlooked, or misrepresented in traditional historical narratives ✦ The author spent years researching these figures while earning her MFA in children's literature, often discovering their stories buried in footnotes of other historical texts