Normal Women

Nine Hundred Years of Making History

By: Philippa Gregory

Narrated by: Philippa Gregory, Clare Corbett, Tania Rodrigues, Nneka Okoye, James Goode, Joe Jameson

The #1 New York Times bestselling historical novelist delivers her magnum opus—a landmark work of feminist nonfiction that radically redefines our understanding of the extraordinary roles ordinary women played throughout British history and “should be included in every history lesson” (Glamour UK)

“As author and lead narrator, Gregory’s passion for this topic is evidence in her confident narration. . . . This audio should be savored. . . . This stellar work will be of interest to feminists, historians, Anglophiles, and those who like learning more about women throughout history.” —Booklist (starred review)

Did you know that there are more penises than women in the Bayeux Tapestry? That the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 was started and propelled by women who were protesting a tax on women? Or that celebrated naturalist Charles Darwin believed not just that women were naturally inferior to men, but that they’d evolve to become ever more inferior?

These are just a few of the startling findings you will learn from reading Philippa Gregory’s Normal Women. In this ambitious and groundbreaking book, she tells the story of England over 900 years, for the very first time placing women—some fifty per cent of the population—center stage.

Using research skills honed in her work as one of our foremost historical novelists, Gregory trawled through court records, newspapers, and journals to find highwaywomen and beggars, murderers and brides, housewives and pirates, female husbands and hermits. The “normal women” you will meet in these pages went to war, ploughed the fields, campaigned, wrote, and loved. They rode in jousts, flew Spitfires, issued their own currency, and built ships, corn mills and houses. They committed crimes or treason, worshipped many gods, cooked and nursed, invented things, and rioted. A lot.

A landmark work of scholarship and storytelling, Normal Women chronicles centuries of social and cultural change—from 1066 to modern times—powered by the determination, persistence, and effectiveness of women.

“Lively, timely and gloriously energetic. Each page bursts with life, and every chapter swirls with personalities left out of traditional narratives of Britain’s past. Philippa Gregory has produced something rare and wonderful: a genuinely new history of [Britain], with women at its beating heart.” —Dan Jones, New York Times bestselling author of The Plantagenets

“Stunning. . . . Full of surprises. . . . A brilliant, essential read.” —The Independent (UK)

Stay in a Lane

This book was amazingly researched & has a lot of value, the actual historical part. However, the progressive push on her gender fluid ideology was completely overdone. I wish she would have stayed in the history lane & left the politics for another venue.

Women's history belongs to us all

Loved the historical aspect of normal and extraordinary women throughout history that we are not taught

Great History book!

I thought this was a really good listen. The author spent a lot of time researching the subject matter and focuses on all aspect of how women’s lives were for the past 900 years of English/British history. I loved the details and the attention brought in this book to ordinary people in extraordinary times and how social engineering impacted previous generations. I only had an issue with the chronology from chapter to chapter which disrupted the flow of the book, but I wasn’t too bad as the author still stuck to a consistent theme within the chapter.

Wow! Incredible Research

Everything you wanted to know about women and society and even some things you didn’t think you wanted to know but are glad you do now! So much time and effort went in to this book. Absolutely not the usual Historical Fiction. I’ve already used it in conversations and to discuss points and even to correct my own mistakes. Should be a must read in college courses!

Deeply delves into the history of women over 900 years

Astonished at the number of years and the broad depth of information about women. Cannot fathom the amount of research that must have gone into writing this book. At 27 hours, I was initially overwhelmed. However, once I started listening to it, I couldn’t wait for each new chapter.
Only downside was that it was mainly about English women. I would imagine that whole other books could be written on this subject regarding other countries and cultures.
I need to buy the written version so that I can read it again and underline all of the many parts that resonated so strongly with me.