While the roots of the detective novel go back to the 19th century, the genre reached its height around 1925 to 1945. This work presents information on twenty British and American women who wrote during the 20th century. As a group they were responsible for the great popularity of the detective novel in the first half of the century. The British authors are Sora Turnbull (Patricia Wentworth), Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Elizabeth Mackintosh (Josephine Tey), Gladys Mitchell, Margery Allingham, Edith Pargeter (Ellis Peters), Phyllis Dorothy James White (P.D. James), Gwendolyn Butler (Jennie Melville), and Ruth Rendell, and the Americans are Patricia Highsmith, Carolyn Heilbrun (Amanda Cross), Edna Buchanan, Kare Gallison, Sue Grafton, Sara Paretsky, Nevada Barr, Patricia Cornwell, Carol Higgins Clark, and Megan Rust. A flavor of each author's work is provided.

For most of the 20th century, American women had little encouragement to become scientists. In 1906, there were only 75 female scientists employed by academic institutions in the entire country. Despite considerable barriers, determined women have, however, decidedly distinguished themselves. Three examples: Astronomer Annie Jump Cannon discovered five novas and over 300 other stars. Mathematician and computer scientist Grace Hopper helped invent the COBOL language. Anesthesiologist Virginia Apgar devised the now universally used Apgar score to make a rapid evaluation of a newborn's condition just after delivery. Of the 23 American women scientists covered, six were awarded Nobel prizes. Each biography is accompanied by a photograph. A bibliography and an index complete the work.

Frances Wright was one of the pioneers in the fight for women's reproductive rights in late-19th century America. She received little support at the time, but laid the foundation for those who followed. Margaret Sanger championed the universal availability of contraception. Betty Friedan founded the National Organization for Women (NOW). A collection of eleven biographies of women who fought for women's reproductive rights and their right to education about sexuality. Each made a significant contribution to women's emancipation from repressive sexual attitudes and laws.

Intended for the general reader with an interest in American History, this book profiles eleven women who made enduring contributions to society: Jane Addams, Fannie Farmer, Lillian Wald, Mary McLeod Bethune, Juliette Low, Margaret Sanger, Carrie Chapman Catt, Margaret Mitchell, Margaret Bourke-White, Rachel Carson and Betty Friedan. Intertwined with their lives are the issues of immigration, health care, reproductive rights, the environment and women's rights.

Millions of Americans know and love Charlie Brown and Snoopy, Blondie and Dagwood, Doonesbury, Li'l Abner, Garfield, Cathy, Beetle Bailey and other such comic strip characters. Thanks to the cartoonists - the people who have brought and still bring these and other characters to life day after day in the newspapers - the characters have become an entertaining and important part of American culture. Charles Schulz (Peanuts), Chic Young (Blondie), Gary Trudeau (Doonesbury), Al Capp (Li'l Abner), Jim Davis (Garfield), Cathy Guisewite (Cathy), Mort Walker (Beetle Bailey), Rudolph Dirks (The Katzenjammer Kids), Alex Raymond (Rip Kirby), Chester Gould (Dick Tracy), Frank King (Gasoline Alley), Cliff Sterrett (Polly and Her Pals), and other cartoonists whose comic strips appeared in American newspapers between 1945 to 1980 are featured in this work. The author provides a biographical sketch of each cartoonist, with special attention given to the cartoonist's career and characters.