Life Lessons from Historical Women: Stories of Bravery, Wit, and Rebellion for Modern Times

A funny and fascinating introduction to some of history’s most interesting women, their stories and what we can learn from them.

How many ’ordinary’ women have made small and big courageous decisions in their normal lives that were never recorded? Women often feel that they have to be extraordinary just to be remembered, and the pressure many women feel to succeed is immense. This book is a celebration of all women’s achievements and it reminds readers that although all the women in this book did something extraordinary, they too were just ordinary women.

Written in the satirical form of a self-help How To guide, Morton delves into the stories of women like Bobbi Gibb (How to Get Fit), Mary Seacole (How To Make It in Fashion), Judith Kerr (How to Thrive) and other women throughout history who stood up to the status quo.

Ultimately, all women, regardless of what they have ’achieved’ are deserving of a place in history. And they all have something to teach us.

Eleanor Morton is a Scottish stand-up, writer and actor who started performing stand-up when she was 18 years old. Her latest Fringe show, Eleanor Morton Has Peaked, enjoyed a sell-out run and will be on tour in 2023. Eleanor is also well known for her online sketch characters like Craig the tour guide, which have gained her fans such as Patton Oswalt, Michael McKean and Taika Waititi. Recently she wrote and recorded a show for BBC R4, ’The Rest of Us’, with Welsh comic Esyllt Sears and Northern Irish comic Mary Flanigan, about over looked figures in UK history. Her 2019 Fringe show ’Post-Morton’ was one of the Fest’s Picks of the Fringe. LIFE LESSONS FROM HISTORIC AL WOMEN is Morton’s first book. She is currently based in Edinburgh and travels all over the UK to work and perform.