Susanna De Vries profiles 18 remarkable women who changed and influenced Australian culture and history. By presenting these well-researched biographies, De Vries showcases how these women broke down barriers related to gender, inspiring countless others in their wake. Among the women included in this collection are Enid Lyons, the first female cabinet minister; suffragette Louisa Lawson; and Olympic Gold medalist Fanny Durack. In describing these pioneers, Jane Clifton has an understandable tone of awe and reverence, but also has a resoluteness that underscores the strength these women showed in staking their claim as leading figures in Australian lore.