Let Me Be Frank: A Book About Women Who Dressed Like Men To Do Shit They Weren’t Supposed To Do

In this spirited debut, actor, comedian, and writer Dawson explores the legendary lives of 21 patriarchy-subverting women who dared to live their dreams. Each well-researched essay is full of intriguing facts and snarky asides, with diverse subjects hailing from a wide variety of time periods and countries. They’re not all heroes—one is Christian Caddell, who hunted “witches” in Scotland in the 17th century. Still, there are plenty of inspiring stories: see Ellen Craft, an enslaved woman whose daring escape involved dressing as a white male plantation owner, and Rena “Rusty” Kanokogi, who disguised herself as a man to compete in judo tournaments. Kendra Hoffman’s narration captures the spirit of Dawson’s essays, from “get a load of this” incredulity to delight at the ingenuity of these courageous women.