Undaunted: How Women Changed American Journalism

Starting in the 1840s and continuing through the #MeToo Movement, this ambitious undertaking by NYU Professor Emerita and award-winning journalist Kroeger (The Suffragents) chronicles the experiences of women in journalism, a field historically dominated by men. Kroeger emphasizes that her book is not all-inclusive but instead showcases the women who achieved extraordinary success and whose careers included challenges that were typical of their times. Weaving together biographical details with significant cultural and historic events, Kroeger firmly places women journalists’ fight for fair treatment into the broader contexts of the women’s and civil rights movements. Maggi-Meg Reed’s even, crisp delivery and smart cadence help listeners absorb Kroeger’s incredibly detailed history while keeping the narrative moving nicely along. With just a hint of exasperation in her tone, Reed relays the sexist barriers these remarkable women journalists faced, then she warmly celebrates their courage, determination, and many successes.