Supermodels and wonder women

A word of advice to those people who refuse to read a book that mentions the "f" word (feminism) in its opening paragraph. Do not close the pages on The Chambers Biographical Dictionary of Women - you cannot fail to find something of interest. Did you know, for example, that in 1847, after discovering a comet, Maria Mitchell became the first female member of the American Academy of Arts and Science? For those with a more serious interest in women's studies this book serves its purpose as a source of reference, providing concise, clearly indexed portraits of everyone from Boadicea (sorry, Boudicca) to Benazir.

The editor's introduction states that the main aim of the dictionary is to "document many of the women I whose lives have made a mark on history" along with those who have "defied society's expectations". With this in mind the reader may be surprised by some of the entries. I am not sure that Naomi Campbell's catwalk fall or Claudia Schiffer's engagement to David Copperfield are great examples of "women's achievements", but they do find their way into the dictionary and, I suppose, why not? One of the refreshing points of any 1990s gender agenda is that Jilly Cooper's female characters are just as likely subjects for study as Kate Chopin's. In this publication we find the supermodel and the scientist side by side. The dictionary mixes what may previously have been divided into "high" and "low" culture, including women who have found success in all fields, and this really brings it up to date with the current attitude towards study in many institutes of higher education (although I am still not convinced about the reference to David Copperfield).

Having said this, the all-embracing nature of the dictionary does result in several references that are simply not detailed enough. Emmeline Pankhurst's achievement is condensed into just three paragraphs. There also seems to be a bias towards more contemporary female achievers. The editor explains that "the coverage is inevitably weighted towards 19th and 20th-century women", and goes on to say that this is partly due to "accessibility of information". But does this justify an obvious focus on late 20th-century female achievers? Emma Thompson and Sally Gunnell apparently warrant more detailed attention than Mary Wollstonecraft, the author of the revolutionary Vindication of the Rights of Women, which will surprise anyone with some awareness of the history of the women's movement.

Also too brief are the last two chapters - "A women's chronology" and a section on quotations. The chronology, however, is ideal for quick referencing or simply jogging the memory and there are some excellent quotations, such as "Women should be obscene and not heard" (attributed to John Lennon).

One final observation is that some of the references verge more on the side of "bluffers' guide" than biographical dictionary. "Debra Winger - American film actress who combines a raw sensuality with a vibrant independence". Still, such information may prove invaluable at dinner parties - "Debra Winger? Isn't she the one who combines I"?

Taken as a whole, The Chambers Biographical Dictionary of Women is, as it claims, a celebration of women. It is a lifesaver for anyone who does not know k.d. lang from Jessica Lange. Perhaps there is a slight confusion over its potential audience: the introduction seems to be aimed at the academic feminist, while the dictionary itself is perhaps more appropriate for the general reader. But whoever picks it up will find well-researched, well set-out information, ideal for quick reference and a great book to dip into.

Katrina Wishart is an editorial assistant, The THES.