Revolutions

How Women Changed the World on Two Wheels

By: Hannah Ross

Narrated by: Renata Friedman

Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

A history and celebration of women's cycling - beginning with its origins as a political statement, beloved pastime, and early feminist act - that shares the stories of notable cyclists and groups around the world

More than a century after they first entered the mainstream, bicycles and the culture around them are as accessible as ever - but for women, that progress has always been a struggle to achieve, and even now the culture remains overwhelmingly male. In Revolutions, author Hannah Ross highlights the stories of extraordinary women cyclists and all-female cycling groups over time and around the world, and demonstrates both the feminist power of cycling and its present-day issues.

A cyclist herself, Ross puts a spotlight on the many incredible women and girls on bicycles from then to now - many of whom had to endure great opposition to do so, beginning in the 1880s, when the first women began setting distance records, racing competitively, and using bicycles to spread the word about women’s suffrage. Revolutions also celebrates women setting records and demanding equality in competitive cycling, as well as cyclists in countries including Afghanistan, India, and Saudi Arabia who are inspiring women to take up space on the road, trails, and elsewhere.

Both a history of women's cycling and an impassioned manifesto, Revolutions challenges a male-dominated narrative that has long prevailed in cycling and celebrates the excellence of women in the culture.

©2020 Hannah Ross (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“In this well-researched, readable book, Ross shows how these “freedom-machine[s]” became intertwined with women’s emancipation and the feminist movement...Comprehensive and inclusive, the narrative shines the spotlight on a neglected history while making an impassioned plea for gender equality in cycling. An informative and enlightening blend of sports history and women’s history.” (Kirkus)

“Revolutions is part cycling history, part feminist rallying cry. Ross has done her research, and her narrative brims with information about specific types of bicycles and the groups of women who used them...Revolutions is an informative, entertaining and inspiring look at what it means to be a woman on a bike.” (Shelf Awareness)