Valiant and timely ... Lydia Reeder tells Putnam Jacobi’s story with uncritical enthusiasm and relies heavily on the work of previous scholars. She digresses at length into the lives of parallel figures, tangling her chronology, and she indulges in sentimental moments of seeming speculation ... With relentless hard work, hard science and sharp analysis, Putnam Jacobi changed the ancient narrative that men had written for women. Writing a better narrative for women remains an urgent task.
Monumental ... By restoring Jacobi’s fascinating story to the forefront of the historical imagination, Reeder returns to us a much-needed, inspiring voice that is equally suited to our current moment in time.
Despite occasional lengthy digressions that slow down the narrative, this is an impressive, important biography. A much-needed biography of an extraordinary woman.
