I should read more history books - finding ones I like is the problem. This book is all about the experiences of the first women to attend English universities starting in the 1830s or so and running more or less up to the time that degrees were being granted to women by pretty much all universities, Cambridge being one of the last to permit that in 1948. As someone who grew up expecting to go to university and expecting that all opportunities would be open to me it was a bit of an eye opener. Even the author mentions that she was expected to go into a teaching career as a woman armed with a 1970s degree, something that was off the radar by the time I was getting my 1990s degree. I’m very glad that these women paved the way for me!

It’s a fascinating read full of strong characters (not always the “undergraduettes” themselves) and happy endings but also the stories of those for whom things went wrong, who weren’t in the right places, those who got educations they didn’t want and those who didn’t get the educations they wanted. I loved reading it and have a new perspective on things as a result. It’s one of those things that you’re aware of but hearing some more of the story is welcome.