An Uncompromising Woman
Katharine Dexter McCormick, Heiress, Crusader, and Patron Saint of the Pill
23 March 2027
Territory Rights — Worldwide including Canada, Singapore and Malaysia, but excluding the British Commonwealth.
Description
The extraordinary story of Katharine McCormick, the feminist pioneer and benefactor who bankrolled the birth of the pill.
For over six decades, women have taken the pill more than any other prescribed medicine in the world. Yet the woman who had the foresight and means to fund the pill’s research and development, pouring millions of her fortune into the controversial invention, has largely been forgotten. An Uncompromising Woman follows the life of Katharine Dexter McCormick, a fearless catalyst for scientific advancement and advocate of women’s rights and reproductive freedom. From her doomed marriage to an insane millionaire to her rise as a leader in the women’s movement and the quest for a cure for mental illness, Conant captures a paradoxical mix of a society rebel who remained loyal wife; a believer in science who battled psychiatry’s medical hubris; and an activist told by doctors she should never bear children. An Uncompromising Woman is the story of an heiress who overcame great personal tragedy and, with the discovery she championed, liberated women around the world.
Reviews
"Jennet Conant has written a gem of a book—a searching, memorable portrait of a woman who has long deserved such a biography. An Uncompromising Woman is beautifully written, impressively researched, and full of fresh and timely insights." — Jonathan Eig, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for King and author of The Birth of the Pill
"Katharine Dexter McCormick deserves to be a household name, and thanks to Jennet Conant, she will be. An Uncompromising Woman is history that reads like a thriller and lands like a revelation." — Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana and A World on Fire
"Uncompromising indeed! Jennet Conant has paid eloquent tribute to a forgotten feminist who used her powerful mind and formidable fortune to fuel lasting change for women—while remaining stalwart in her stewardship of one tragically compromised man." — Janice P. Nimura, author of The Doctors Blackwell, finalist for the Pulitzer Prize
"An intriguing, highly engaging portrait of a brilliant woman. From Katharine Dexter McCormick leading women’s suffrage rallies to advocating for her mentally ill husband, Jennet Conant deftly illustrates the life of a force to be reckoned with. Without McCormick, we likely wouldn’t have the pill." — Olivia Campbell, author of Women in White Coats
"An Uncompromising Woman shines a brilliant light on the most important part of science that never gets told: the story of those who fortify and defend scientists, who give them the safety they need to do their work." — Hope Jahren, author of Lab Girl
"A clear-eyed, compelling portrait of the woman who drove the science behind the tiny tablet that had such huge consequences. An Uncompromising Woman is a fascinating account of personal tragedy and near-fanatic resolve." — Liza Mundy, author of Code Girls
"Jennet Conant’s wonderful biography focuses on the life of a remarkable (and remarkably wealthy) modern woman—Katharine Dexter McCormick. Rich in details, here is the backstory of the modern birth control movement. McCormick, the heiress to a huge portion of International Harvester money, may not have been the scientific force behind ‘the pill’s’ development, but she was certainly its Medici." — Howard Markel, MD, PhD, author of Origin Story and The Secret of Life
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