Books About Extraordinary Women

— Anderson, James, “Memorable Women of the Puritan Times”, (General Books, 2009) This book was originally published in 1862. This book contains the stories of Elizabeth Bunyan and many other women who lived during the time of the Reformation. This reprint is difficult to follow at times, but well worth it for the information and encouragement for Christian women.

—  Barton, David, (forward), Wives of the Signers: The Women Behind the Declaration of Independence (Wallbuilder Press, 1997)
Back Cover: “Great American men have always understood the importance of women. John Adams described them as “the most infallible barometer . . . of morality and virtue in a nation.
Wives of the Signers describes those women who, alongside their husbands experienced the trials and triumphs of the struggle for independence and the challenge of building a new nation. Who were they?
*  Abigail Smith Adams, wife of one president, mother of another, and perhaps the most influential woman of her day;
*  Annis Boudinot Stockton, wife of Richard Stockton, whose home was looted and burned during the savageries of war;
*  Deborah Scudder Hart, wife of John Hart, who suffered for months as her patriotic husband was hounded and hunted as a criminal;
*  . . .and many more.”
This book is excerpted from The Pioneer Mothers of America, originally published in 1912. Subtitled, “A Record of the More Notable Women of the Early Days of the Country, and Particularly of the Colonial and Revolutionary Periods” by Harry Clinton Green and Mary Wolcott Green, Volume Three.
The Wallbuilder book reprints the great stories about the women who made many sacrifices so that we may enjoy the freedom in our country that we have today. I highly recommend it. If you can find the entire three volume original set, it will be worth your while for encouraging, entertaining, and patriotic reading.

—  Cook, Faith, Lady Jane Grey: Nine Day Queen of England (Evangelical Press, Webster, New York, 2004)
Back Cover: “Kneeling down on the hard wooden scaffold Jane turned to Feckenham who stood by her. “Shall I say this Psalm?” she faltered. Overcome with emotion . . he simply said, “Yea”. Jane then began to repeat Psalm 51 in English, David’s great prayer of contrition. Jane recited all nineteen verses “in a most devout manner” and then both she and Feckenham rose to their feet. A deep silence rested over that sad scene, nothing could be heard except for the quiet sobbing of her lady attendants. Hardened soldiers who had witnessed brutality many times before stood without moving.”
. . . “Lady Jane called out in a clear voice. “Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” Then with a stroke, swift, sharp and terrible, Jane’s short life was ended. Like the Apostle Paul she had fought a good fight, finished the course and kept the faith. Henceforth there was laid up for her a crown of righteousness – a crown that none could take from her.”
This is the story of a remarkable young woman, living during the time of the Reformation. After the death of Edward VI, (son of Henry VIII) there was a struggle for the throne. Eventually, Mary, Henry’s eldest daughter would be crowned queen, and she would have her “rival” Lady Jane Grey executed by beheading.
Jane was not just a political pawn. She was incredibly intelligent, devout, kind, and courageous. Included in this book is the debate between her and Dr. John Feckenham, who was sent to interrogate her. It is worth the price of the whole book and must reading for anyone who would like to see how a woman of courage stands up to those who are stronger than herself in order to protect her own integrity and faith.

—  Kim, Esther Ahn, If I Perish (Moody Publishers, Chicago, 1977)
Back Cover:  “Ahn Ei Sook stood alone among thousands of kneeling people in bold defiance of the tyrannical command to bow to a pagan Japanese shrine. After months on the run, she was captured and condemned to a living death in the filth and degradation of a Japanese prison.
Although she was imprisoned and tormented for many years, her determination and fortitude never diminished. In spite of the brutality, oppression, and ruthlessness of her captors, Miss Ahn remained true to Christ and won many of her fellow prisoners to Him by her example. Her courageous activities in prison not only brought the light of the Gospel to many, but also resulted in a reduction of torture.”
This is the true story of a young Korean Christian school teacher who set out on a journey to Tokyo to make the Japanese leaders aware of the atrocities that were committed against Korean Christians. Many are not aware that during World War II, the Japanese controlled Korea. We have read a lot about the brutality of the Nazi’s and the Soviets, but there was much brutality occurring in the Eastern hemisphere as well.
Ahn’s story will encourage your heart. Her life is a testimony of the goodness of God towards His children.

—  MacDonald, Rose Mortimer Ellzey, Mrs. Robert E. Lee (American Foundation Publications, Stuarts Draft, Virginia, 1998)
Preface: “A daughter of Mrs. Lee’s, writing after her mother’s death, said, “I want the world to know how worthy she was of her husband. . .Her attitude and example during the entire period of the war were an inspiration not only to her husband but to all who came within the radius of her influence.”
Mary Custis Lee lived during a time when women were not supposed to allow their names to be printed in newspapers or in public. Fortunately for us, there is much correspondence between her and her husband, and her daughters and friends so that we can get to know how remarkable this woman was. For a picture of graciousness in womanhood, read this story.
A good companion story would be that of her husband. I recommend, Call of Duty: The Sterling Nobility of Robert E. Lee, by J. Steven Wilkins. (Cumberland House Publishing, Nashville, 1997).

—  Piper, Noel,  Faithful Women & Their Extraordinary God (Crossway, Wheaton, 2005)
Back Cover: “These are the stories of five ordinary women – Sarah Edwards, Lilias Trotter, Gladys Aylward, Esther Ahn Kim, and Helen Roseveare – who trusted in their extraordinary God as he led them to do great things for his kingdom.”
Readers may recognize the name of Gladys Aylward from the movie, “The Inn of the Sixth Happiness” starring Ingrid Bergman. The movie does a pretty good job of faithfully telling the story of this remarkable missionary to China; I would recommend seeing it.
The other stories will be an encouragement to you to be willing to trust and follow God where you believe He is leading you. Not very many women in our society today are willing to go against the tide. It is good for us to read these stories of women who were not afraid to follow God.

— Stjerna, Kirsi, Women and the Reformation (Blackwell Publishing, Malden, Massachusetts, 2009)
Back Cover: “Women were critical participants in Christian life during the Reformations. Women and the Reformation gathers historical materials and personal accounts to provide a comprehensive and accessible look at the status and contributions of women as leaders in the sixteenth-century Protestant world.”
Kirsi Stjerna provides some background and introductory material to the period of the Reformation. She explains what the options were for women at that time, and then gives examples of women who would courageously step out and follow God using the gifts that He gave them as writers, wives of famous pastors, prophets, and leaders for the Protestant refugees.
Here are the courageous women whose stories are told in this volume:

Ursula Jost and her publisher, Margarethe Pruss
Katharina von Bora (Mrs. Luther)
Argula von Grumbach (Apologist and a Pamphleteer)
Elisabeth von Brandenburg, and Elisabeth von Braunschweig (Exiled Mothers, Reformation Leaders)
Katharina Schutz Zell (Writer, Pastoral Care giver)
Marie Dentiere (Reformer and Writer)
Marguerite de Navarre, and Jeanne d’Albret (French Reformers)
Renee de France (Friend and Protector of the Huguenots)
Olimpia Fulvia Morata (Italian Scholar)

—  Sultan, Wafa, A God Who Hates (St. Martin’s Press, New York, 2009)
Back Cover: “A searingly personal and deeply affecting indictment of the oppressing and life-destroying features of Islamic teachings and Islamic societies – and a moving testimony to the hope that America still offers to the world with its principles of freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and equality of rights of women and men (all of which are denied by Islamic law). Wafa Sultan is a great heroine of our time, willing to risk everything to stand up to these immense evils when most people are too fainthearted or politically correct to do so. I A God Who Hates should be read closely and studied by the president, European leaders, and all Western policy makers and opinion shapers – before it is too late.”
The only thing I would like to add to that, is that it should be read by all women who value their freedom. We need to pray for women who are being oppressed by Muslim societies. We need to pray that the Gospel would go forward in Muslim countries, bringing the freedom of Christ with it. We should thank God for Wafa’s testimony, and pray for her, too.