Lessons from Trailblazing New England Women

New England has nurtured countless women who shook off the expectations of their gender to forge their own destinies. Patricia Harris's latest book, New England's Notable Women, shines the spotlight on 45 of these trailblazers and achievers and directs readers to homes and other sites in all six states where their stories come to life. In her talk at the Newburyport Public Library, the author will discuss and show photos of some of these touchstone places and recount the inspiration she has received and the lessons she has learned from her subjects. Among the heroines she will highlight are legendary socialite turned suffragist Alva Smith Vanderbilt Belmont; early champion of education equality Prudence Crandall; and pioneering astronomer Maria Mitchell, the first American to discover a comet.