First Names: Emmeline Pankhurst

Review also includes:

First Names: Elon Musk, Tracey Turner, ill. Mike Smith, 978-1910989623

This is a new series of life stories from David Fickling Books aiming to give a real insight into their subject’s lives.

One volume takes the reader through Emmeline Pankhurst’s life highlighting not only her well known role in the Suffragette movement but the experiences that led her to that point. Nicknamed ‘The Dictionary’ and clearly gifted, she was shocked to discover as a child family expectations for her were low, because she was female. However, despite personal tragedies she devoted her life to working to improve conditions for the poor and women in particular, including the so called ‘matchstick girls’ and those living in the workhouse. It was when she realised the only way real change could be effected was through women having the vote that the direction of her work shifted towards politics. Using firstly peaceful protest then direct action her fame increased and the cause drew attention not least though the infamous hunger strikes and forced feeding. Through this and the societal and workplace changes resulting from The First World War she lived long enough to see her efforts were successful with all women over 21 securing the vote in 1928.

The book is written in a conversational and accessible style, although the narrative meanders at times through attempts to be comprehensive.  Cartoon illustrations throughout and regular interjections from Emmeline herself add humour and are used as a device to include detail about key topics such as the voting system. For those with some knowledge of Emmeline Pankhurst this book will provide some interesting background detail.

A second biography describes the life of Elon Musk; entrepreneur, engineer, inventor and billionaire. It tells of a gifted child born into an adventurous family, thirsty for knowledge and success. Fascinated with computers, he taught himself coding in three nights at the age of 12. Early experiments with computer games later led to the creation of an internet database and the online payment system which became PayPal. Not content with success in the virtual world, he was also interested in transport; fast cars and rockets. His own early experiments with rocket building led to the creation of the first private rocket successfully setting off into space and actually making deliveries to the International Space Station. A business man with an environmental conscience, his interest in promoting solar energy and electric cars is described. Solving traffic problems is also a passion and he is working on a big idea – creating a high speed ‘Hyperloop’ connecting cities with a network of tubes and driverless capsules.  Another long term plan aims to solve the problem of what to do if the earth becomes no longer sustainable for humanity, by creating a colony on Mars.

Elon Musk is definitely a big thinker and problem solver who has made an impact in a number of ways. His story may be an inspiration to young inventors with similarly big ideas. The narrative describing his personal life and achievements is interjected with amusing cartoon illustrations and explanations from Elon, about key topics such as solar energy and Silicon Valley. There is timeline of his life so far and a useful glossary at the back of the book.