These biographies explore the contributions of women to the sciences, detailing the paths that led these women to break gender barriers. McClintock's solitary work with the maize plant produced research that few of her colleagues understood at the time. Decades later, she has become known as both a genius and one of the founders of modern genetics.

These biographies explore the contributions of women to the sciences, detailing the paths that led these women to break gender barriers. A pioneer in both astronomy and women's rights, Mitchell followed a path of self-education to achieve her goal of becoming an astronomer. She went on to become the first woman ever to identify a new comet and the first professor of astronomy at Vassar.