Dr Janina Ramirez - Author, Broadcaster and Historian based at Oxford University

Cedars Hall, Wells - Saturday 15th October - 10.30am,

It is easy to see why Dr Janina Ramirez has become a popular author and TV presenter in recent years. Her genuine enthusiasm and passion for ancient and medieval history shone through in her talk with an infectiousness that saw her book sold out within 25 minutes, a new record according to the organisers.

Her inspiration for the book came whilst she was researching her children's book - Goddess (50 Goddesses, Spirits and Saints) – where she discovered women's names and works struck out of historical records with the word FEMINA (Latin for woman) across them. This shocking revelation kick-started her mission to uncover their untold stories and bring their histories back to light. With chapter headings such as 'Movers and Shakers', 'Warriors and Leaders' and 'Spies and Outlaws' Dr Ramirez has deliberately ungendered women's roles in history in a celebration of their contribution, good or otherwise, to the shaping of history.

With only 60 minutes to cover this vast subject, focus was placed on two powerful Mercian Queens overlooked in antiquity. Queen Cynenthryth who was the only known Anglo-Saxon Queen to have been depicted on coins and who presided over the thriving trade hub at Cookham Abbey. Similarly, Alfred the Great's daughter Æthelflæd, whose military achievements matched those of her father and is the only English Queen to have handed her reign directly to her daughter, but who was written out of history by her brother.  Both Queens wielded great power, engaging in battles, signing charters and commissioning trade but their stories are largely unknown. 

By bringing these and many other women's stories back to life in such a vivid and engaging way, Dr Ramirez has taken on an important task in readdressing the censorship imposed upon them and is simply writing them back into history where they belong.

• Reviewed by Karen Collins - Level 5 student - English (with Creative Writing), Strode College, Street.