Exhilarating - admirably lucid - Reading about the wild hopes of these early 20th-century pioneers, you cannot fail to be moved by the sheer exuberance of their imaginations. - Kathryn Hughes, Guardian A revelatory new history.- Bookforum Ambitious and eloquent - Rowbotham has a marvellous gift for explication and an eye for the illuminating quotation. - Elaine Showalter, Daily Telegraph Fascinating - As the 21st century falters forward with faith wars and economic collapse, women need to be at the forefront of reimagining our world. This book is a timely reminder that we have been here before. - Jeanette Winterson, The Times

Sheila Rowbotham is Professor of Gender and Labour History at the University of Manchester, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Her many books include, most recently, the James Tait Black-shortlisted Edward Carpenter: A Life of Liberty and Love. She has written for, among other newspapers, the Guardian, The Times, the Independent, the New Statesman, and the New York Times. She lives in Manchester.