UNRULY FIGURES: Twenty Tales of Rebels, Rulebreakers, and Revolutionaries You've (Probably) Never Heard Of, surprised and amazed me (and made me queasy doing it)

UNRULY FIGURES: Twenty Tales of Rebels, Rulebreakers, and Revolutionaries You've (Probably) Never Heard Of
VALORIE CASTELLANOS CLARK
Princeton Architectural Press
$24.95 trade paper, available now

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: A fascinating look at the lives of twenty rebels and rule-breakers throughout history and what made their contributions to society—in science, politics, art, and more—transformative. By the author and host of the popular Unruly Figures Substack newsletter and podcast.

Unruly Figures gives you access to the lives and often untold stories of twenty of history's most fascinating individuals. Of all the rebels and revolutionaries who have acted around the world, these are often overlooked. Whether they are a bit familiar or entirely new to you, each of these historical figures provides a vivid example of what it means to live life on one's own terms and have a lasting influence on society.

In the first collection of its kind, spotlighting a young historian's fresh view on unheralded rebels, these characters' true stories are brought to life through enthralling narratives of their feats and an original illustration of each. Even those whose names are recognizable—like Jonas Salk—have moments of rebellion that are largely left out of their histories. The diverse cast of unruly figures profiled includes:

Kandake Amanirenas, queen of the Kingdom of Kush (modern-day Sudan), who led an army against the invading Romans

Manuela Sáenz, revolutionary from Ecuador and collaborator and lover of Simón Bolívar

Henry Dunant, Swiss humanitarian and founder of the Red Cross

Elaine Sturtevant, known as Sturtevant, a misunderstood American artist who took appropriation and pop art to new heights

Dive into this collection of hidden history tales—those of scientists, artists, revolutionaries, activists, heirs to thrones, and so many more—and you are guaranteed to be inspired by how they lived on their own unconventional terms.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: This is my idea of a gift to give the young giftee of any description! This is how you do it, and don't wait to start. The world needs troublemakers now more than ever.

Here's a sample few pages, all about someone who did something I definitely never learned about in History class:

Excuse me, what?! Defeated AUGUSTUS?! This was not mentioned in any book I've read about Rome!

The entire collection does not, of course, have quite the same impact on me as the unsettling realization of History I've consumed for *mumble*ty-five years being upended. That is, however, not the source of the missing half-star. I'm afraid I'm being really petty and first-world spoiled here: I hate, with a violent passion, whatever Pantone™-pink shade that is they've used throughout the book. It looks like thrown-up shrimp cocktail.

The information, the design, all the rest...the portraits on the chapter opens, the typeface, the bloody dingbats are all peachy-keen by me. That urpsome shade of my least-favorite color cost this excellent book replete with role models I hope you'll shove at every young person you can find a half-star.

I accept your opprobrium in advance, but decline to reconsider my stance.

Don't let this in any way dissuade, or even delay, you from ordering one to arrive in time to go under the Yule tree.