Just gorgeous, there’s no other way to describe this book. It’s a huge hardback coffee table book, but there’s so much substance. At almost 400 pages it’s a wealth of stories about women from all over the world. There are famous women, and some whose incredible stories will be completely new to the reader. Each one was photographed and asked the same five questions. This is a portrait of women from every walk of life. Each one shares their wisdom and experiences on a single page. The book is best enjoyed in small doses so you can savor each story. ( )

I work in the library at an all women's college and this is just a perfect addition to our collection. I paged through it when it came in and was happy to see a range of representation. I put it right on the new arrivals shelf and it's been attracting a lot of attention. It's so great to see such a range of smart, innovative, creative, and passionate women be highlighted and celebrated. ( )

This is a large coffee table style book that takes a brief, though thoroughly engaging look at 200 very different women. By asking them a series of questions, it gets to the heart of what is important to them, and in many cases, what is also important to the reader. This book is beautiful, well photographed, and features a large diverse, multicultural group of women; every reader can find someone to identify with, and to learn from. In a year of a variety of books about groups of women who are rebellious or daring or forgotten, this is the one that stands out to me as the modern reader. These are 200 modern women that we can look up to, ones that are living in the world. While a few may be considered objectionable since this book came out - certainly no one is saint - you don't make history by being passive. ( )

(I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers giveaway).

This book is most impressive in its scope and diversity. When it arrived, the sheer size of this volume had me wondering what I had gotten myself into... I have a 4 year old, so we have Mo Willems and Dr. Seuss on our coffee table. My biggest issue - how to keep it close enough at hand to take the time to read it without having it drop on small hands and feet.

200 Women contains photos and written profiles of women who are effecting change around the globe. Artists, activists, musicians, social workers... the constant message that women can and SHOULD use their agency to improve the world around them is both inspiring and tiresome. Can we celebrate women without putting them on a pedestal?

I most enjoyed reading about those women who are out of the public spotlight (at least in the United States). It is really the book's photographer who is the work's hero, as the clear photographs challenge readers to think about their perceptions of these representations of womanhood. The profiles are well-written, but the words do not allow the understanding of the diversity or strength of these women as forcefully as the photos. The words become repetitive. The pictures do not.

200 Women is a grown-up version of the "Rebel Girls" children's books. While thoughtful and beautifully packaged, I wonder if enough readers will truly appreciate its full potential. ( )

Beautiful and timely, giving voice to the stories of diverse and inspiring women, I highly recommend this book. I will never tire of flipping through these (many!) page and finding an incredible woman to read about, to learn from, and to be inspired by. Some of the women in the book I recognized, but most I did not, which only added to its magic. There is never a bad day to learn about a new woman doing great work out in the world. This would be a fabulous gift for anyone in your life, but especially those looking to learn more about the depth and breadth of women's experiences around the world.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers in exchange for my honest review of it. ( )