Most people feel a sense of curiosity about the place they live in and/or grew up in. A new book will reveal little-known information about women who lived in Somerset in years gone by, women with courage, kindness, innovation and even some who smashed the rules!

On 20th November, Unsung Women in Somerset by Helen Pugh will be released. This is a book of real-life and legendary women who lived from pre-Roman to modern times.

We meet most women through a short story, followed by historical notes about the woman and a chapter bibliography that shows the meticulous research that has gone into the book. Most chapters also include a Quick Tribute section that briefly mentions other interesting women from the same century.

This book is not a conventional narrative of Somerset's history in that it focuses on women and celebrates the diversity of Somerset's past as well. For instance, readers will meet the African princess who survived and thrived despite the odds and the openly gay artists whose generosity touched their neighbours' hearts.

Particularly of interest to Frome Nub News readers are the sections about an elderly "witch" killed in Frome, the woman who took on a king and helped end slavery in an African nation and an animal rights activist who wowed her students by arriving to class with a snake around her neck. The handy A–Z index outlines every Somerset place name mentioned in the book. There are over 160 in total!

Unsung Women in Somerset will be available as a paperback, hardback and ebook. The ebook can be pre-ordered using the link: https://books2read.com/unsung

A first-generation 'Somersetonian', Helen grew up in Chilcompton. She went to secondary school in Bath, then attended the University of Bristol (only just over the border!). After more than 8 years living abroad, she returned to Somerset in 2018 and lived in Shepton Mallet with her family for 4 years before moving to Midsomer Norton.

Helen is currently working on a Junior Edition of this book and has already published books about South America, including Jungle-tastic Tales and Inca-tastic Tales.

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