Pankhurst, a daughter of Britain's leading suffragist, came by her radical politics naturally. But as this absorbing biography shows, she embraced a precociously modern awareness of gender and class, campaigning tirelessly for the rights of women and workers.

New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice)

[A] monumental biography . . . Holmes's effort finally gives Pankhurst her due, bringing to life a woman with a 'terrifying capacity for martyrdom' and a profoundly forward-thinking conception of human rights.

The New Yorker

[An] excellent and admiring new biography . . . [Holmes'] command of the material, which covers not only suffrage but Pankhurst's involvement in everything from anti-war protest to political turmoil in Russia, India, and Ethiopia (Pankhurst led international protests when fascist Italy invaded the African kingdom), is impressive. The author vividly portrays both the sweep of events and her subject's inner conflicts. Indeed, Holmes excels in showing how Pankhurst's mental turmoil both shaped and drove her, leading to a remarkably forward-thinking understanding of the connections between gender, class, and race.

Wall Street Journal

Magnificent . . . Richly textured with historical details, crackling with the vibrant personalities of major and minor figures, and interspersed with clear-eyed, incisive analyses of Pankhurst's character and actions, this is a flat-out fabulous biography. History buffs will be mesmerized.

Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Holmes paints a vivid portrait of a crusading pioneer for women's rights, placing Pankhurst at the epicenters of battles for human dignity throughout the modern era and around the globe . . . Holmes' comprehensive biography can serve as inspiration for new generations of activists.

Booklist

A spectacular work by one of the most accomplished biographers writing today. Rachel Holmes's Sylvia peels away the mystique and misinformation surrounding the life of perhaps the most interesting and complex of the mighty Pankhurst women.

Anita Anand, author of Sophia: Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary