The latest entry in the American Heroes series chronicles the only female recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor. Mary Edwards Walker was a standard-setting physician, a women's-rights activist, and a courageous opponent of what she considered rampant, unnecessary amputation during the Civil War. Historian Walker (no relation) regrets that his work suffers from the scant amount of Mary's writing; she was both too busy and disinclined to keep a journal. What does exist of her own words, as well as those written about her, melds with Walker's prose in a colorful portrait of an uppity woman, dressed in trousers (for which she was often criticized), who would be a credit to any generation's fight for the rights of any disenfranchised group. She persevered to become a physician, persisted to build a medical practice at a time when most people wouldn't be caught dead consulting a female doctor, and faced financial crisis because Union Army officers refused to commission a female. She inspires and motivates. --Donna Chavez Copyright 2005 Booklist

A women?s rights advocate, a Union spy and an ?indefatigable foe of traditional female dress,? Mary Edwards Walker (1832-1919), one of the first female doctors in the United States, was a pioneer. In this compact entry in Forge?s American Heroes series, Walker (The Calamity Papers) brings her many accomplishments to light. Unfortunately, while the doctor?s history is fascinating?under the guise of a civilian contract surgeon, she spied for the Union, was imprisoned by the Confederate army for five months and was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1865?this brief, just-the-facts recounting doesn?t hint at Walker?s personality. As the author notes in his preface, Walker?s voice is curiously missing from historical records and her own writings were perfunctory, presenting a challenge for any historian looking to capture the woman, not just her deeds. In an effort to make up for this lack, the author attempts to contextualize Walker?s life, and often does so with great success. For example, the details of the famous John Brown trial and the political elections leading up to the Civil War shed light on her involvement with the anti-slavery movement; however, the book occasionally misses, drawing scant connections between historical anecdotes and Walker?s life. Although this brief chronicle succeeds more as a textbook lesson than as a nuanced biography, it is nonetheless a thorough overview of one of history?s most enigmatic heroines. (June) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.