This is a collection of portraits of twelve outstanding women who lived and worked in Cambridge during the century before women were admitted fully to membership of the University. The subjects include Jane Harrison, distinguished scholar of Greek religion, Mrs Sidgwick, founder of Newnham College, Eileen Power, medieval historian, Nora Chadwick, scholar of Norse and Celtic, Honor Fell, cell biologist and founding force behind the Strangeways Laboratory, Frances Cornford, poet, and Rosalind Franklin, whose work on DNA was essential to the Watson-Crick model. All were outstanding personalities as well as distinguished scholars, and the 'twelve portraits' give a vivid account of their lives and work.

'After all that has been written about the narcissistic, self-important, masculine coterie of the Cambridge 'Apostles', it is a pleasure to read this book about the other Cambridge.' Hugh Trevor-Roper, Sunday Telegraph