Yves Rees rewrites the story of AustralianUS relations by spotlighting ten trailblazing women whose extraordinary lives have largely been forgotten.

A celebrity decorator with blue hair. A single mother who advised JFK in the Oval Office. A Christian nudist with a passion for almond milk.

A century ago, ten Australian women did something remarkable. Throwing convention to the wind, they headed across the Pacific to make their fortune. In doing so, they reoriented Australia towards the United States years before politicians began to lumber down the same path.

For the artist Mary Cecil Allen, this meant spreading the word about American abstract expressionism. For the naturopath Alice Caporn, it meant evangelising fruit juices and salads. For the swimmer Isabel Letham, it was teaching synchronised swimming. Others imported the latest thinking in dentistry, fashion, economics, law, music, medicine and more. They were rebels, they were trailblazers, they were disruptors. Individually, they have extraordinary stories; together, they change the narrative of Australian history.

‘Rees boasts an enviable combination of scholarly research rigour, complex analysis and lucid, accessible communication skills.’ Clare Wright

‘Rees has an incredible talent in finding and presenting history in a manner that connects, challenges, contextualises and extends our understanding of ourselves. They are a huge talent.’ Jacinta Parsons