You Daughters of Freedom

For the ten years from 1902, when Australia’s suffrage campaigners won the vote for white women, the world looked to this trailblazing young democracy for inspiration. 

Clare Wright’s epic new history tells the story of that victory—and of Australia’s role in the subsequent international struggle—through the eyes of five remarkable players: the redoubtable Vida Goldstein, the flamboyant Nellie Martel, indomitable Dora Montefiore, daring Muriel Matters, and artist Dora Meeson Coates, who painted the controversial Australian banner carried in the British suffragettes’ monster marches of 1908 and 1911.

Clare Wright’s Stella Prize-winning The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka retold one of Australia’s foundation stories from a fresh new perspective. With You Daughters of Freedom she brings to life a time when Australian democracy was the envy of the world—and the standard bearer for progress in a shining new century.

Dr Clare Wright is an award-winning historian and author who has worked as an academic, political speechwriter, historical consultant and radio and television broadcaster. Her most recent book, The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka, won the 2014 Stella Prize and the 2014 NIB Award for Literature and was shortlisted for many other awards.

‘A rare achievement. Grand, bold and brilliantly written.’ Mark McKenna

‘A thrilling tale, superbly told, of brave Australian women with a passion for politics.’ Judith Brett

‘Immediately entrancing.’ Guardian on The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka

‘A timely corrective to an exclusively masculinist telling of our national legend.’ Nadia Wheatley, Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society on The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka

‘A career-defining work of scholarship and storytelling.’ The Conversation on The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka

‘Clare Wright’s You Daughters of Freedom is the uplifting story of a time Australia led the world in including women in our democratic project. It is a reminder of our proud legacy and a clarion call for who we can be.’ Penny Wong

‘The essential story of our greatest reformers, and one of our proudest achievements as a nation.’ George Megalogenis

‘One of the country’s most accomplished story-tellers relates Australian women’s fight for the vote in all of its passion, intensity and drama.’ Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU