Wheels of Change by Sue Macy

People often think of the history of transportation as going from horses and carriages to the automobile. But where does the bicycle fit in? On two (or three) wheels, bicycles changed how people traveled, socialized, and even thought about the world. Bicycles were particularly important for women because they represented a way for women to get out into the world beyond their own houses and neighbourhoods. Few people could have predicted how important bicycles would become to the women's movement.

Until now, I've really only thought of bicycles and feminists together in the context of the phrase "a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle." In Wheels of Change, though, it was easy to see how connected bicycles were to movement, freedom, and change. This book has lots of examples of just how pervasive the bicycle culture became in American society. I liked the pictures of the different models of bikes and the (now ridiculous sounding) reasons why bicycles weren't suited for women.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Basketball Belles by Sue Macy
Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg
Elizabeth Leads the Way by Tanya Lee Stone