--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A woman's biography - with about eight…" description: "\"A woman's biography - with about eight famous historical exceptions - so often turns out to be the story of a man and the woman who helped his career.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/catherine-drinker-bowen-22445_biographies_a-woman-s-biography-with-about-eight-fam_257243.png" --- # A woman's biography - with about eight famous historical… ![“A woman's biography - with about eight famous historical exceptions - so often turns out to be the story of a man and the woman who helped his career.” quote by Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/catherine-drinker-bowen-22445_biographies_a-woman-s-biography-with-about-eight-fam_257243.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/catherine-drinker-bowen-22445_biographies_a-woman-s-biography-with-about-eight-fam_257243.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/catherine-drinker-bowen-22445_biographies_a-woman-s-biography-with-about-eight-fam_257243.png) > “A woman's biography - with about eight famous historical exceptions - so often turns out to be the story of a man and the woman who helped his career.” [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical biographies often center men, marginalizing women's contributions. **In simple terms:** Women’s stories are told through men. Key Takeaway Highlight women's own achievements. Themes gender history representation Mood critical analytical Type historical feminist When to use this quote - education - media - research - advocacy Key Concepts feminist theory historical bias Questions to Reflect On - Whose voices are missing in history? - How can we rewrite narratives? A Different Perspective Male-focused narratives can obscure women's impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biographies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biographies/) [Biography Famous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biography-famous-2543863/) [Careers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careers/) [Eight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eight/) [Exception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exception/) [Famous Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famous-historical-2543864/) [Helped Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helped-career-750795/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Woman Biography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman-biography-2543862/) [Woman Helped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman-helped-585710/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [Being a woman has helped my career more than it's hindered it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mildred-dresselhaus/being-a-woman-has-helped-my-career-more-than-it-s-hindered-it/) [Mildred Dresselhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mildred-dresselhaus/) > [When I stopped seeing my mother through the eyes of a child, I saw the woman who helped me give birth to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-friday/when-i-stopped-seeing-my-mother-through-the-eyes-of-a-child-i-saw-the/) [Nancy Friday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-friday/) > [When I stopped seeing my mother with the eyes of a child, I saw the woman who helped me give birth to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-friday/when-i-stopped-seeing-my-mother-with-the-eyes-of-a-child-i-saw-the/) [Nancy Friday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-friday/) > [My dad and my mom told me, 'Don't just think there's one way to be successful.' Remember, there's more than one way to spread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-allen/my-dad-and-my-mom-told-me-don-t-just-think-there-s-one-way-to-be/) [Jimmie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-allen/) > [Social media has truly helped my career because it has given models a voice. And a voice is something that we want to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-graham/social-media-has-truly-helped-my-career-because-it-has-given-models-a/) [Ashley Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-graham/) > [A competitive edge has helped me through my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anderson/a-competitive-edge-has-helped-me-through-my-career/) [James Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anderson/) > [He helped my career, helped me basketball-wise and every other way. I'm a big fan of Thibs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calipari/he-helped-my-career-helped-me-basketball-wise-and-every-other-way-i-m/) [John Calipari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calipari/) > [I'm a very stubborn person. I think it has helped me over my career. I'm sure it has hindered me at times as well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-beckham/i-m-a-very-stubborn-person-i-think-it-has-helped-me-over-my-career-i/) [David Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-beckham/) > [I am not unhappy that my contribution was not recognized. I am sure it helped my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron/i-am-not-unhappy-that-my-contribution-was-not-recognized-i-am-sure-it/) [John Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron/) > [I owe a great deal of thanks to this man who will be gracious enough to say I've helped him with his career and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-black/i-owe-a-great-deal-of-thanks-to-this-man-who-will-be-gracious-enough/) [Shane Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-black/) > [Many people have helped me during my career and without them and fantastic team-mates and coaches it would not have been possible to achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/many-people-have-helped-me-during-my-career-and-without-them-and/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [I majored in the history and literature of Russia and Britain. It has not helped my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-jost/i-majored-in-the-history-and-literature-of-russia-and-britain-it-has/) [Colin Jost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-jost/) > [It wasn't until I had a platform and an opportunity like 'Being the Elite' to show people that I'm a real human being. Show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-page/it-wasn-t-until-i-had-a-platform-and-an-opportunity-like-being-the/) [Adam Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-page/) > [I just tried to make as many plays as possible to try and show them how hard I work and how hard I prepare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hogan/i-just-tried-to-make-as-many-plays-as-possible-to-try-and-show-them/) [Chris Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hogan/) > [“Do you think this has helped your career?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gertner/do-you-think-this-has-helped-your-career/) [Jon Gertner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gertner/) ## More by Catherine Drinker Bowen > [Writing is not apart from living. Writing is a kind of double living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/writing-is-not-apart-from-living-writing-is-a-kind-of-double-living/) [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) > [In writing biography, fact and fiction shouldn't be mixed. And if they are, the fictional points should be printed in red ink, the facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/in-writing-biography-fact-and-fiction-shouldn-t-be-mixed-and-if-they/) [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) > [What the writer needs is an empty day ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/what-the-writer-needs-is-an-empty-day-ahead/) [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) > [“Writing is a kind of double living. The writer experiences every thing twice. Once in reality and once in that mirror which waits always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/writing-is-a-kind-of-double-living-the-writer-experiences-every-thing/) [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) > [Will the reader turn the page?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/will-the-reader-turn-the-page/) [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) > [People who carry a musical soul about them are, I think, more receptive than others. They smile more readily. One feels in them a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/people-who-carry-a-musical-soul-about-them-are-i-think-more-receptive/) [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) > [Many a man who has known himself at ten forgets himself utterly between ten and thirty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/many-a-man-who-has-known-himself-at-ten-forgets-himself-utterly/) [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) > [Writing, I think, is not apart from living. Writing is a kind of double living. The writer experiences everything twice. Once in reality and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/writing-i-think-is-not-apart-from-living-writing-is-a-kind-of-double/) [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) > [All the others arts are lonely. We paint alone--my picture, my interpretation of the sky. My poem, my novel. But in music--ensemble music, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/all-the-others-arts-are-lonely-we-paint-alone-my-picture-my/) [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) > [Chamber music - a conversation between friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/chamber-music-a-conversation-between-friends/) [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) > [History is, in its essence, exciting; to present it as dull is, to my mind, stark and unforgivable misrepresentation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/history-is-in-its-essence-exciting-to-present-it-as-dull-is-to-my/) [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) > [your concert-goer, though he feed upon symphony as a lamb upon milk, is no true lover if he play no instrument. Your true lover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/your-concert-goer-though-he-feed-upon-symphony-as-a-lamb-upon-milk-is/) [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) > [What pioneer ever had chart and a lighthouse to steer by?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/what-pioneer-ever-had-chart-and-a-lighthouse-to-steer-by/) [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) > [In early days, I tried not to give librarians any trouble, which was where I made my primary mistake. Librarians like to be given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/in-early-days-i-tried-not-to-give-librarians-any-trouble-which-was/) [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) > [One of the marks of true genius is a quality of abundance. A rich, rollicking abundance, enough to give indigestion to ordinary people. Great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/one-of-the-marks-of-true-genius-is-a-quality-of-abundance-a-rich/) [Catherine Drinker Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) [Explore all 27 Catherine Drinker Bowen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/) ## More Biographies quotes > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [The last act in the biography of the hero is that of the death or departure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-last-act-in-the-biography-of-the-hero-is-that-of-the-death-or/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [If I were entering adulthood now instead of in the environment of fifty years ago, I would choose a career that kept me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/if-i-were-entering-adulthood-now-instead-of-in-the-environment-of/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [I have my own biography of Gram Parsons - I don't want to be part of somebody else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmylou-harris/i-have-my-own-biography-of-gram-parsons-i-don-t-want-to-be-part-of/) [Emmylou Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmylou-harris/) > [Biographies of great, but especially of good men are most instructive and useful as helps, guides, and incentives to others. Some of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/biographies-of-great-but-especially-of-good-men-are-most-instructive/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [All Philosophy is Biography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-j-carroll/all-philosophy-is-biography/) [Peter J. Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-j-carroll/) > [Life is a biography, not a series of disconnected moments, more or less pleasurable but increasingly tedious and unsatisfying unless one imposes a purposive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dalrymple/life-is-a-biography-not-a-series-of-disconnected-moments-more-or-less/) [Theodore Dalrymple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dalrymple/) > [I hope any poem I've ever written could stand on its own and not need to be a part of biography, critical theory or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-goldbarth/i-hope-any-poem-i-ve-ever-written-could-stand-on-its-own-and-not-need/) [Albert Goldbarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-goldbarth/) > [The richly cadenced prose is hypnotic, the research prodigious, the analysis acute, the mood spellbinding, and the cast of characters mythic in scale. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-chernow/the-richly-cadenced-prose-is-hypnotic-the-research-prodigious-the/) [Ron Chernow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-chernow/) > [ I read so ravenously that I would read through whole categories. I was crazy about reading biographies. \[...\] I think biographies are very urgent… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-read-so-ravenously-that-i-would-read-through-whole-categories-i-was/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [I don't want to say that most rock bands live these formulaic biography existences - but they kinda do. There's always a divorce. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/i-don-t-want-to-say-that-most-rock-bands-live-these-formulaic/) [Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/) > [Formerly Milton's Paradise Lost had been my chief favourite, and in my excursions during the voyage of the Beagle, when I could take only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/formerly-milton-s-paradise-lost-had-been-my-chief-favourite-and-in-my/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [On the other hand, when I give it closer thought, I realize I'm not enough of a dictator to conduct an orchestra because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eberhard-weber/on-the-other-hand-when-i-give-it-closer-thought-i-realize-i-m-not/) [Eberhard Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eberhard-weber/) > [It can be a long gap between the emergence of fully researched historical biographies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/it-can-be-a-long-gap-between-the-emergence-of-fully-researched/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [Always live your life with your biography in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/always-live-your-life-with-your-biography-in-mind/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) [Browse all 587 Biographies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biographies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A woman's biography - with about eight famous historical exceptions - so often turns out to be the story of a man and the woman who helped his career.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Catherine Drinker Bowen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/a-woman-s-biography-with-about-eight-famous-historical-exceptions-so/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Biographies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/a-woman-s-biography-with-about-eight-famous-historical-exceptions-so/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/catherine-drinker-bowen-22445_biographies_a-woman-s-biography-with-about-eight-fam_257243.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/catherine-drinker-bowen-22445_biographies_a-woman-s-biography-with-about-eight-fam_257243.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/catherine-drinker-bowen-22445_biographies_a-woman-s-biography-with-about-eight-fam_257243.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A woman's biography - with about eight famous historical exceptions - so often turns out to be the story of…” — Catherine Drinker Bowen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Catherine Drinker Bowen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-drinker-bowen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A woman's biography - with about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/a-woman-s-biography-with-about-eight-famous-historical-exceptions-so/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-drinker-bowen/a-woman-s-biography-with-about-eight-famous-historical-exceptions-so/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```