This unique guide will enable students, librarians, and general readers to easily identify the best biographies and autobiographies of 500 of the most notable women throughout world history. Spanning from 1503 B.C. to the present, the guide features entries on historical and contemporary women from 60 countries who have achieved recognition in more than 50 fields of endeavor. It annotates more than 1,300 recommended books published since 1970 about these women.

The heading of each entry identifies the woman's birth/death dates, country of birth, and field of endeavor. The entry contains a brief biographical sketch of the woman and an annotated list of up to five recommended biographies, autobiographies, letter collections, or journals concerning her life.

Three appendixes listing women according to year of birth, country of birth, and main field of interest, acquired title, or occupation will help researchers easily locate women from specific time periods, countries, or professions.