Totally Booked with Zibby

Episode: Norah O’Donnell Writes The Ultimate Guide to American Women in U.S. History

Date: February 25, 2026
Host: Zibby Owens
Guests: Norah O’Donnell & Kate Anderson Brower

Episode Overview

In this episode, Zibby Owens sits down with Norah O’Donnell and Kate Anderson Brower, authors of We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America. The conversation unveils the process behind their new book—a sweeping, meticulously researched account that spotlights the often-overlooked stories of women who played critical roles in the formation and evolution of the United States. Together, they reflect on lost voices, personal revelations that emerged in the writing process, and the importance of seeing women at the center of the narrative of American history.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Why This Book, Now?

• Zibby Owens [05:30]: Praises the book as “the history textbook that we didn't have growing up” and asks if making it required reading was the goal.
• Norah O’Donnell [05:42]: Admits history classes were “pretty boring” since they focused mostly on men and shares, "I didn't realize this would actually unlock something in me personally. The goal was to lift up women’s stories, lift up women’s voices. It turned into such a labor of love."
• Kate Anderson Brower [06:33]: Shares even as a self-proclaimed history buff, many stories were new to her: “We want this book to be part of that long and hopefully growing group of books about women and their role in American history.”

Forgotten Legends Resurfaced

• Phillis Wheatley — a Black poet and enslaved young woman whose story is rarely taught:
  • Norah O’Donnell [07:43]: “Phillis Wheatley was the poet laureate of the American Revolution… one of the first Black women published ever. She inspired George Washington, inspired others. She’s a remarkable story.”
• Mary Katherine Goddard — the publisher who first officially printed the Declaration of Independence, risking her life to put her name on the document [08:30].
  • Norah: "She put Mary Katherine Goddard—her full name—on it. She was later fired from her job, but she was incredibly brave."
  • Zibby [09:35]: Highlights how bold and under-recognized Goddard was: “I love that you put this publisher basically as the badass of the book.”

Trailblazers in Disguise

• Deborah Sampson:
  • Zibby [10:15]: Reads a passage about Sampson, one of the first women to take a bullet for America by disguising herself as a man to join the army.
  • Norah O’Donnell [11:08]: “What Deborah Sampson did to disguise herself to fight in the American Revolution...she went on the road and was able to tell her story in a public way.”
  • Norah draws attention to Dr. Mary Edwards Walker—first female surgeon in the U.S. Army, Civil War hero, only woman to receive the Medal of Honor (which was later taken from her, but she refused to give it back), and the Hello Girls, World War I switchboard operators.

The Power of Collective Action

• Kate Anderson Brower [12:35]: Shares her favorite quote from Merle Egan Anderson, a "Hello Girl" who finally received recognition for wartime service in 2024:

  “I love my country. Consequently, I want that country to be worth loving.” (Merle Egan Anderson, [13:50])

Rewriting History Through a Different Lens

• Zibby [16:13]: Notes the narrative structure—short yet deep stories that let readers “almost rewrite...the narrative of history through these stories versus the stories we've been told.”
• Norah O’Donnell [17:04]: Emphasizes the aim: “Find women from different parts of American history in different fields...I wonder how my own sense of self and courage and power would have changed if I had learned about these women in school.”

Personal Impact and Reflections

• Zibby [18:48]: Asks how the project changed Norah personally.
• Norah O’Donnell [18:54]: Reveals that learning these stories “awakened” something in her: “I find myself finding my own voice in learning about the power of these women and what they endured...I just think, now, if more little girls knew about that, would more little girls want to run for office?”
• On Eleanor Roosevelt, Norah expresses awe at discovering new dimensions of her life and legacy—“How is that not seared into my memory?” [19:41]

On Sharing Feelings as a Journalist

• Zibby [21:20]: “Why do you feel that even though you are a journalist and have to be objective, you can't share how you feel about it?”
• Norah O’Donnell [21:35]: Acknowledges the importance of feelings, but “my life is listening, you know, and gathering stories...I did feel something awakening in me by learning about these women...Shouldn't we be further along? But I think by celebrating and highlighting the stories of women, I hope it allows more women to see their power.”

The Role of Community and Change

• Citing Harriet Beecher Stowe, Norah underscores:

  “Women are the real architects of society...behind every great social and political movement in America.” [22:39]

Norah O’Donnell’s Path to Journalism

• Norah O’Donnell [23:36]: Shares that growing up an “army brat” with news constantly present, and seeing Barbara Walters on TV, inspired her to pursue journalism: “To see it is to believe it. Barbara [Walters] inspired in me the idea that wow, I could hold a front row seat to history.”

Who Are Today’s Hidden Heroes?

• Zibby [24:43]: Asks whom they’d include from current times.
• Norah O’Donnell [25:03]: Reflects on the challenge: “We struggled with choosing contemporary women because we would leave someone out...But I believe to break the final glass ceiling, women are going to need a national security or military background.”
• Kate Anderson Brower [26:38]: Adds the difficulty of evaluating history as it happens, but notes the influence of figures like Congresswoman Schroeder, Billie Jean King, and women in law.

The Long Road: Research and Writing

• Zibby [27:58]: “How long did this take?”
• Norah O’Donnell [28:07]: “Almost three years from the conception of this idea.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Norah O’Donnell [05:42]: “I feel like a lot of the history that I learned in school was pretty boring...because it was mostly about men in history.”
• Kate Anderson Brower [06:33]: “We got to know the scholars who have been studying these women...people hadn’t even bothered to look at these stories before.”
• Norah O’Donnell [11:08]: “We want these stories and lives to matter, and that's why we are telling this story. I'm almost gonna get emotional about saying that because their lives were so revolutionary and so extraordinary.”
• Kate Anderson Brower [13:50]: “I love my country. Consequently, I want that country to be worth loving.” — Merle Egan Anderson, Hello Girl, on why she served.
• Norah O’Donnell [17:04]: “I do hope too...I wonder how my own sense of self and courage and power would have changed about my own possibilities and my own power if I had learned about these women in school.”
• Norah O’Donnell [21:35]: “Excavating the truth of a matter is what a journalist does. And that's what we did—excavate the stories of these women's lives.”
• Norah O’Donnell [23:36]: “To see it is to believe it. Barbara [Walters] inspired in me the idea that wow, I could hold a front row seat to history and be a journalist.”
• Norah O’Donnell [22:39]: “Women are the real architects of society. They're behind every great social and political movement…”

Important Timestamps

• [05:27] Welcome and book introduction
• [05:42] Norah on making history engaging and inclusive
• [06:33] Kate on discovering untold women’s histories
• [07:43] Phillis Wheatley and Amanda Gorman connection
• [08:30] Mary Katherine Goddard’s role in American history
• [10:15] Deborah Sampson’s wartime heroics
• [11:08] Tribute to Dr. Mary Edwards Walker and “Hello Girls”
• [13:50] Merle Egan Anderson’s quote on patriotism
• [16:13] Rewriting the narrative of U.S. history through women’s stories
• [17:04] Constance Baker Motley and her overlooked legacy
• [18:48] How writing the book changed Norah personally
• [19:41] The enduring inspiration of Eleanor Roosevelt
• [21:35] Norah’s philosophy on objectivity and storytelling
• [22:39] The power of women’s community through American history
• [23:36] Norah’s journey into journalism
• [25:03] Contemporary women and the challenge of chronicling recent history
• [28:07] The multi-year research and writing process

Episode Tone

The conversation is knowledgeable yet accessible, blending admiration and urgency with a sense of discovery and reverence. Both authors and the host are passionate about correcting the record and inspiring future generations with formidable, nuanced, and deeply human stories of American women.

Summary Takeaways

• We the Women serves as a crucial corrective to male-centric historical narratives, lending long-overdue recognition to women’s contributions in America’s past.
• The book and the episode spotlight a spectrum of figures—writers, fighters, caregivers, leaders—united by resilience and a commitment to societal good, often facing tremendous obstacles without expectation of glory.
• Norah O’Donnell emphasizes the transformative power of understanding women's history both for individuals and the nation: knowing these stories can reframe what girls and women believe is possible.
• The project was deeply personal for both authors, awakening a sense of voice, agency, and connection to history, and reinforcing the need to continue uplifting hidden (and emerging) heroes.

For All Listeners:
If you want your sense of history challenged and expanded—and if you want to discover women whose legacies echo (or should echo) in today’s America—this episode and book are indispensable.