Celebrate Women's History Month with books about Catherine the Great, the Countess of the real Downton Abbey, King Peggy, and more.

By Newsroom America Feeds at 16 Mar 2012

"Well-behaved women seldom make history."--Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

In honor of Women's History Month, we're featuring books about the contributions of women past and present. Our selections reflect a wide range of experiences and cultures--from the extraordinary story of Catherine the Great to the revolutionary invention of film star Hedy Lamarr to the real-life fairy tale of an American secretary chosen to be king of an impoverished African village.

To thank our subscribers, we are happy to offer free ground UPS shipping on your purchases. Simply enter coupon code "SNOWY12" at checkout to qualify. ==========================================

CATHERINE THE GREAT Written by Robert K. Massie Category: Biography & Autobiography - Royalty $35.00 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOBkEzDnGHxKXIdI8vcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplza

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA returns with another masterpiece of narrative biography, the extraordinary story of an obscure young German princess who traveled to Russia at fourteen and rose to become one of the most remarkable, powerful, and captivating women in history.

LADY ALMINA AND THE REAL DOWNTON ABBEY Written by The Countess of Carnarvon Category: Biography & Autobiography - Historical $15.99 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOBkEzDnGHxKXIdI8_cStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplzb

Get the story behind Highclere Castle, the real-life inspiration for "Downton Abbey," and the life of one of its most famous inhabitants, Lady Almina, the fifth Countess of Carnarvon and the basis of the fictional character Lady Cora Crawley. Drawing on a rich store of materials from the archives of Highclere Castle, including diaries, letters, and photographs, the current Lady Carnarvon has written a transporting story of this fabled home on the brink of war.

KING PEGGY Written by Peggielene Bartels and Eleanor Herman Category: Biography & Autobiography - Personal Memoirs $25.95 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOBkEzDnGHxKXIdI8PcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplzY

The charming real-life fairy tale of an American secretary who discovers she has been chosen king of an impoverished fishing village on the west coast of Africa. KING PEGGY has the sweetness and quirkiness of THE NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY series and the hopeful sense of possibility of HALF THE SKY.

THE FIRST LADY OF FLEET STREET Written by Eilat Negev and Yehuda Koren Category: Biography & Autobiography - Women $30.00 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOBkEzDnGHxKXIdI8fcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplzZ

A panoramic portrait of a remarkable woman and the tumultuous Victorian era on which she made her mark, THE FIRST LADY OF FLEET STREET chronicles the meteoric rise and tragic fall of Rachel Beer--indomitable heiress, social crusader, and newspaper pioneer.

THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS Written by Rebecca Skloot Category: Science - History $16.00 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOBkEzDnGHxKXIdI9vcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplze

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells--taken without her knowledge--became one of the most important tools in medicine.

BURN DOWN THE GROUND Written by Kambri Crews Category: Biography & Autobiography - Personal Memoirs $25.00 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOBkEzDnGHxKXIdI9_cStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplzf

In this powerful, affecting, and unflinching memoir, a daughter looks back on her unconventional childhood with deaf parents in rural Texas while trying to reconcile it to her present life--one in which her father is serving a twenty-year sentence in a maximum-security prison.

HEDY'S FOLLY Written by Richard Rhodes Category: Biography & Autobiography - Science & Technology $26.95 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOBkEzDnGHxKXIdI9PcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplzc

What do screen siren Hedy Lamarr, avant-garde composer George Antheil, and your cell phone have in common? The answer is spread-spectrum radio. Without this technology, we would not have the digital comforts that we take for granted today.

WILD Written by Cheryl Strayed Category: Biography & Autobiography - Personal Memoirs $25.95 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOBkEzDnGHxKXIdI9fcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplzd

A powerful, blazingly honest memoir: the story of an eleven-hundred-mile solo hike that broke down a young woman reeling from catastrophe--and built her back up again.

"Stunning . . . An incredible journey, both inward and outward." --Garth Stein, author of THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN

REDEMPTION Written by Stacey Lannert and Kristen Kemp Category: Biography & Autobiography - Women $15.00 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOBkEzDnGHxKXIdIivcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplzi

Now in paperback, the gripping, affecting memoir of a young woman who killed her father after years of abuse, spent half of a lifetime in prison, and triumphed over the harshest of circumstances.

A CENTURY OF WISDOM Written by Caroline Stoessinger Category: Biography & Autobiography - Composers & Musicians $23.00 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOBkEzDnGHxKXIdIi_cStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplzj

Readers won't soon forgot this inspiring story of resilience and the power of optimism--the life lessons and wisdom of Alice Herz-Sommer, the world's oldest living Holocaust survivor, as gleaned through her remarkable life.

UNTIED Written by Meredith Baxter Category: Biography & Autobiography - Entertainment & Performing Arts $15.00 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOBkEzDnGHxKXIdIiPcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplzg

In UNTIED, Meredith Baxter Birney opens up about everything from her troubled childhood to her high-profile romance and devastating marriage with David Birney to the set of "Family Ties" to motherhood, alcoholism, breast cancer, and coming out as a lesbian late in life. Meredith's empowering story behind the story is a family memoir, a story of finding one's center and one's path in life.

Books for Young Readers

MRS. HARKNESS AND THE PANDA Written by Alicia Potter; illustrated by Melissa Sweet Category: Juvenile Nonfiction - Biography & Autobiography - Historical $16.99 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOBkEzDnGHxKXIdIifcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplzh

The incredible, true story of a female adventurer who brought America its first panda. With breathtaking illustrations from Caldecott Honor artist Melissa Sweet, this little-known true story shares the tale of an adventurous woman who was bold and brave--and the unforgettable journey that helped shape American attitudes toward wildlife. ==========================================

This offer is valid for customers residing in the United States of America who place orders online through www.randomhouse.com. Note: www.randomhouse.com does not fulfill orders internationally. Customers must enter the promotion code SNOWY12 at checkout to qualify for the promotion. Coupon code valid through March 31, 2012.