The original concept for To Charm a Bluestocking came while helping my family with some research into the family histories. My great-grandmother, Caroline d’Ancona (my father’s mother’s mother) was among the earliest female medical graduates in Holland. I started to think about what challenges she would have faced, and which of those challenges still resonant with readers today.

This is her medical degree from 1910. Note that the masculine titles (Mr) have been hand crossed out and replaced with the feminine ones.

Near the end of her career as a doctor, she wrote this book in conjunction with her husband and another doctor.

And the title page with all the author’s information.

Note: kinderarts translates to pediatrician; arts translates to doctor and zenuwarts translates to neurologist.

This is a photo of my father, with the original photo resting beside the photo in the book.

Read about the Bluestocking series here, or buy To Charm a Bluestocking here.