THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT.

Philippa Gregory’s award-winning non-fiction book is the first long-form history of England with women at the centre of the story.  In this radical reframing of our nation’s story, events that we thought of as completely male-driven are told with an eye to the women in the shadows – and history is upended!

Please join us to celebrate the launch of a new edition – written specially for teens – Normal Women – Making History for 900 Years and enjoy an evening of fun, scholarship and storytelling, putting women back where they belong – centre stage. and enjoy an evening of fun, scholarship and storytelling, putting women back where they belong – centre stage.

Along with the original book and the YA paperback, there will be a special hardback gift edition of the YA edition available to purchase on the evening.

 This essential work of social history describes an almost infinite variety of ‘normal women’ – whose extraordinary lives were normal for their time and tells us how women adapt to be whatever society demands.

When we think of women of the past, we often think of the 1800s and 1900s – crinolines and stage coaches, bonnets and balls – a time when women were told they were naturally inferior to men, and must stay at home while men went out to work and have fun. But in these books, we meet the women who made us.  The ‘normal women’ going to war, ploughing fields, writing, and loving. They rode chargers in jousts, flew Spitfires, issued their own currency and built ships, corn mills and houses as part of their everyday lives. They committed crimes, or treason, worshipped many gods, played sport, cooked and nursed, invented and rioted. Being exceptional or heroic – or even deviant and inadequate – is completely normal for women.  It just didn’t make it into the history books.

 ‘Impressively researched, by turns inspiring and chilling . . . brilliantly told for young readers’ – Cressida Cowell

‘This book is redemption for unsung female heroes. Prepare to feel aghast, proud and inspired’ – Geri Halliwell

“We all know the quote ‘he who owns the narrative controls the story’. So much of our history has been led and told by men. Gregory rewrites 900 years of history and reveals a path women can be proud of and build from. What could be more uplifting and empowering?“ – Edwina Dunn, The Female Lead

A partnership event between HuddLitFest and Read bookshop Holmfirth. Early bird ticket sales end 2 February.

Philippa Gregory began her career as a journalist but decided at 21 to enrol at the University of Sussex to study English Literature as she loved reading fiction. At university she had to take a compulsory Introduction to History course by a brilliant lecturer – and she fell in love with the study of History and has never recovered. She went on to do a PhD in eighteenth-century literature at the University of Edinburgh, and became a full-time writer. Now she is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff, an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck University of London and she was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her services to literature and to charity.

Philippa is famous worldwide for her historical novels like The Other Boleyn Girl, which was made into a movie, and The White Queen, which was adapted for television. She wrote The Princess Rules series for younger readers and she has published a Young Adult series called The Order of Darkness. The Sunday Times bestselling adult edition of Normal Women was published by William Collins in 2023, with the paperback edition following in 2024 and teen editions releasing in 2025.

Access and Covid safety measures: if you have specific access needs or queries and/or prefer to be seated away from other audience members as a Covid safety measure, please contact our Admin at: [email protected] with your request.

Date: Monday 10 March 

Time: 7pm-8pm (doors 6.30pm) 

Location: The North Light, Brookes Mill, 78 Armitage Rd, Armitage Bridge, Huddersfield HD4 7NR 

Tickets: General Admission (ticket only) £9, GeneralAdmission + book £17 (adult and YA editions), Free (ticket only) for essential carers accompanying a paying ticket holder.

For further information on concession and essential carer tickets please visit our FAQ’s page.

Age guidance: 12+ (under 16s should be accompanied by an adult) 

Access Guide: please contact the venue on 01484 340 003

Book Tickets

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