Alchemy and women? Women have been largely absent from the research literature on this topic, and the historical record—like so many other subjects—is sparse. However, this impression is misleading. In fact, women practiced alchemy in many parts of Europe and even actively exchanged their knowledge among themselves. Through 33 fascinating, thoroughly researched biographies, the author illustrates how rich "female research" has been over the centuries, as well as how female scholarly spirit has often been perceived with irritation, faced hostility, and most often, not taken seriously.