For centuries, the experiences of women have been overlooked in history books exclusively written, edited and published by men, says best-selling British writer Phillipa Gregory. “[Recorded history] has not really looked at women's lives, which often are full of events, often full of heroism, often full effect - their lives make a huge difference to the national story but they're just not recorded.” While researching Anne Boleyn's lesser-known sister Mary for her 2011 novel The Other Boleyn Girl, Gregory had the idea of writing a book that celebrated the invisible women at the centre of history. She tells Nine to Noon that Normal Women: 900 Years of Making History is a culmination of her life's work.