Following the story of Mary Chesley, "Disruptive Women" shares the lives of Mary and her daughter Polly, and their importance to activism within Nova Scotia. There have been so many important women that history has overlooked and forgotten, and this book brings to light two of those women. Macdonald did a wonderful job giving these women the stories they deserve, and explaining how essential they were to women's rights and activism within our world.

Sharon M. H. MacDonald’s Disruptive Women: The Untold Story of Nova Scotia’s Pioneers of Peace and Suffrage is a compelling and meticulously researched work that brings to light the overlooked contributions of Mary Chesley and her daughter Polly. Through detailed narratives and twenty previously unseen black-and-white images, MacDonald paints a vivid picture of these women’s unwavering commitment to suffrage and peace. Mary’s activism within the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union and Polly’s international endeavors, including her collaboration with Mahatma Gandhi, are presented with clarity and depth. This book not only honors their legacies but also underscores the importance of recognizing women’s roles in shaping history.