Childhood illness, deafness and reading

Thinker, feminist, sociologist, campaigner: 19th-century writer Harriet Martineau was a pioneer and a radical across a huge range of areas, but it's very likely you've never heard of her. Stuart Hobday tells Matt Elton about a figure who played a key role in shaping the modern world – and wasn't afraid to ruffle some feathers along the way.

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Read more about radical women who shaped the modern world in HistoryExtra's extensive collection of articles and podcasts: https://bit.ly/4rt2sie

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