The Woman at the Wheel is a historical fiction novel that focuses on Bertha Ringer-Benz, the wife of Carl Benz, the man who invented the first motorwagen and, ultimately, the Mercedes-Benz company.
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It is a slow-burn story about the eventual creation of the car. However, I appreciate the focus on Bertha and not her husband. Overall, it was a good story about a woman and her devotion to her family, her husband’s career, and her own dreams.
This is also a story of a woman who longs to be more than just a girl. She is a feminist of her time and is also deeply devoted to her husband and children. She is just as invested and devoted to her family as she is to her husband’s invention. Everything that she does is to advance and care for everyone in her home, including using her dowry as an investment during the prototype process of inventing the vehicle and stepping into business negotiations when women were not involved in business dealings.
I have been privileged enough to have visited the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart, Germany. I remember some talk about the Benz family, but I cannot remember how much they talked about Bertha. I guess I need to plan another trip and find out.
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