Olivia Campbell
Author Interview - Olivia Campbell
Author of Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine
“My book is about three of the first women to earn medical degrees: unlikely friends who banded together to establish a women’s medical school in London. Sexist roadblocks met them at every turn. Still, they chose not only to pursue their own goals, but to ensure those who came after them could do the same. Their work proved pivotal in opening the medical profession to women and elevating the quality of women’s healthcare.”
Author Interview - Olivia Campbell
Author I draw inspiration from: I have always loved the way Bill Bryson can seamlessly weave science, history, humor, and curiosity into stunning prose. In his quest to spell out why things are the way they are today, he asks questions most people don't think to ask, or simply overlook. But they're the kind of quirky questions that I myself have pondered, so that makes me feel very seen.
Author Interview - Olivia Campbell
Favorite place to read a book: Spreading out on the sofa with my cat on my lap.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: Mia Warren from the phenomenal novel "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng. I'd love the chance to pick her brain.
Author Interview - Olivia Campbell
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: I wrote a mystery novel when I was 7. My big sister and I loved Nancy Drew.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: Paperback. I do read ebooks, too, but I often forget which ones I have.
The last book I read: The last book I finished was "Lakewood" by Megan Giddings. It was a fascinating examination of family, race, medicine, and who our society considers expendable or exploitable.
Author Interview - Olivia Campbell
Pen & paper or computer: Computer. I do hand-write a lot of notes and interviews, though.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: Elizabeth Bennet from "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen. That probably sounds cliché, but it's one of my favorite novels. I credit Jane Austen with inspiring me to move to the UK after high school.
Author Interview - Olivia Campbell
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a: Ballet teacher. I was a ballet dancer for a long time, until I injured my foot and decided to pursue journalism instead.
Favorite decade in fashion history: The artistic or aesthetic dress movements of late 1800s Europe: Flowing dresses in light fabrics and rejection of tight corsets.
Place I’d most like to travel: New Zealand or India. I used to love to travel before I had kids. I even thought about being a travel journalist. Right now, travel seems so far away!
My signature drink: Chai. I'm not a big drinker of alcohol, but I am a huge fan of all types of tea.
Favorite artist: Gustav Klimt. I love his glorious depictions of puddles of women under piles of blankets. The colors, the swirls, the fabrics, the hair -- there's so much life and passion in his art.
Number one on my bucket list: An RV trip across the country with my family. I've never seen the west coast of the U.S. and it's high time I fix that. I think it would be such an amazing, memorable adventure.
Anything else you'd like to add: Be sure to request the books you love at your local library. It's especially helpful to us debut authors.
Find more from the author:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/liviecampbell
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liviebug26/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oliviacampbelljournalist
Author Bio: Olivia Campbell is a journalist and author specializing in women, medicine, and history. Her work has appeared in The Guardian, The Cut, Washington Post, Smithsonian Magazine, Literary Hub, and Scientific American, among others. Her debut nonfiction book, "Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine," is coming March 2, 2021 from HarperCollins/Park Row Books.
