Book excerpt: This unique collection of audio stories from the Amazing People Club reveals the stories of some amazing mistresses and in doing so, it turns the traditional concept of a mistress on its head. Meet controversial Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre's lover who wrote numerous influential books and papers, and challenged what was seen as the woman's role on a number of levels. Come 'face-to-face' with Emilie du Chatelet, the mistress of Voltaire. Du Chatelet clearly used her gender to her advantage and also defied convention. Marina Gamba is relatively unknown, but had three illegitimate children with Galileo the great scientist. Also, hear the story of Madame de Pompadour who rose from a relatively unassuming life to be the undisputed mistress of King Louis XV and held a very influential position behind the scenes at court. Each of these amazing women took risks and negotiated their personal lives in such a way that enabled them to live extraordinary lives. Each story comes to life through BioViews®. These are short biographical narratives, similar to interviews. They provide an easy way of learning about amazing people who made major contributions and changed our world.