The Book of Gutsy Women: Favorite Stories of Courage and Resilience
by Hillary Rodham Clinton & Chelsea Clinton
S. & S. Oct. 2019. 464p. ISBN 9781501178412. $35. BIOG
Former first lady, secretary of state, and senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, and daughter Chelsea Clinton (Columbia Univ. Mailman Sch. of Public Health) collaborate on this inspiring collection featuring influential women doctors, scientists, inventors, educators, politicians, athletes, and more. Notable figures, including Harriet Tubman, Helen Keller, Sojourner Truth, and Florence Nightingale, are cast alongside those shaping the history of tomorrow, as the authors show the power of these women's influence to effect change. The book is grouped into categories such as "healers" or "inventors," and each section features a few pages of biographical narrative with brief commentary by the authors. While the author remarks can be distracting in some cases, in others it adds interest, such as Rodham Clinton's account of her interactions with the women of South Africa's Victoria Mxenge community postapartheid.
VERDICT Broad in scope, this will appeal to a wide audience owing to the range of women spotlighted. Given its length, this is a book to savor over multiple sittings, allowing readers to revisit well-known heroines or discover new ones among the pages.
Reviewed by Stacy Shaw, Denver , Nov 08, 2019
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