No comments about Change Is Possible: Stories of Women and Minorities in Mathematics.

No comments about The Diaries of Lady Anne Clifford.

5 comments about Fighting Fire.

1. Love this book; have read it over five times. The best part is her description of fighting fires..you can actually feel the heat of the fames as she fights the fire from the nozzle point. She could be a Joseph Wambaugh or Gina Gallo of fire fighting if she wanted to be. I think she's trying to go in a more literary direction, but I'd really like to see more fire fighting books out of her. The part of the book that surpised me was the "east coast" idea that a fire fighter was a "lowly" blue collar job. I'm from San Francisco, and here everyone looks up to the position of fire fighter as a very special job, that only a few chosen can do. It never occurred to me that people looked at fire fighters in any other way.



2. This and other books like this that focus on the minorities are the types of books that try to destroy the brotherhood of being a fireman. All the othe men that have had books written about them did something heroic to get that book about them these women did not when they do i will be more then happy to read their book.



3. I really enjoyed reading this book. I think everything that was written had it's place in the book. It was her book her story, told the way she felt it needed to be told. I think this would be a good book for anyone interested in becoming a firefighter.



4. This book had all the potential to become one of my favorites. As a young, aspiring female firefighter I anticipated finding in Paul a trailblazing mentor I could look up to. Instead I found myself faced with a colossal disappointment.
   
   First of all, she begins the book by mentioning her sexual escapades with a girl in college. Is that really necessary to the tale of becoming a firefighter, or did she just throw that in to sell a few extra copies of this book?? Next, not only does she take her testing with SFFD lightly, she repeatedly insults the profession throughout the book, all the way to the end. She grimaces with distaste and embarrassment that it is "blue collar work", god forbid! What will her Stanford friends think? Gasp!
   
   Furthermore, she seems high maintenanced and hyper sensitive when relating to the men of the department. She waxes on for years about some stupid fire station prank that a captain pulled on her. In my department, if you never have any good natured pranks pulled on you, you basically are not perceived as part of the family! It's a GOOD thing to be part of the jokes, and a healthy boost to morale.
   
   For a Stanford graduate, she seems to really have a hard time grasping simple concepts. "What does this mean?" seems to be her mantra throughout the book. This is not rocket science, it's firefighting. While academy certainly gives us a lot of information to process, it's pretty basic concepts!
   
   Finally, I find it hard to like her as a person due to her seemingly high level of conceit, which she unsuccessfully tries to disguise as modesty. She never fails to inform the reader of how beautiful or talented she is. Granted, the female firefighters of yesterday deserve to pat themselves on the back for making it a bit easier for us now, and I am truly humbled when in the presence of those female captains today. But Paul is a far cry from those aggressive women who refused to let a boys club like the fire department keep them out, fighting for their profession because they saw it as a noble and meaningful one. Paul is the opposite of the kind of women I seek out to train and mentor me, and I feel she gives women in the fire service the kind of negative press that anti-diversifying departments crave.



5. I would recommend this book to anyone in the field who has friends that are curious about the profession. While it's certainly one person's opinion, look past that and it's still a good read. Overall, it gives a good picture of what it's like to fight fire, save lives, and most importantly- live with the tragedy that you witness. I've given this book as a gift to friends who wonder what my job is like. It's entertaining and well written.

2 comments about Mark and Livy: The Love Story of Mark Twain and the Woman Who Almost Tamed Him.

1. It's not simply that Willis provides readers with a new way of understanding Twain's life and work--it's that she does so with such an eloquent prose style. If on the surface Olivia Langdon Clemens appears to be the quintessential Victorian lady--frail, neuresthenic, domestic--her inner strength and unflappable judgement are skillfully uncovered by Willis, who in this work produces that rarest of things: a literary biography that is both literary and biographical.



2. Mark and Livy represents the only full-length survey of the woman behind Mark Twain - wife Olivia Clemens, or Livy. Chapters consider her entire role in his life, from her position as wife and mother to her involvement in his writings and career. A lively account which will appeal to Twain fans and readers of biography alike.

No comments about Necessary Sins.

3 comments about Remarkable Women, Remarkable Wisdom: A Daybook of Reflections.

1. Sister Gangloff's ability to choose women with a connection to the day from a wide variety of walks of life is an opportunity to allow the reader to expand their hope in life and living as they begin their day.
   
   The reflection questions help you to pause and apply the lessons of the remarkable woman to one's personal life and living.
   
   What a wisdom there is in connecting to others in the present as well as the past who have faced life with grace and courage.



2. Shortly after Remarkable Women, Remarkable Wisdom was published I was given a copy by a dear friend. I was so impressed with the concept and content that I decided to use it in my classroom. Focusing on a single, outstanding woman each day seemed to be a perfect way to begin all of my classes at an all-girls, senior high school academy. Each day a different student presents our "remarkable woman" to the rest of her class, thus beginning our studies with inspiration for goals we all might strive to achieve. My students have found this opening ritual to be interesting, informative, and, at times, quite surprising. Sister Mary Francis Gangloff writes about these women with compassion and thanksgiving for the gifts they have shared with the world. I applaud her on her own wisdom in bringing their stories to light and sharing them with all of us.



3. This truly is a remarkable, wonderful book! Sister Mary Frances Gangloff has collected a treasury of women's stories--from Edith Stein and Georgia O'Keefe to Charlotte Brontë and Susan B. Anthony!--weaving together golden nuggets of their wisdom with Scripture and personal reflections... one for every day of the year! Wow. Her impressive and thorough labor of love is a gift and a blessing to her readers. Don't miss out the opportunity to share this beautiful witness of courage and life with your daughters, your mothers, your friends!

No comments about Strong Was Her Faith: Women of the New Testament.

4 comments about Moving Beyond Words: Age, Rage, Sex, Power, Money, Muscles: Breaking the Boundries of Gender.

1. Gloria Steinem challenges us all to redefine our views in her groundbreaking work entitled "Moving Beyond Words--Breaking the Boundaries of Gender." Since reading this novel, I was able break the boundaries of my gender and I'm now an ageless, emotionally-tempered, frigid, weak, poor, out-of-shape eunich. Because I'm moving beyond words you'll have to read the rest of my review telepathically.



2. When one of my closest friends who found inspiration in Steinem's work handed me a copy of Moving Beyond Words, my first reaction was skepticism. In spite of my respect for my friend's taste in authors, I doubted that I would find anything of value in reading essays by an aging feminist. I was pleasantly surprised when I found that Steinem's essays offer affirmation through example, anecdote, explanation, as well as sharp poignancy and wit. A new phase of my life had me seriously questioning whether or not my sanity was intact; my emotional response to the ending of my 20 year marriage which had been running on empty a long time, my breaking from a 16 year affiliation with my church because of its refusal to recognize blatant discrimination, and accepting my daughter's independence as she left the nest seemed inappropriate; I wondered why I felt a surge of strength and renewal after severing each of these ties when the socially acceptable responses should have been guilt, regret and sadness.
   This Steinem "refresher course" with a new twist provided the answer to my question through essays of the past introduced with reflective insights into that which inspired them and their relevance to now. Steinem's book offered me reassurance and validation as well as provided an impetus for continued growth and change.
   Steinem tackles her primary subjects-- men, money and media-with spirit and candor. "The Strongest Woman in the World" is a striking essay in which Steinem beautifully illustrates the metaphoric physical versus inner strength. Women of Steinem's era--and mine-- never had a chance to express power. As Steinem points out through her example of bodybuilder Bev Francis's refusal to conform to the feminine stereotype and thus failed to be recognized for her athleticism, those who excelled were rewarded because of the image they portrayed, not the accomplishments they achieved. Steinem reminds us that the strong muscles rippling under the skin of dancers and gymnists were trained to perpetuate the illusion of fragile, weightless grace of society's view of femininity, much like the intellect hidden beneath carefully styled hair.
   "Doing Sixty"--the reason the book was given to me-- is a timeless reminder that we must always be challenged to to radical and a bit outrageous. This chapter has undertones of Jenny Jones' classic poem "Warning" that has given birth to the red hat/purple dress symbol of freedom in the 2000's; in fact, Steinem's "original" poem in this chapter is almost a copy. The Steinem voice, however, is recaptured when she speaks of marriage avoidance as "death of choice," yet a more appropriate view based on her observations would be "death by choice" especially if women remain in the comfort zone of a marriage that lost its "fit" years ago. I find truth in Steinem's observation that men become more conservative with age as women become more radical, and she makes a valid case for change when she points out that "hanging on to the past brings more destruction than any other single cause." Each woman must face Steinem's "next third" of life by either accepting the challenge to emerge from the comfort zone or becoming incapacitated by the illusion of warmth under what may become a suffocating blanket.
   Steinem's brief but powerful allusion to country and religion is even more relevant after 9-11 as the wave of nationalism crests. Steinem states that we must resist the destructive fiction of nationalism that becomes even more dangerous when it joins with religion. She compares the United States to a giant cupcake in the midst of starvation, and our unrealistic perception of country must be examined. Her duel message is clear; we must also examine our unrealistic views of ourselves if we are to discover--or rediscover-- our roots.
   The weakness of Steinem's book lies not in the truth she reveals but in her continuing inability--or reluctance- to reach beyond a small audience. Steinem speaks directly to minorities of race, sexual orientation, and women who recognize that they have been vicimized; however, still now, as in the past, she tends to alienate those who are the strongest adversaries of feminism-- those women whose passive attitudes perpetuate sexism and discrimination. In addition, young people who are emerging into adulthood now could learn much from her rich web of experience, her intellect, and her challenge to be radical; however, her most recent books tend to hang on to the past, the antithesis of her advice to others.
   The wisdom obtained from a life dedicated to overcoming the seemingly insurmountable barriers of sexism is conveyed effectively; however, I find it disappointingly ironic that the image of Gloria's ageless self graces the cover, an enviable glamor shot of sixty that is more intimidating than attractive to already insecure women like myself who are dealing with the havoc that ageism plays on the face, body, and spirit.
   Steinem does do a remarkable job of setting the pace for the graying revolutionary. After reading this book, I see that the obligation of feminists of age is to cast a pebble and see how far the rings extend, and this book is a valuable tool for doing so. This seems to be Steinem's challenge to her reader-- whether "doing" sixty or sixteen.



3. This is a fabulous collection; a must read! Her insights and perspectives on all six topics entertain you, educate you, challenge you, and empower you! I'd grown up hearing bits and pieces about this "feminist," never understanding (or pursuing) a clearer picture of who she is, what she offers. She is an incredible woman whom I've come to admire, respect and feel tremendous gratitude towards. I've enjoyed all of her books, and especially her audio books, read in her own voice. This book should also be a high school/college reader for young women AND young men! Very enlightening and thought-provoking.



4. This book's first, long chapter is one of the best things I've read. Now, I didn't care much for Gloria Steinem before I read this, but maybe that's because what I knew about her was just hearsay. Anyway, this chapter turns the whole stupid Freudian psychology on its head: Freud is a woman. It is hilarious, and it reveals just how ludicrous and misogynistic Freud was. I heartily recommend it. Even if one hasn't studied Freud much, so much of him has been popularized (and he's taken credit for much of what was previously common knowledge) that one can keep up pretty easily. Plus, there are plenty of explanatory footnoes for those who want more information on specific things that are being satirized. Later in the book, there's also a very good chapter on women, money, and power

5 comments about Natural Blonde.

1. This is a very entertaining book, full of interesting anecdotes about a wide range of people. Liz Smith is known as the gossip columnist who doesn't sling mud, and what a relief that is! In this age of tell-all tabloid journalism, she has remained a cut above and is all the more fascinating because of it. This is perfect reading that delivers one from the harsh realities of everyday life, but which is not at all escapist. Liz Smith has the gift of being in the right place at the right time with the right people and writing about it with graceful humor.



2. Oddly dull, considering the author makes her living by writing and that her writing is on gossip.
   
   I was surprised at how many times I thought to myself, "I guess you had to be there," in response to her narration of an allegedly wild and crazy party.
   
   I was amused when she noted how something or another she wrote created a "sensation." Perhaps they created a sensation among certain cliques in Manhattan or the Hamptons, but they didn't hit my radar screen. Just goes to show how each of us is the center of our own universe.
   
   Possibly the most irksome feature in the book was when she'd refer to "my friend so-and-so" [insert extremely interesting person's name here]in passing, without offering up any information about that person. Instead, she squandered many pages on the likes of the Trumps and others of that ilk.
   
   She kept my interest most when she described her childhood and young adulthood.



3. Liz Smith was gossip columnist par excellence but, no, she wasn't a natural blonde. The book is full of photos (half her life, she had dark hair) with the famous and infamous. She was the ultimate party girl in the early fifties in New York.
   
   She had a lovely mother but her two grandmothers looked like mine in Tennessee. Age was not good for women in the thirties, forties, and fifties unless they were rich and, though her father owned a farm and horses, they were not on the upper scale. She liked Tom Mix, the cowboy and never got over her desire to be a real cowgirl; kept his picture even through two marriages.
   
   Growing up in Texas, she had a lot of LBJ's 'bigger-than-thou' bravado. Seems to me I remember her at one of his press conferences but she claims the closest she got to doing a piece on the Johnson daughters for Cosmopolitan was a clandestine meeting at the St. Regis Hotel with Homer Busby, an aide to the president. She'd known him at the University of Texas where she was a journalism student. She says she was in her 'tart' dressing at the time, min-skirt and all.
   
   The photo display shows her with a plethora of important people always partying. She is shown with a young Barbara Walters, who describes her as "provacative without being vicious." She was not impressed with Sonny and Cher, put them down; guess they weren't "classy" enough. Sonny went on to become a Mayor.
   
   There are photos of her with Liberace, Truman Copote, and Bill Clinton. She had an active social life and was the Joan Rivers of her time. In 1976, she wrote a column for New York Daily News.
   
   A memoir is just that, memories we want people to know about us, and she furnishes a full plate. She sought a campy, bohemian life and had a ball fulfilling it on a large scale.



4. After reading this autobio, I feel I know little more about Liz than I would have from reading her resume. She chronologically recounts the passage of her life without revealing much about herself personally or emotionally. She gushes over most people. Most seem to like her too, but aside from her generous charity work, it's hard to understand why, since we don't learn much about her as a person. She conveniently elects not to reveal the names of those she wishes to protect, while having no qualms about publishing gossip about those she doesn't. The last portion of the book is marginally more interesting than the first.



5. Go. Go now and get this book. Lots of lovely yummy tidbits from a sweet-spirited, good writer. I'm not usually keen on memoirs, but not one page of the book bored me. A fabulous read and a great gift--for yourself.

5 comments about Why the Best Man for the Job Is A Woman: The Unique Female Qualities of Leadership.

1. Why women should buy this book? Are they really in need for this kind of "confidence boost" or we already know that women can compete head-to-head with men?

   My advice is simple: If you need this book, then you should look for a career where you don't need to compete with anyone, neither man or woman.




2. This is a wonderful book that should bolster the confidence of all the women who read it. But I would add one very important item: women show far too much humility about their talents and skills. If we want people to value our skills, we must first show that we value ourselves - by making sure our accomplishments are visible to targeted audiences. If we want people to hire us, buy from us, and invest in our companies, they have to know who we are, what we have accomplished and why they should do business with us! Self-promotion is not bragging. It is a valuable business tool that careerwomen must add to their strategies for success.



3. Save your money! The authors hopelessly biased style and language is a big turn-off. Any useful information is obscured by the overly general "truths" about the innate supperiority of women to men. I found this book to be a BIG dissapointment. There are much better books out there that offer similar substance with a more positive and believable tone. Get one of them!



4. Esther Wachs brings something to the table with this one. Writing in a style that's both lucid and engaging, she unpacks the mysteries of how the feminine mystique is shaping the digital age. Useful, check that please, ESSENTIAL reading for men too!



5. This fresh look at women professionals is both entertaining and informative. An excellent reporter and writer, Esther Wachs Book provides in-depth profiles of women CEOs and business leaders (many of whom rarely speak to the press) as she shows how traditionally "female" qualities are assets in today's business climate. A fast, fascinating read!