Lighting the Way: Nine Women Who Changed Modern America (Hardcover)

by Karenna Gore Schiff (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Schiff, who is most notably Al Gore's oldest daughter and a lawyer and journalist, has put together a collective biography of nine outstanding American women of the 20th century—some unjustly little known. The more celebrated are Ida B. Wells-Barnett (1862–1931), an African-American journalist who brought the horrors of lynching to public attention; Mother Jones (c. 1837–1930), an Irish immigrant and lifelong crusader for workers' rights; and Frances Perkins (1882–1965), the first woman Cabinet member, appointed by FDR. Schiff also illuminates less renowned but highly influential figures, including Alice Hamilton (1869–1970) a physician and pioneer in calling attention to the dangers of industrial poisons, and Septima Poinsette Clark (1898–1987), child of a former slave, who became a teacher and tireless advocate for racial equality. Several of the subjects are still alive, like Dolores Huerta, cofounder with César Chávez of the United Farm Workers, and Gretchen Buchenholz, who established the Association to Benefit Children. Schiff has done excellent research, and though her prose isn't especially stylish, she shows her heroines as fully rounded figures. She points out, for example, that Wells-Barnett's feud with the NAACP was counterproductive and that Mother Jones's opposition to women's suffrage limited her reach. (Feb. 8)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Schiff, journalist, lawyer, and daughter of former vice president Al Gore, highlights the lives of nine women who have had enormous impact on the social and political history of the U.S., though most of them are relatively unknown. Schiff acknowledges that her selections are entirely personal. The nine include Ida B. Wells Barnett, antilynching activist; Mother Jones, an advocate for coal miners; Dr. Alice Hamilton, a proponent of workers' rights in the chemical industry; Frances Perkins, who helped establish Social Security; Virginia Durr, who fought to end poll taxes; Septima Poinsette Clark, an advocate for the rights of black voters; Dolores Huera, farmworker organizer; Dr. Helen Rodrigues-Trias, a reproductive rights activist; and Gretchen Buchenholz, a child advocate. The elements tying these women's lives together are a strong sense of women's rights as well as a devotion to making social change while caring for family and friends. This is an inspirational collection of biographies of women of various social, ethnic, and racial backgrounds fighting for social justice. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 544 pages
• Publisher: Miramax (February 8, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401352189
• ISBN-13: 978-1401352189
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #594,684 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Read :->, February 6, 2006

By	Little Miss Cutey (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This is a great book written by Karenna Gore Schiff (Al Gore's daughter) who wrote this after her father was defeated in 2000 because she was now disheartened by politics and wanted to write about people who really made politics about public service. She writes about 9 very different women who affected America in very different ways. Among them, there is Alice Hamilton (first woman on the faculty of Harvard and also a famous physician), Septima Poinsette Clark (behind the civil rights movement and started citizenship schools around the South and inspired people like Rosa Parks), and Gretchen Buchenholz (still working today as an advocate for vulnerable children - homeless etc and is on the cutting edge of helping us combat things like AIDS). They all share the common factor of wanting to help people, and all weren't afraid to take unpopular stands whilst making differences in peoples lives. Karenna is very well researched here and knows what she is talking about and when you read about all these women, you realise that you can be stronger people yourselves and overcome obstacles. It's a good, interesting and inspirational read. I really liked this.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chicken Soup for the apathetic soul, February 2, 2006

By	AKPorter - See all my reviews

This book is a poignant reminder that service on the individual level, when rooted in the fundamental principles of democracy and equality, can affect change on a broad scale. Anyone looking to be inspired by lives that truly made a difference will enjoy it. Very well-written and impressively researched.

25 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply a great book. Ten stars, February 13, 2006

By	MotherLodeBeth "MotherLodeBeth" (Sierras of California) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

This not a liberal book or a conservative book, but simply a great book.

Now I admit I knew of Mother Jones which a great magazine is named after, and I have long known of Dolores Huerta because my later mentor Bea Brickey from Tracy, California had known her and worked with her years ago during the fight to form the UFW.

But I did not know of Ida B. Wells-Barnett whom I am left in utter awe of after reading about her life and how she was literally drug off the first class section of the train she had bought a ticket for that was headed to Woodstock, Tennessee. And while being drug off the train all the white passengers cheered and applauded.

It was in reading the chapter I learned new things about Ms. Dolores Huerta. Like how as a high school student she got a C for an English paper she had written which the teacher accused her of having someone else write. Little as changed since this sadly still happens. The fact she was the mother of many children and took such a lead in such an important movement should shine as an example for any women in 2006 who makes excuses why they aren't more involved in their community and righting wrongs.

The author has done a splendid job of sharing each womans life, warts and all, since this makes the women human and realistic for those today who think they aren't 'perfect' enough to make a positive change. One also learns through these women what to do when you fall down while fighting for something.

Also liked that none of the women are well known by most people, because this gives a fresh new look to womens struggles and how they succeeded. It also is a great reminder that there were/are a lot of unsung heroines in our midst. The photos are also a great addition, for the ones that were chosen for the book, because they help bring what you are reading to life.

Am so glad I bought the book and plan on buying a copy for my granddaughter who soon turns twelve. May even buy a copy for my local library since I want people where I live to read it and learn.