Lighting the Way: Nine Women Who Changed Modern America

Karenna Gore Schiff has done us a wonderful service with this book of women whose impact on American life has been profound. Her essays on the lives and contributions of these women are readable and enlightening. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them.

This is a beautifully written and captivating look at the lives of strong women who helped change the course of American history. I was extremely impressed by Karenna Gore Schiff's writing ability . All of the women profiled in this book are fascinating Americans and most of them are long overdue for this kind of a tribute. Schiff truly did her research and I was also interested in the information she shared about the strong women in her family--most notably her grandmothers. She dedicates the book to them.

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.

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.

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.