She's No Lady: Politics, Family, and International Feminism

"She's No Lady; Politics, Family and International Feminism" by Arvonne Fraser is one of the finest political memoirs I have read in recent years -- bar none. But it is so much more. As a native Minnesotan, who has resided in Washington, D.C. for the past twenty seven years and makes his business working for Minnesota Members of Congress, I fully expected this book to be the story of a home grown Minnesota feminist. It is that and so much more. This is the story of an incredible woman who somehow knows the secret to a rich and fulfilling life are the choices we make and the endless pursuit of knowledge. It is one of the finest testamonts to how a thirst for knowledge (both great and small) can lead you to the doorsteps of world renowned leaders, and the huts of lowly villagers -- where (in the latter) you are more likely to learn a good deal more about the secrets to the pursuit of happiness than in the former. Those of us who have known of Arvonne Fraser have always considered her our state treasure. This book invites you to discover yourself through her life. She grabs life for all it is worth and wrings every drop out of it. She has changed the lives of so many (women in particular) throughout the world -- but unlike those who make headlines, Arvonne sends ripples of empowerment out wherever she goes, and those ripples grow in their breadth, magnitude and intensity. No one would ever accuse Arvonne Fraser of being quiet -- and yet her life's body of work has been to work beyond the headlines never losing sight that it is the goal of empowerment, and not the pursuit of it that is important. This is her life story; it is so humane; so inspiring -- and so wrenching. She lives life on life's terms and witin those terms there is devastating sadness. When she shares what are the most personal heartbreaks of her life, you are left with a hole in your soul. And yet, she picks herself up and reaches down into her inner self and rededicates her pursuit of a better world to those she has lost. This is simply one of the most understated and inspirational books I have read. Anyone who reads "She's No Lady" and does not come away with a personal lesson in the power of their own ability to make a difference simply has not read the same book I did. Arvonne states, "To me history is very personal. How and why am I here? What happened before me? Who made what happen, and how is that influencing what is happening now?" This exquisitely written memoir answers all those questions and by her example serves as a primer for each of us in our pursuit of a fulfilling life. If we live half the life Arvonne Fraser has lived, we will wake up each day with a smile and an unswerving belief in the possible. She may not be a lady -- but she is a national treasure. This book should be taught in every college class from sociology to history, political science and women's history; it should be required reading for every one who has ever doubted the power o