Women of Courage: Inspiring Stories from the Women Who Lived Them

This book is a wonderful find for any woman in your life that needs a bit of inspiration. My favorite short story was written by SARK, in which she discusses her troubled childhood and how she came to terms with it. The women tell stories that are heartfelt and poignant and are perfect for reading before bed. I bought a used copy and was happy to find it was autographed! Read it and then pass the book on to someone else. We all deserve a little pick me up now and then. :)

Katherine Martin's Women Of Spirit gathers stories of courage and spiritual insight from the women who lived unusual lives. Stories of spiritual guidance and how these women made a different in their worlds prove inspiration and absorbing, with the book providing sections based on the type of spirit exhibited by each.

This is an excellent book that both informs and inspires. It is so important to learn from these mentors, and to understand the struggles of women who have succeeded - and also to grow and gain strength from their wisdom. The full life story of one of the women profiled, Chief Penny Harrington, appears in her autobiography: "Triumph of Spirit." I highly recommend it to women making strides today in non-traditional roles, and to women who wish to carve their own futures.

In "Women of Courage", Katherine Martin has done a superb job of depicting forty courageous women who have followed their dreams, lived their commitments and made a difference in the world. These women are of all ages and are drawn from all professions: from art to politics; from explorers to activists. Some are famous and high-profile; some are relatively unknown. Each of these women has evinced a remarkable courage, openness and determination not to give up her dream - whether writing about the feminine identity of God, crossing the South Pole, or adopting a baby girl from China.Too often, as Mary Pipher (the author of "Reviving Ophelia," and one of the women profiled is this book) says, courage has been defined as courage in the face of physical danger, the courage of a superhero or of Rambo. With this book, Ms. Martins suggests that courage comes in many aspects, all of which are important and valuable. I would especially recommend this book as a gift to young women, although both genders and all ages should find it enjoyable.

I am a twenty-one year old who is emerging into the excitement, confussion, and power of womanhood. I was incredibly blessed in the sense that I was exposed to Katherine's book in its' early stages. "Women of Courage" moved and touched me in ways that nothing else has. I would finish a story and feel blessed as well as excited to be a woman. I also had the potent experience of hearing Katherine speak at my college last month. The event reinforced the power that this book holds between the beautifully written stories. I know that after the event my peers walked away feeling a little bit stronger, prouder, and more courageous. I truly encourage all women, especially women my age, who like my myself are beginning to shed the layers of the little girl, to read this book. I also encourage you to write her, e-mail her, invite her to speak at your school and share her book more intimatly with you and your peers. Most importantly, this book will teach you and inspire you to cross lines that you once believed to be boundries.