In praise of difficult women : life lessons from 29 heroines who dared to break the rules /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

From Frida Kahlo and Elizabeth Taylor to Nora Ephron, Carrie Fisher, and Lena Dunham, this witty narrative explores what we can learn from the imperfect and extraordinary legacies of 29 iconic women who forged their own unique paths in the world .

Smart, sassy, and unapologetically feminine, this elegantly illustrated book is an ode to the bold and charismatic women of modern history. Best-selling author Karen Karbo ( The Gospel According to Coco Chanel ) spotlights the spirited rule breakers who charted their way with little regard for expectations- Amelia Earhart, Helen Gurley Brown, Edie Sedgwick, Hillary Clinton, Amy Poehler, and Shonda Rhimes, among others. Their lives--imperfect, elegant, messy, glorious--provide inspiration and instruction for the new age of feminism we have entered. Karbo distills these lessons with wit and humor, examining the universal themes that connect us to each of these mesmerizing personalities today- success and style, love and authenticity, daring and courage. Being "difficult," Karbo reveals, might not make life easier. But it can make it more fulfilling--whatever that means for you.

In the Reader's Guide included in the back of the book, Karbo asks thought-provoking questions about how we relate to each woman that will make for fascinating book club conversation.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Foreword (p. 11)
• Introduction (p. 15)
• J. K. Rowling (p. 18)
• Elizabeth Taylor (p. 24)
• Gloria Steinem (p. 42)
• Amy Poehler (p. 52)
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg (p. 58)
• Josephine Baker (p. 64)
• Rachel Maddow (p. 80)
• Coco Chanel (p. 86)
• Martha Gellhorn (p. 96)
• Shonda Rhimes (p. 106)
• Eva Perón (p. 112)
• Helen Gurley Brown (p. 132)
• Edie Sedgwick (p. 150)
• Angela Merkel (p. 158)
• Billie Jean King (p. 168)
• Jane Goodall (p. 176)
• Vita Sackville-West (p. 188)
• Elizabeth Warren (p. 198)
• Margaret Cho (p. 206)
• Amelia Earhart (p. 212)
• Frida Kahlo (p. 226)
• Nora Ephron (p. 242)
• Diana Vreeland (p. 248)
• Kay Thompson (p. 256)
• Laverne Cox (p. 274)
• Hillary Rodham Clinton (p. 280)
• Janis Joplin (p. 288)
• Lena Dunham (p. 308)
• Carrie Fisher (p. 314)
• Acknowledgments (p. 331)
• Sources (p. 333)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

Karbo (The Gospel According to Coco Chanel) has created a compilation of intelligent, independent, and notable women in her latest work. The author excels at bringing interesting stories and facts from well-known women to life, while also shining a spotlight on lesser-known figures who have dedicated their lives to progress. From Martha Gellhorn's daring reporting on the front lines during World War II to the rags-to-riches journey of author and Cosmopolitan editor in chief Helen Gurley Brown, this collection will delight and entertain a variety of readers. The foreword, written by Cheryl Strayed (Wild), helps set a tone that is both thoughtful and fun. Karbo delves into hardships faced and overcome, in part by the women's difficult nature; a word she uses as a compliment throughout. The 29 women featured include J.K. Rowling, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Rachel Maddow, Margaret Cho, Amelia Earhart, Laverne Cox, Josephine Baker, and Hillary Clinton. VERDICT A lively and informative work that would be a valuable addition to all library collections. The variety of women and careers featured here will also appeal to YA readers.-Mattie Cook, Lake Odessa Comm. Lib., MI © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Karbo, author of The Gospel According to Coco Chanel (2009), compiles this epic collection of mini biographies. The selection of subjects ranges from painters to politicians; from Josephine Baker to Margaret Cho to Amelia Earhart to Laverne Cox. All 29 women profiled fit Karbo's definition of a difficult woman: unapologetic, uncompromising, and undeterred by the obstacles of living in a sexist society. Each of the essays highlights the trickiest moments of its subject's life and how she blasted through whatever glass ceiling was in her way all told with Karbo's conversational warmth and sharp wit. Countless memorable stories about familiar figures can be found within: the time Frida Kahlo was commissioned to paint a portrait in memory of a friend and in turn presented a gruesome image of the friend's suicide; how Angela Merkel celebrated the fall of the Berlin Wall by not missing her weekly scheduled sauna; and endless Carrie Fisher comebacks. Overall, the book is a wonderfully readable introduction to today's and history's heroines who refused to follow the rules.--Eathorne, Courtney Copyright 2018 Booklist

Kirkus Book Review

Karbo (Julia Child Rules: Lessons on Savoring Life, 2013, etc.) sketches the lives of 29 extraordinary women.The author defines "difficult" women as those who believe their "needs, passions, and goals are at least as important as those of everyone around" them. In this book, Karbo creates word portraitsaccompanied by drawingsof modern women who refused to let any social, cultural, or personal barriers stand in the way of their respective "mission[s]." Her subjects run the gamut from writers, artists, and performers to athletes, politicians, and media executives and include luminaries such as J.K. Rowling, Josephine Baker, Billie Jean King, Helen Gurley Brown, and Hillary Clinton. Karbo begins each portrait with one word that helps describe the woman: Rowling is "feisty," Baker "gutsy," King "competitive," Brown "relentless," and Clinton "ambitious." She then highlights those parts of her subjects' lives that have earned them reputations as "difficult." Despite monumental success as a novelist, Rowling refused to allow herself to be "imprisoned by her role as creator of one of the most beloved fictional universes in literary history." Dancer Baker dared to shake "body parts no one knew you could shake" up until four days before her death at age 68. King, who beat fellow tennis player Bobby Riggs in a 1973 "battle of the sexes" tennis match, fought tirelessly for "equal pay, equal treatment [and] equal respect" for women athletes. For more than 50 years, Brown advocated that women should not only enjoy the glamorous life, but also become sex objects, the better to enjoy the sexual freedom. Clinton kept moving forward toward lofty goals like the presidency despite the sexual and political scandals that rocked her husband's administration. Refreshingly frank, Karbo's book celebrates women who forged provocative identities and found life fulfillment despite the odds they faced.Inspiring reading about women who have shown "that it's all right to occupy our humanity." Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

KAREN KARBO is the author of multiple award-winning novels, memoirs and works of nonfiction. Her best-selling "Kick-Ass Women" series includes The Gospel According to Coco Chanel- Life Lessons from the World's Most Elegant Woman , which was an international bestseller. Karbo's short stories, essays, articles and reviews have appeared in Elle, Vogue, Esquire, Outside, the New York Times, Salon, and other publications. She is a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Fiction, and a winner of the General Electric Younger Writer Award. Karbo lives in Portland, Oregon, where she continues to kick ass.