No Mountain High Enough

February 2, 1997
While African American women who have risen to the top in entertainment and sports have received widespread acclaim, their counterparts in other fields have been less well recognized. California educator and activist Ehrhart-Morrison here profiles 32 women who have succeeded in fields as varied as architecture, medicine and diplomacy. Rather than presenting capsule biographies, however, she uses a far more effective thematic approach, considering such elements as family, education, racism and sexism, career strategies, balancing domestic and professional lives and spirituality. Among the contributors are Norma Sklarek, architect; Pat Cowings, NASA scientist; Susan Taylor, editor-in-chief of Essence magazine; Cynthia Perry, former ambassador to Sierra Leone and Burundi. These women, the author points out, are exceptionally talented and tenacious. If a certain element of didacticism runs throughout this revealing book, it never becomes obtrusive. Photos.

January 1, 1997
Both these books focus on the successes of African American women in the corporate world. Broussard's (The Black Woman's Guide to Financial Independence, LJ 1/96) guide is a workshop/workbook for would-be entrepreneurs, with stories and advice from women who have already made it. To get from dream to reality, she maps the necessary route to success, listing ideal start-up businesses, showing how to set goals, and proceeding with the nuts and bolts of the entire process. Broussard concludes by offering strategies and tips on how sister CEOs can manage and market their businesses. A valuable resource, this is highly recommended for most libraries. On the other hand, like Patricia Reid-Merrit in Sister Power (LJ 8/96), Ehrhart-Morrison, former director-manager of operations at the Los Angeles Convention Center, concentrates primarily on those women who have already made their mark in their respective fields. She interviews 32 of these successes, beginning with their roots, their education, and their triumphs over racism and sexism. She then pursues their career strategies and essential connections to family and spirituality. This makes for lackluster reading but could be helpful to aspiring young businesswomen. A marginal purchase.--Ann Burns, "Library Journal"

Copyright 1997 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.