Fast Forward

August 3, 2015
In this empowering work about women’s valuable contributions to the global economy, consulting firm Seneca Point cofounders Verveer (the first U.S. ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues) and Azzarelli (chair of Cornell Law School’s Avon Global Center for Women and Justice) offer a simple three-step template for continued female success: know your power, find your purpose, and connect with others. To show these principles in action, they incorporate the stories of such inspirational women as fashion designer and philanthropist Diane von Furstenberg; designer Donna Karan; Sunitha Krishnan, who founded the Hyderabad-based organization Prajwala to help survivors of sexual exploitation; and Molly Melching, who seeks to curtail female genital mutilation in Africa. “When women have the support and the opportunity to pursue , it’s clear they can put us on track to fast-forward to a world of growth, opportunity, and progress,” they opine. The authors also point out that more women should be encouraged to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. An inspiring foreword by Hillary Clinton bolsters the authors’ message that women, working together, can accomplish anything. 8-page color insert. Agent: Jennifer Joel and Rafe Sagalyn, ICM/Sagalyn.

September 15, 2015

Do we need another book on women standing up for themselves and saving the world in the process? If so, this volume fits the bill. Coauthors Verveer (executive director, Inst. for Women, Peace and Security, Georgetown Univ.) and Azzarelli (chair & cofounder, Avon Global Ctr. for Women and Justice, Cornell Law Sch.), the cofounders of Seneca Point Global--a strategy consulting firm promoting women's leadership--outline problems ranging from honor killings to lack of paid maternity leave. With a focus on both U.S. and global issues (and a foreword by Hillary Clinton), this work looks primarily at high-achieving women and how they have responded to specific social causes. Economic facts and research studies are mentioned often but not footnoted. There is, however, a corresponding notes section in the back with page numbers and references. It follows two appendixes, the first being a 17-page "toolkit" with tips and ideas to encourage the reader to emulate the examples laid out in the bulk of the book, and the second listing selected research reports and foundations covering relevant topics such as gender-based violence and economic empowerment. VERDICT Well written and researched but focused on executives vs. general readers. For women's studies and political science collections.--Susan Hurst, Miami Univ. Libs., Oxford, OH

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