DailyLit: Women Books

Band of Sisters

by Kirsten Holmstedt

Description

In Iraq, the front line is everywhere...and everywhere in Iraq, women in the U.S. military fight. More than 155,000 of them have served in Iraq since 2003—4 times the number of women sent to Desert Storm in 1991—and more than 430 have been wounded and over 70 killed, almost twice the number of U.S. military women killed in action in Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm combined.

But should women be in combat? Do they have what it takes to be warriors? Compelling questions once...but empty questions now, because more than ever, American women are in combat, and they are warriors. The real question is: What is their experience of war? We haven't heard their stories—until now.

Band of Sisters presents 12 of these amazing and often heart-wrenching stories of American women in the frontlines:

Accounts from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines
America's first female pilot to be shot down and survive
The U.S. military's first black female pilot in combat
A 21-year-old turret gunner defending a convoy
Two military policewomen in a firefight
A nurse struggling to save lives, including her own

Extended Copyright Information

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to Stackpole Books, 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania 17055.

Previously published by Stackpole Books.

Sample Installment

Wikipedia Tours: Famous Women Throughout History

by Wikipedia

Description

For many years invisible to the eyes of historians, the experience of women through the ages comes to life in Famous Women Throughout History. The daring and sometimes controversial women included in this tour were all pioneers in politics, activism, science, or the arts. Their achievements and contributions were varied, but together their stories make a compelling statement about the genius, creativity, and sheer will possessed by women throughout history and around the world.

The text of this Wikipedia Tour is available from Wikipedia under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.

Cover: This image provided by Wikipedia.

Sample Installment

The Cult of Perfection

by Cooper Lawrence

Description

Quiz: Are You an Overachiever?

- Is your life ruled by a "to do" list of goals?
- When you get an idea, do you act upon it immediately, not resting until you have achieved a result?
- Do you always complete your work before the deadline?
- Do you often feel overwhelmed?
- Are you restless even on vacation?

If you answered "yes" to the above questions, chances are you are an overachiever. But don’t worry—it's not a dirty word. Join psychology expert and media personality (and self-professed overachiever) Cooper Lawrence as she details the upside of this way of life (whatever you set your mind to, you achieve) and the downside (the stress, anxiety, and self-doubt you sometimes experience). Most important, she provides the tools you need to make peace with your inner overachiever. Packed with practical exercises and real-life stories of overachieving women past and present, The Cult of Perfection helps you harness your incredible energy, focus, and determination, to bring joy and success to your life.

Extended Copyright Information

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing by the publisher. Requests for permission should be sent to skirt!, Attn: Rights and Permissions Department, P.O. Box 480, Guilford, Connecticut 06437.

Previously published by skirt!, an imprint of The Globe Pequot Press.

Cover design by Kara Plikaitis.
Cover photo by Michael Harrison,
Michael Harrison Photography, Charlotte, NC.

Sample Installment

Field Guide to Happiness

by Barbara Ann Kipfer

Description

Dr. Barbara Ann Kipfer's 14,000 Things to Be Happy About sold more than one million copies and started a groundswell of self-awareness, gratitude, and contentment. Her new book offers easy-to-use tools and techniques for helping readers "choose" happiness in their everyday lives. Making lists, mind maps, and journals can help you set goals, inspire you, and motivate you to achieve the things that bring you happiness. This delightful book is filled with steps to take toward reaching any goal, with sidebars about staying encouraged and redefining what makes you happy. It will simply and efficiently expand your creative output, help you solve personal problems, and guide you in new and positive directions.

Take your happiness into your own hands and discover new joy in your life! This field guide help you find the way.

Extended Copyright Information

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed to The Lyons Press, Attn: Rights and Permissions Department, P.O. Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437.

Previously published by The Lyons Press, an imprint of the Globe Pequot Press.

Cover design by Georgiana Goodwin.
Cover image copyright Getty Images.

Sample Installment

All in My Head

by Paula Kamen

Description

At the age of twenty-four, Paula Kamen's life changed in an instant. While she was putting in her contacts, the left lens disturbed a constellation of nerves behind her eye. The pain was more piercing than that of any other headache she had ever experienced. More than a decade later, she still has a headache—the exact same headache. From surgery to a battery of Botox injections to a dousing of Lithuanian holy water, from a mountain of pharmaceutical products to aromatherapy and even a vibrating hat, All in My Head chronicles the sometimes frightening, usually absurd, and always ineffective remedies Kamen—like so many others—tried in order to relieve the pain. Beleaguered and frustrated by doctors who, frustrated themselves, periodically declared her pain psychosomatic, she came to understand the plight of the millions who suffer chronic pain in its many forms. Full of self-deprecating humor and razorsharp reporting, All in My Head is the remarkable story of patience, acceptance, and perseverance in the face of terrifying pain.

Praise for All in My Head

"Kamen describes her descent into headache hell with verve and wit...Her prose is a pleasure...For readers who have headaches and for chronic pain sufferers, this book is a must-read."
—Boston Globe

"With the tireless consumer activism of Ralph Nader and the sardonic wit of Saturday Night Live’s Tina Fey, Kamen’s tale is essential reading for anyone suffering from chronic pain."
—Shape

"Gripping...Kamen takes us inside the world of chronic pain and shows us how the constant disbelief and distrust she encountered were almost as bad as the pain itself...a necessary book."
—Chicago Tribune

"[This book] connects the dots on this issue of women and chronic pain in a way nobody else has done."
—Salon.com

"...Undeniably funny. Kamen’s irreverent sense of humor about her pain and herself makes the book a delight to read as she unabashedly pokes fun at the corporate pharmaceutical industry (even while she hopes for a test-tube cure), doctors and other caregivers. Kamen makes the reader understand what it is like to be happy even while one is in pain."
—Publisher’s Weekly

"Sharp, entertaining, informative, and blessedly free of poor-me-see-how-I-suffered-ism."
—Kirkus

"An expert look at a vexing issue, the book will enlighten Kamen’s fellow-sufferers that they are not alone."
—The Telegraph

"Her reporting and gender analysis are top-notch…Her story is both gripping and terrifying. But it’s her deadpan humor and fine, fine writing that make All in My Head so truly fantastic."
—Bitch

"If you have any kind of chronic pain, especially chronic head pain, you will find All in My Head a balm for your tormented soul. If you love someone with chronic pain and you don’t really get what they’re going through, you must read this."
—ChickLit.com

"Written with passion and a remarkable sense of humour in the face of the relentless headache, [this book] will reassure fellow sufferers that they are not alone."
—New Scientist

"Paula Kamen combines a sharp journalistic intelligence with a very welcome flair for the absurd."
—Dave Eggers, author of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

"Paula Kamen’s comic gifts are the best prescription for protecting us against the insane realities of our pharmaceutically obsessed health-care system."
—Neal Pollack, author The Neal Pollack Anthology of American Literature

"Not since Norman Cousins’s Anatomy of an Illness has there been a medical memoir of such depth and compelling fascination. The detail, the beautiful writing, the triumph of this young author’s will over paralyzing pain will make you cry for her and adore her on the selfsame page."
—Barbara Seaman, author and co-founder of The National Women’s Health Network

"Kamen writes with the dedication of a muckraking journalist, the comic flair of Woody Allen, and the obsessive attention to detail of Spalding Gray. Tragically for the author, yet blessedly for readers, All in My Head is clearly a book that Paula Kamen was born to write."
—Adam Langer, author of Crossing California

"Despite the sobering topic, Kamen manages to magically bring in a dose of levity, letting her keen wit and hilarious eye for bizarre detail shine through right from the start. Perhaps laughter is the best medicine after all."
—Spike Gillespie, author of Surrender (But Don’t Give Yourself Away)

"All in My Head is a deeply human, witty, and courageous book and should be required reading for all."
—Jane Pincus and Judy Norsigian, co-authors, Our Bodies, Ourselves

Extended Copyright Infomation

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Previously published by Da Capo Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group.

Cover design by Cooley Design Lab.
Cover illustration copyright csaimages.com.

Sample Installment

Nordie's at Noon

by Balwanz Carlos Johnson Peters

Description

Like any group of young women, Patti, Kim, Jennifer, and Jana talked about their latest career moves, the men in their lives, and their dreams for family each month when they met for lunch at the café at their local Nordstrom department store. But unlike other women their age, their conversations also turned to more serious issues, issues their "non-breast cancer" friends couldn’t have imagined or understood. Their breast cancer diagnoses came at very different phases of their young lives. Patti was 24, single, and forging her way in the corporate world. Jana was planning her wedding at age 27, and bravely walked down the aisle wearing a wig and breast prosthesis. Jennifer, also 27, was five months pregnant when she was diagnosed, and endured surgery and chemotherapy during the pregnancy. Kim found her lump at age 30 while planning her son’s second birthday party, and faced the issues of raising a toddler while she underwent treatment. Nordie's at Noon shares the personal stories of each of these extraordinary women. A source of humor, strength, inspiration, and education, the book will speak to anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer or faced a seemingly insurmountable challenge. A celebration of friendship and of living life to the fullest, Nordie's at Noon is also a book that will encourage women everywhere to be proactive with their health-and realize that no one is "too young" for breast cancer.

The authors will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book to various nonprofit breast cancer organizations.

Praise for Nordie's at Noon

Winner of the 2007 Natalie Davis Spingarn Writer’s Award
—National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship

"Nordie’s at Noon is an honest and inspiring testament to [these authors’] experiences which, I am completely confident . . . will inspire thousands of women as it inspired me."
—Elizabeth Edwards

"[A] funny, poignant, and exceedingly valuable resource."
—Library Journal

". . . This is a rare book that has the saddest of endings and yet still manages to be—yes—life affirming.
"—People (4 stars)

"A warm and intimate detailing of how cancer upends young lives."
—Ms. Magazine

"Whether you’re a woman who has herself been affected by breast cancer or a man who is as healthy as a horse, Nordie’s at Noon is a lesson in the importance of treasuring friends and family, finding your inner strength, and embracing each day as a gift, if only because there may not necessarily be a tomorrow."
—Philadelphia Inquirer

"An emotional, touching and even funny memoir about how these women bonded over facing breast cancer together."
—LifetimeTV.com

"Nordie’s at Noon provides something for everyone dealing with breast cancer —and further explores what so many of us already know—that true friendship can see us through just about anything!"
—TheBreastCareSite.com

"Nordie’s at Noon is a wonderful read with a weighty message: all women need to be actively concerned about their breast health, not just in October, but all year long."
—Health News Digest

Extended Copyright Information

Previously published by Da Capo Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group.

The purpose of this book is to encourage and educate. Although every effort has been made to ensure the book’s accuracy, its contents should not be construed as medical advice. Each person’s health needs are unique. To obtain recommendations to your particular situation, please consult a qualified health care professional.

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book and Da Capo Press was aware of a trademark claim, those designations have been printed with initial capital letters.

Sample Installment

skirt! Rules for the Workplace

by Kelly Love Johnson

Description

Humorous, practical, tell-it-like-it-is advice for women in the workplace.

Only seven of the Fortune 500 companies have a woman as CEO or President, and nearly 20 percent of them don't have any women at all in upper management. In the bestselling tradition of Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office and Who Moved My Cheese, Kelly Love Johnson lays out practical advice for career women who are starting out or who wonder why they're not moving ahead. This is the book every graduating senior, receptionist, and entry-level assistant will steal from her best friend. Johnson shows how speaking out, embracing change, and changing others' perceptions of working women can bring both personal and professional success. Chapters include: "The Alphas and the Betas: Personality Types," "A Feminist Says What?" and "Work Like a Girl." Using personal anecdotes, tried and true tactics, and a directory of resources and Web sites, Johnson shows readers how women can move ahead in the workplace just as well as men, as Ginger Rogers once said, "but backwards and in high heels."

Praise for skirt! Rules for the Workplace

"Want a fulfilling career? To be paid what you are worth? To get ahead without leaving your ethics in the garbage? skirt! Rules for the Workplace . . . is savvy, strategic, and suitable wisdom for any office."
—Jennifer Baumgardner, author of Manifesta, Grassroots, and Look Both Ways

"Funny, feminist, and packed with practical suggestions that will make your work life better—and make the workplace in general better for women. I learned something or got useful encouragement on every page."
—Alison Piepmeier, director of the Women's and Gender Studies, Program at the College of Charleston

Extended Copyright Information

Previously published by skirt!, an imprint of the Globe Pequot Press.

Cover design by Georgiana Goodwin.

Sample Installment

Tabloid Love

by Bridget Harrison

Description

Dubbed one of the summer's hottest beach reads by People, Glamour, Cosmo, and the Weekend "Today" show, Tabloid Love introduces Bridget Harrison, an almost thirty-year-old Brit and rookie reporter for the New York Post. While her London friends begin to marry, Bridget chases her dream of becoming a hard-news journalist. But just as she perfects the art of interviewing strangers about ghoulish crimes, she discovers that finding a mate seems impossible in the ultimate singles city. Then Bridget lands her very own Post dating column, and half a million New Yorkers read about her weekly romantic disasters. Whether covering celebrity parties in the Hamptons or struggling to hide her inter-office crush, Bridget retains her humor and humility.

Praise for Tabloid Love

"A delicious treat for a sunny afternoon. Vivid, pacey, and very funny."
—Times (London)

"Harrison is . . . deeply likeable . . . It's hard not to hope that she gets everything she wants: literary stardom, the gorgeous apartment, the equally gorgeous boyfriend—and more."
—People

"[Harrison] is gutsier and funnier than Bridget [Jones] but just as socially and fashionably inept. And she resolves to get to the bottom of why it's so damn difficult to meet a good man in New York, with some truly laugh-out-loud twists."
—Cosmo UK

"A frank, funny memoir of dating in New York."
—Glamour

Extended Copyright Information

Previously published by Da Capo Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group.

Cover design by Alex Camlin.

Sample Installment

How She Really Does It

by Wendy Sachs

Description

Yes, some women are opting out of their careers, taking an "off-ramp," and heading home to raise their babies. But millions of us cannot afford to make that choice. And millions more choose to work because we love our careers. So how are women holding on to financially necessary or stimulating and rewarding careers and still being engaged mothers? Wendy Sachs, journalist and mother of two, set out to find what's really happening at the intersection of motherhood and work today. Based on her in-depth interviews with mothers from diverse backgrounds, How She Really Does It explores the creative and courageous ways in which stay-at-work moms are making it happen. Here are the moms next door-as well as lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs, fashion designers, journalists, and television personalities-who are navigating the everyday work/home conflicts, and, yes, dealing with the guilt. Through it all, they are empowered career women and caring, present mothers. A modern working woman's survival guide, How She Really Does It will give you hope that even if you can't have it all, you can have at least some of it all of the time.

Praise for How She Really Does It

"A book that many mothers . . . might find to be a life-saver. Or, more accurately, a sanity-saver."
—USA Today

"A touching, insightful look at modern motherhood."
—Life

"Strategies for remaining sane and satisfied while staying in the workforce—and at the heart of your families."
—Child

"Nuggets of inspiration from women who strike realistic, rational attitudes toward their lives as professionals and mothers."
—New Republic

Extended Copyright Information

Previously published by Da Capo Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group.

Cover design by Elizabeth Van Itallie.
Cover photographbs copyright by GettyImages.

Sample Installment

The Three-Martini Playdate

by Christie Mellor

Description

Parents were here first! How did the kids suddenly take control? Sure the world has changed from the days when children were supposed to be seen and not heard but things have gotten a little out of hand. What about some quality time for the grownups? Author Christie Mellor's hilarious, personal, refreshing, and actually quite useful advice delightfully rights the balance between parent and child. In dozens of short, wickedly funny chapters, she skewers today's parental absurdities and reminds us how to make child-rearing a kick. With recipes, helpful hints, and illustrations, this high-spirited book is the only book parents will really need and enjoy.

Extended Copyright Information

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Previously published by Chronicle Books.

Sample Installment