In Praise of Difficult Women

November 15, 2017
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 portraits--accompanied by drawings--of 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."

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February 15, 2018

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 Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2018
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 wayall 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.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)