The Most Powerful Woman in the Room Is You
Lydia Fenet
Release Date April 9, 2019
Pre-Order Available Now
Touchstone
320 Pages
PLOT Seasoned auctioneer and senior vice president of Christie’s Lydia Fenet is no stranger to commanding a room, and in her compelling new book she helps readers embrace and channel their own inner power through discussion of strategies—from sharpening one’s poker face to never apologizing—to build confidence and achieve success.
MEAT Fenet captures attention through her engaging and innovative storytelling, leading readers on a journey through her own life and career: getting her foot in the door at Christie’s, her encounters with salary inequality, and how she rose through the legendary organization.
TWIST Fenet’s inclusion of other successful women’s voices from business, fashion, journalism, sports, and the arts, sharing thoughtful insights on navigating this crazy, challenging, and often rewarding life.
Just Giving: Why Philanthropy Is Failing Democracy and How It Can Do Better
Rob Reich
Princeton University Press
256 Pages
PLOT Is philanthropy harming democracy? Rob Reich, a professor of political science at Stanford University, examines how even well-intentioned giving from the wealthy could be a threat to rights and justice.
MEAT Reich delves into the world of “big philanthropy,” asking who reaps the real benefits, considering tax exemptions, the exercise of power, and glorification of wealth—even while philanthropy is governed by strict laws. He also details ideas on how to solve this dilemma.
TWIST If foundations focus on what Reich calls “discovery,” or expanding democratic experimentation through innovation, decentralize power, and draw a clear line between individual philanthropy and private foundations, philanthropy can help sustain democracy.
Becoming
Michelle Obama
Crown Publishing Group
448 Pages
PLOT A riveting and intimate look into the life of the former First Lady Michelle Obama, who weaves her story from her upbringing in Chicago’s South Side to calling the White House her home for eight years. The year’s bestselling book, just weeks after its publication, serves as an in-depth exploration of Obama’s advocacy for women’s and girls’ rights, as well as helping to create the most inclusive White House in history.
MEAT Our first African-American first lady shares anecdotes from her life, including her perspective on some of the country’s most harrowing episodes and how she stayed grounded while the partner to the most powerful man in the nation.
TWIST With unabashed honesty and wit, Obama touches on her ups and downs, from her stint doing Carpool Karaoke, to issues with infertility, and raising her two daughters under a brutal media lens. A woman of substance, her story resonates and inspires.
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