If you are looking for books that commend heroes such as Horatio Alger in a modern form, Female Genius is the book for you. Not only does it provide a comprehensive overview of what makes a Genius tick, it also illustrates individual strengths these women possess. If you are a parent and have daughters..this book is a MUST READ especially for fathers.
Self-Esteem, Self-Image, and Self-Confidence
Birth Order, Childhood Transience, Role Models, and Mentors
Education, Intelligence, and Knowledge
Creative Renegades Go Where Others Fear to Tread!
Professional versus Personal Dichotomy
Crisis, Mania, and Creativity
Personality Traits and Temperament
As he did in another book (Profiles of Genius), Landrum's strategy is to create a cohesive and comprehensive frame-of-reference within which to discuss his selections. (These first seven chapters, all by themselves, are well worth the cost of the book.) He assigns to each a dominant characteristic. For example, Mary Kay Ash is "A Confident Charismatic"), Madonna is "Psychosexually Driven", and Linda Wachner is a "Type A Workaholic." All 13 are peak performers within their respective careers. All have exceptional intelligence, talent, energy, determination, and (perhaps most important of all) clearly defined goals and objectives. All had to overcome all manner of obstacles, many of them gender-specific. Also, as Landrum explains very well, each has a unique, indeed compelling personality. As each overcomes obstacles, her unique personality is most evident.
Some readers may disagree with the selections and/or with Landrum's definition of "genius" as applied to each of his selections. I rate this book so highly because it is well written, because it provides so much information of which I was not previously aware, and because (with great skill) Landrum allows each of these remarkable women to reveal herself through what she has said and done. After you read the 13 "profiles", I suggest that you re-read Chapters 1-7 to gain even more value from what those introductory chapters offer.