AFRICANA WOMAN: Her Story Through Time

A compendium of critical female figures from the African Diaspora is an excellent idea; the book succeeds in offering a range of biographies, from Hatshepsut of Egypt—who was wed to her half-brother and later usurped his throne—through Mary Todd Lincoln's dressmaker to Anita Hill. Unfortunately, flat-footed writing undermines 150 information-rich photos and illustrations. Carter, director of development at Howard University, drops her subjects into a formula, citing the circumstances of their birth and then offering a general, platitudinous remark—"Life was anything but easy for Angelou." Often, the subjects' achievements are also rendered in broad strokes, without detail or narrative intrigue: "[The Pharaoh] often left [Queen Tiye] in charge when he traveled... his faith in her judgment was proven time and again when she ruled alone for long stints." At best, the reader's interest is piqued but not satisfied. At worst, the reader may be baffled. About Tina Turner, Carter writes, "Turner overcame her obstacle as an abused woman, finding overwhelming success in music, movies, and the world of beauty products." Perhaps if the conception of the work hadn't been such a good one, the reader would not be as frustrated to see the vibrant, complex women of the diaspora flattened out by tired language. In its effort to be accessible and inspiring, the book is in danger of robbing its subjects of the revolutionary qualities that make them most interesting. (Nov.)