Fast Forward: How Women Can Achieve Power and Purpose

In this empowering work about women’s valuable contributions to the global economy, consulting firm Seneca Point cofounders Verveer (the first U.S. ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues) and Azzarelli (chair of Cornell Law School’s Avon Global Center for Women and Justice) offer a simple three-step template for continued female success: know your power, find your purpose, and connect with others. To show these principles in action, they incorporate the stories of such inspirational women as fashion designer and philanthropist Diane von Furstenberg; designer Donna Karan; Sunitha Krishnan, who founded the Hyderabad-based organization Prajwala to help survivors of sexual exploitation; and Molly Melching, who seeks to curtail female genital mutilation in Africa. “When women have the support and the opportunity to pursue [entrepreneurship], it’s clear they can put us on track to fast-forward to a world of growth, opportunity, and progress,” they opine. The authors also point out that more women should be encouraged to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. An inspiring foreword by Hillary Clinton bolsters the authors’ message that women, working together, can accomplish anything. 8-page color insert. Agent: Jennifer Joel and Rafe Sagalyn, ICM/Sagalyn. (Oct.)