Susan Ware

Letter to the World: Seven Women Who Shaped the American Century

(W.W. Norton, 1998)

This book celebrates seven strong and vibrant women who had a lasting impact on American culture and who became icons for their times and ours. Its cast of characters (Eleanor Roosevelt, Dorothy Thompson, Margaret Mead, Katharine Hepburn, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Martha Graham, and Marion Anderson) not only influenced their professions but the way women saw themselves and their options in life. By living exceptional and unconventional lives, these women inspired others to dream and strive for lives of independence and fulfillment.