Extraordinary Women

Book excerpt: "Extraordinary Women" is a book about precisely that-extraordinary women, though not in the roles we usually see them. Each of the 58 prominent women in this insightful book was asked what they dreamed of becoming when they were children; they were then photographed in that role. Thus, former secretary of state Madeline Albright can be seen as a chess champion, actress Linda Carter as an Olympic athlete, gymnast Dominic Dawes as a justice of the Supreme Court, feminist Betty Friedan as a mystery writer. But it's not just about the pictures. It's also about the interviews, in which each woman discusses what she'd hoped to achieve as a child and what she has achieved as an adult. Featuring an eclectic array of talented women from journalist Ann Curry to star soprano Denyce Graves to activist Dorothy Height, "Extraordinary Women" is an original and inspirational testament to women who helped change our world in ways they themselves could never have dreamed possible. Proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit the Hand to Hand Eviction Prevention Program and the Metropolitan Police Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, D.C.