As a 1950s housewife and League of Women Voters volunteer who spearheaded the city of Lincolns switch to a “strong mayor” form of government, Helen Boosalis never anticipated that she herself would one day be that strong mayor and chief executive of Nebraskas capital city. Helen Boosaliss story, told by her daughter, Beth Boosalis Davis, is the story of a true pioneer of women in politics. The daughter of Greek immigrants, Boosalis achieved national prominence as the first woman president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and as an outspoken advocate for economically distressed cities facing President Reagans “new federalism.” Winning the Democratic nomination for governor of Nebraska in 1986, Helen Boosalis ran against Kay Orr in the first gubernatorial contest between two women in U.S. history. The interwoven tales of conflict and challenge, from the mayors office to the campaign trail, combine personal insight into one womans trailblazing political history with a compelling memoir of a half century of public service and private devotion shared by two remarkable women. Listen to an interview with Helen Boosalis and Beth Boosalis Davis on AARP's Radio Prime Time show.

"In a well-researched, respectful, and loving narrative, Davis tells the story of a remarkable political and social leader. Yet, I most relished the story of a magnificent mother-daughter relationship across the decades."-Mary Pipher, best-selling author of Reviving Ophelia and Writing to Change the World

Beth Boosalis Davis is an attorney and the daughter of former Lincoln mayor and Nebraska gubernatorial candidate Helen Boosalis. She lives in Evanston, Illinois, where she served for ten years as an alderman. Most recently Davis was executive director of the National Lekotek Center for children with disabilities and is on the boards of Carleton College and Steppenwolf Theatre.