Pearls, Politics, and Power is a call to action for new political engagement and leadership from the women of America. Informed by conversations with elected women leaders from all levels, former three-term Vermont Governor and Ambassador to Switzerland Madeleine M. Kunin asks: What difference do women make? What is the worst part of politics, and what is the best part? What inspired these women to run, and how did they prepare themselves for public life? How did they raise money, protect their families' privacy, deal with criticism and attack ads, and work with the good old boys?

Kunin's core message is that America needs an infusion of new leadership to better address the major problems of our time. To see how women can achieve that goal, she combines her personal experience in politics; the lessons of past women's movements; the stories of young women today who have new ideas about their role in society; and interviews with a wide range of women in positions of power, looking for clues to their leadership, as well as the effects of gender stereotyping. She interviews Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, analyzes her campaign, and addresses the question: Is the country ready? Other interviewees include U.S. Representatives Loretta Sanchez, Linda Sanchez, Deborah Pryce, and Tammy Baldwin, and U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Amy Klobuchar, and Carol Moseley Braun, and Governors Kathleen Sibelius and Janet Napolitano.

Here's the book we've been waiting for-an insider's view of the role of women in politics by one of America's most distinguished public servants. Governor, federal executive, ambassador, Madeleine Kunin has seen it all. And her keen eye and her deep understanding ofthe challenge of gender in wielding power has produced a wonderfully insightful book that should be read by every women, and man, who wants to lead.

-Robert B. Reich, Former U.S. Secretary of Labor, Professor of Public Policy, University of California at Berkeley

The next generation of women will be inspired to lead by seeing women like Nancy Pelosi wielding the gavel, and seeing themselves reflected in the portraits in statehouses, courthouses, corporate and university boardrooms, and the White House. Pearls, Politics, and Power will help ensure that this inspiration is not soured or deflected, but channeled into successful candidacies by America's leaders of tomorrow.

What will it take for women to assume their rightful places in the political corridors of power?

Kunin interviews a diverse group of women to gather their insight into women's leadership and the role of gender stereotyping for female congresswomen, governors, corporate CEOs, and presidential candidates.

This book is a call to action for new political leadership from the women of America. Elected women leaders; Governors, Senators, Congresswomen, state legislators and city officials; tell their stories to former three-term Vermont Governor and Ambassador to Switzerland Madeleine M. Kunin, who intersperses her candid observations. She asks: Why run? What difference do women make? What is the worst part of politics, and what is the best part? What inspired these women to run, and how did they prepare themselves for public life? How did they raise money, protect their family's privacy, deal with criticism and attack ads, and work with the good old boys?

Kunin interviews a diverse group of women; some are female profiles in courage. Kunin looks at women's leadership and the role of gender stereotyping for women Congresswomen, Governors, Corporate CEO"s and for President. She interviews Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, analyzes her campaign, and asks the question: "Is the country ready?" She interviews a wide variety of women in elected office, U.S. Representatives Loretta Sanchez, Deborah Pryce, and Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Senators Susan Collins, and Amy Klobuchar, among other women leaders at various levels of elective office.

The next generation of women will be inspired to lead by seeing women like Nancy Pelois wielding the gavel, and seeing themselves reflected in the portraits in state houses, court houses, corporate and university boardrooms, and the White House. Politics and Pearls will help ensure that this inspiration is not sourced or deflected, but channeled into successful candidacies by America's leaders of tomorrow.

'Madeleine M. Kunin was the first woman governor of Vermont, and served as the Deputy Secretary of education and Ambassador to Switzerland under President Bill Clinton. She is the author of Living a Political Life and is currently a Marsh Scholar Professor-at-Large at the University of Vermont and lectures on history and women\'s studies. She also serves as president of the board of the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC), a nongovernmental organization that she founded in 1991. She lives in Burlington, VT.'