The Genius of Women
From Overlooked to Changing the World
-
-
4.3 • 3 Ratings
-
-
- $13.99
-
- $13.99
Publisher Description
We tell girls that they can be anything, so why do 90 percent of Americans believe that geniuses are almost always men? New York Times bestselling journalist and creator and host of the podcast The Gratitude Diaries Janice Kaplan explores the powerful forces that have rigged the system—and celebrates the women geniuses, past and present, who have triumphed anyway.
Even in this time of rethinking women’s roles, we define genius almost exclusively through male achievement. When asked to name a genius, people mention Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, and Steve Jobs. As for great women? In one survey, the only female genius anyone listed was Marie Curie.
Janice Kaplan, the New York Times bestselling author of The Gratitude Diaries, set out to determine why the extraordinary work of so many women has been brushed aside. Using her unique mix of memoir, narrative, and inspiration, she makes surprising discoveries about women geniuses now and throughout history, in fields from music to robotics. Through interviews with neuroscientists, psychologists, and dozens of women geniuses at work in the world today—including Nobel Prize winner Frances Arnold and AI expert Fei-Fei Li—she proves that genius isn't just about talent. It's about having that talent recognized, nurtured, and celebrated.
Across the generations, even when they face less-than-perfect circumstances, women geniuses have created brilliant and original work. In The Genius of Women, you’ll learn how they ignored obstacles and broke down seemingly unshakable barriers. The geniuses in this moving, powerful, and very entertaining book provide more than inspiration—they offer a clear blueprint to everyone who wants to find her own path and move forward with passion.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Former Parade editor-in-chief Kaplan (The Gratitude Diaries) explores why the accomplishments of so many women have been overlooked and celebrates contemporary women excelling in a wide range of fields in this chatty yet well-researched history. Noting that men have historically determined who gets recognized for extraordinary accomplishments and who doesn't, Kaplan describes how genius women have been punished or ignored in the past: Hypatia, the first known female mathematician and philosopher, died at the hands of a Christian mob in fifth-century Alexandria; the neglected paintings of 17th-century Dutch artist Clara Peeters skyrocketed in value after a 2016 exhibition; physicist Lise Meitner played a pivotal role in the discovery of nuclear fission, only to see the 1944 Nobel Prize go solely to her male collaborator. Kaplan also profiles dozens of modern-day female overachievers, including biochemist Jennifer Doudna, Broadway director Tina Landau, and MIT robotics expert Cynthia Breazeal, and contends that successful, groundbreaking women share common traits, such as optimism, blindness toward bias, and the ability to multitask. Though Kaplan overloads her writing with superlatives ("amazingly brave"; "enormously talented") and occasionally drifts into gender stereotypes (actress Maggie Gyllenhaal is "a golden girl in private"), this upbeat work impresses with its broad range and inspirational message.
