Review: Voices of Powerful Women: Words of Wisdom from 40 of the World's Most Inspiring Women by Zoe Sallis

Voices of Powerful Women by Zoe Sallis (releases  2/26/19 from Watkins Publishing)

Disclaimer: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any additional compensation. 

Summary: 

A fantastically inspiring collection of interviews with 40 successful and empowering women, including Maya Angelou, Isabel Allende, Mary Robinson and Shami Chakrabati, exploring their challenges and achievements.

In this empowering book, 40 amazing women who have exerted an influence on others in many different ways discuss their work, their achievements, their hopes and their fears, offering women everywhere inspiration and optimism for the future through their fascinating explanations of what they have achieved. Featuring politicians, environmentalists, humanitarians, entrepreneurs, musicians, artists, actors, world leaders and Nobel Peace Prize winners, this book encourages readers to believe that they can achieve their greatest ambitions and help change the world for the better.

The book is structured around ten questions, with the 40 interviewees providing a pithy and insightful answer to each one. Topics range from influential early experiences, inspirations in life and most admired female figures to causes of anger, greatest fears, how to change the world and advice for the younger generation.

The full list of powerful women featured in the book is as follows: Isabel Allende, Christiane Amanpour, Maya Angelou, Hanan Ashrawi, Joan Baez, Benazir Bhutto, Mary Kayitesi Blewitt, Emma Bonino, Shami Chakrabarti, Jung Chang, Kate Clinton, Marie Colvin, Marion Cotillard, Severn Cullis-Suzuki, Carla Del Ponte, Judi Dench, Shirin Ebadi, Tracey Emin, Jane Fonda, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Dagmar Havlová, Swanee Hunt, Bianca Jagger, Nataša Kandić, Kathy Kelly, Martha Lane Fox, Dame Ann Leslie, Professor Wangari Maathai, Mairead Maguire, Mary McAleese, Soledad O’Brien, Sinéad O’Connor, Yoko Ono, Mariane Pearl, Kim Phuc, Paloma Picasso, Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ, Paula Rego, Louise Ridley, Mary Robinson, Jody Williams.

My Review:

The cover and the title of this book caught my eye while I was searching Netgalley. Once I began reading I realized there were some serious formatting issues that were causing problems with the flow of reading. I try not to let these issues distract me because lots of ARCs (electronic and physical) have formatting and spelling errors that are corrected before the final version of the book is released, but this one was really tough. The concept of asking powerful women to answer the same handful of questions to hear all of their different responses sounds like a great idea, but without context to to their answers I was unable to make the connection as to why they felt that way.  Even looking beyond the terrible formatting, I wouldn't recommend this one.