FromtheNewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorofALongPetaloftheSeacomes“aboldexplorationofwomanhood,feminism,parenting,aging,loveandmore“(AssociatedPress).“TheSoulofaWomanisIsabelAllende’smostliberatingbookyet.“--Elle“WhenIsaythatIwasafeministinkindergarten,Iamnotexaggerating,“beginsIsabelAllende.Asachild,shewatchedhermother,abandonedbyherhusband,provideforherthreesmallchildrenwithout“resourcesorvoice.“Isabelbecameafierceanddefiantlittlegirl,determinedtofightforthelifehermothercouldn’thave.Asayoungwomancomingofageinthelate1960s,sherodethesecondwaveoffeminism.Amongatribeoflike-mindedfemalejournalists,Allendeforthefirsttimefeltcomfortableinherownskin,astheywrote“withaknifebetweenourteeth“aboutwomen’sissues.Shehasseenwhatthemovementhasaccomplishedinthecourseofherlifetime.Andoverthecourseofthreepassionatemarriages,shehaslearnedhowtogrowasawomanwhilehavingapartner,whentostepaway,andtherewardsofembracingone’ssexuality.Sowhatfeedsthesouloffeminists--andallwomen--today?Tobesafe,tobevalued,toliveinpeace,tohavetheirownresources,tobeconnected,tohavecontroloverourbodiesandlives,andaboveall,tobeloved.Onallthesefronts,thereismuchworkyettobedone,andthisbook,Allendehopes,will“lightthetorchesofourdaughtersandgranddaughterswithmine.Theywillhavetoliveforus,aswelivedforourmothers,andcarryonwiththeworkstilllefttobefinished.“
