A Woman's Education: The Road from Coorain Leads to Smith College

by Jill Ker Conway

Book Overview

The beloved bestselling author of The Road from Coorain and True North continues her remarkable autobiography with an account of her decade as the first woman president of Smith College-a time when she was faced with the challenge of reinventing women's education and with the demands of her own life. Conway took on the helm at Smith at the height of exploding culture wars and the rising popularity of coeducation. With the college's future at stake, she battled conservative faculty, ossified traditions, and doubtful funders to turn Smith into a place committed to preparing young women for the new realities of the future. Through it all, Conway served as an inspiration to thousands of students, while balancing the demands of her public role against the private pressures of coping with her husband's bipolar disorder. A moving tribute to the value of single-sex education and to one woman's achievements, A Woman's Education is sure to become a classic.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0679744622
• ISBN13: 9780679744627
• Release Date: November 2002
• Publisher: Vintage
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Fantastic

This is the most thought-provoking book in Jill Ker Conway's series of autobiographies. While the first book centered heavily on Conway's emotional development and the second book dealt mainly with her intellectual development, in the third book she describes her changing world and academic perspectives. In A Woman's Education, Conway really challenges her readers to think critically about how women should be educated, the role of a private women's college, and ultimately what it means to be successful as a female.A previous reviewer mentioned that they felt like they were reading a textbook while reading A Woman's Education. While this book definitely has a more academic tone, it does not resemble a textbook in any other way. Instead, reading through A Woman's Education, feels a lot more like being in an intimate college class taught by Conway.

Academic Leadership and Management

If you are involved as a university alum in one or many of your alma mater's boards, directorates, planning committees and/or fund raising campaigns, you will find it fascinating to learn from Ms. Conway what it was like from her perspective to head a major US college for ten years. It doesn't always happen that such a dynamic academic leader is also a talented writer--and takes the time to write a book about it.

I REALLY LOVE THIS BOOK

AND I FELT REALLY CONNECTED TO THE AUTHORI really can't explain my feelings in words. Look at the subject first then read on. They are all by Dr. Jill Ker Conway (shes a phd). The titles are The Road from Coorain (also a Exxon Mobil Masterpiece Theater movie as well), True North, and A Women's Education. Is she orginally from New South Wales, Australia. Came to the United States for graduate school, but stayed there after that, but was Canada as well for 6 years. Boys you will also love reading them as well. Thank you.

Riveting and Cerebral, a Gem of a Book

It is a rare gift to be able to write an autobiography that is so smart and engaging, keeping the reader entranced and wishing the book would go on an on. Conway has this gift (as she did with her first two memoirs). This book should be required reading in all college courses dealing with the subject of women in higher education. Conway laid the foundation for Smith to have the phenomenal endowment it enjoys today all the while keeping its superior academic and intellectual standards intact. In an engaging account she delves into her memories and gives the reader an in-depth view into her history-making experience as the first female president of Smith as well as her personal battles (and triumphs) along the way. This book is a gem.