Fire in My Soul

by Joan Steinau Lester and Eleanor Holmes Norton

Book Overview

Impassioned civil rights activist, champion of women's rights, hard-driving legislator -- U.S. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton is known in Washington as the "Warrior on the Hill." Fire in My Soul... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743407873
• ISBN13: 9780743407878
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Atria Books
• Length: 370 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.3" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Both the writing and the subject get more than five stars

In Fire in My Soul, Dr. Lester accomplishes a rare feat for a biographer. While she avoids the trap of painting too pretty or too perfect a picture of her subject, including a number of descriptions that are less than flattering, she is at the same time able to clearly allow her respect and admiration for this remarkable woman to come through.The effect is that we see a real life heroine, warts and all, and we find her all the more admirable for this.This is an important book, and I look forward to Dr. Lester's next effort.

I wish there were more books like this

I don't usually read political biographies, but this one gave me the hope I was searching for in the face of the depressing political realities of today. It's inspiring to read about a fiercely intelligent woman who follows her inner moral compass while compromising when necessary to get things done. I wish everyone serving in Congress had to read this book. Every voter should as well!

Fire in my Soul

Fire in my Soul is a moving testament to strength and character of Eleanor Holmes Norton. Joan Lester has done a wonderful job of capturing Eleanor the mother, the woman, the politician and the humanitarian. The book is both warm and direct, touching and challenging, empathetic and real. The history lessons as told through the eyes and experiences of Eleanor reminds the reader that while we have accomplished much in our world in terms of equity, justice and peace we still have a lot of work in front of us.Eleanor's work should empower us all, and remind us (in the words of Audre Lorde) that there is no hiearchy of oppression! We are all in the same boat.

Inspiring Woman, Inspring Book

The story of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton is one that not many outside of Washington, DC, may know, but it is one that needs to be heard and read. She is one of the great leaders of our time, and the author does a wonderful job of chronicling her life. The most poignant part of the book for me was the chapter about Eleanor Holmes Norton the mother, and how she has raised a daughter who is severely mentally and physically challenged. The daughter, now an adult, still lives with Holmes Norton, who is depicted as being committed to her family, city, and country. I loved the book! - Malcolm

Fire in My Soul--a timely, tight, terrific biography

We have needed a book like this: the story of an incredible woman of color of the twentieth century who has taken advantage of every opportunity to change, fight, modify and transform the culture of repression she found as a descendant of slaves in Washington, D.C. Well-researched, strongly-written; it'll grab you. Critics agree.