Each volume includes eight chapter-length biographies. The balanced writing is informative, but many of the black-and-white photographs are poorly reproduced and sometimes are not logically placed or captioned. Each chapter in 'Women Business Leaders' contains a lengthy personal quote adding dimension to the subject's public persona. Bib., ind.

%% This is a multi-book review: SEE also the title Women Business Leaders. %% Gr. 612. Thurgood Marshall recalled his law professor's exhortation that doctors could bury their mistakes but lawyers couldn't, crediting this mentor, James Iron Shoes Houston, with the notion that African American lawyers could use the courts to effect powerful social change. Taylor profiles Marshall and six other notables (Du Bois, Farmer, Ella Baker, Young, King, and Malcolm X) in engaging vignettes. An eighth catch-all chapter presents a diverse assortment of others: Shirley Chisholm, Jesse Jackson, Clarence Thomas, Lani Guinier, Senator Carol Moseley Braun, and Marian Wright Edelman. This collection is one of many in the Profiles series, notable for its coverage of women leaders. Accordingly, the eight women featured in Pile's title have demonstrated that women have the creativity, strength, and determination to run thriving businesses. Pile's delightful portrait of Mary Kay Ash of Mary Kay Cosmetics kicks off the collection of biographical sketches. With the exception of Ash, these women are not well known, but all have notable success stories--including Helen Boehm, Leeann Chin, Ellen Terry, Ella Musolino-Alber, Louise Woerner, Masako Boissonnault, and Marilyn Hamilton. Especially useful for their inspirational value, both titles make enjoyable reading for students. Both books have bibliographies; Taylor's has an African American history chronology. (Reviewed January 1 & 15, 1996)

Gr 6-8--A good introduction to the history of the civil rights movement. In a clear, objective style, Taylor covers the early life, education, and accomplishments of seven black leaders, emphasizing the various social movements each spearheaded. The author also includes peripheral information about other influential players in the battle for equality. The chapter on Malcolm X, for example, has brief introductions to Marcus Garvey, Elijah Muhammed, John F. Kennedy, and the Ku Klux Klan. While all of this is helpful, it could prove confusing to less competent readers. The last section contains short bios of other notable figures--Mary McCleod Bethune, Shirley Chisholm, Jesse Jackson, Carol Moseley Braun, and Clarence Thomas. Black-and-white photographs appear throughout. This title will be useful for reports; it has a lengthy index and an excellent chronology of important events in African American history. Phyllis Graves, Creekwood Middle School, Kingwood, TX