Cokie Roberts takes her readers on a personal and political journey, exploring the diverse roles women have played throughout American history and the connections and distinctions among different generations of women. On a personal level, each essay is an introduction to several of the fascinating women Roberts has encountered during the course of her reporting career; she also relates powerful and moving anecdotes about the women in her life, like her mother, former Congresswoman Lindy Boggs. These intimate portraits of extraordinary women become the springboard for more extensive discussions of women's position in politics, business, motherhood, and marriage, as well as other issues.