Common Threads

Real-life stories of women who’ve triumphed over adversity and achieved personal and professional success.

Hipsky (Education/Robert Morris Univ.; The Missing Piece in the Law of Attraction, 2015, etc.), a radio show host and college professor, has interviewed numerous inspiring women over the years, including cancer survivors and successful businesswomen. In this volume, the first of a trilogy, she shares some of their life stories with the goal of helping readers to find their own inspiration. Different sections cover broad themes, such as identifying one’s purpose, finding one’s passion, overcoming life’s obstacles, and the power of faith. The women featured here are diverse, including Lisa Lakenan of the Goodwill Healthy Start House for homeless single moms; successful TV actress Brianna Brown; children’s book author Sheri Fink; food blogger Lisa Fetzko Kozich; and Mary Amons of Bravo’s Real Housewives series. Although each woman’s experience is unique, some common threads emerge. Many have experienced abuse at the hands of husbands or boyfriends, and a significant number have gone through divorces; others have started businesses or nonprofit organizations. Most have “beat the odds” and overcome significant challenges on their journeys to fulfillment. The stories are most engaging when Hipsky lets the women speak for themselves; when she occasionally inserts herself into the narrative, the effect is distracting, as when she brags that one woman “calls me her Fairy Godmother.” But for the most part, the personality of each woman shines through. The stories are brief but effective, and readers looking for doses of inspiration will definitely find them here. Most readers will be impressed by the likes of Mary K. Hoodhood, whose efforts to feed hungry children earned her a Presidential Citizens Medal; Tamara Fielding, a former refugee who spent three years in an Indonesian concentration camp during World War II; or Alicia Kozakiewicz, who survived a kidnapping as a teenager and has started her own organization to educate parents and kids about online safety. Whatever their personal histories, all of Hipsky’s subjects once doubted their own power, but perseverance and hope allowed them to thrive, even in difficult circumstances. 

Moving examples of everyday courage and achievement, sure to motivate readers on their own personal journeys.