Cristina Perelman

In this fascinating book, Cristina Carballo-Perelman, M.D., explores the challenges facing all women today in coming to realize their inherent empowerment at work and at home.

In Part I, Dr. Carballo-Perelman examines the history of women’s “unempowerment” as they progressed from caves only to bump into the glass ceiling. Were the sexes ever regarded as equal, and why did that change? How have world religions affected the perspective on and treatment of women? How and why have men come to dominate almost all aspects of society, and what’s necessary to bring about equality of the sexes? Dr. Carballo-Perelman astutely points out that women truly become empowered not by imitating men but by reclaiming their true strengths—in particular compassion and teamwork—which the world is sorely lacking. She points out the different between generating fear as a leadership tactic (which never works for long) and inspiring respect, which transforms everyone in an organization or in a household.

In Part II, Dr. Carballo-Perelman relates the “original fairy tale nightmare”—an allegory for status of women historically and through the ages to the present day, correlating the story’s similarities to today’s headline news.

In Part III, classic fairy tales are retold from the point of view of an empowered woman, each of whom embodies one of Carballo-Perelman’s “eleven attributes of empowered women:” confidence, teamwork, respect, compassion, humility, calmness, acknowledgment of others, honesty, courage, success, and enjoyment of one’s work and life. These tales are compellingly complemented with real-life examples of the fairy tales’ heroines.

This book is an inspiration for all women. As you read its pages, you’ll find you have within you all the traits you need to live an authentic life that brings joy to yourself, your partner, your family, and the planet. Dr. Carballo-Perelman gives you the practical tips, encouragement, and motivation to bring forth these strengths. This book isn’t about “winning” against men but about acknowledging and empowering the value of everyone and bringing them along with us into a world of equality and peace.