Following the pattern of his acclaimed Profiles of Genius, Gene N. Landrum discusses the elements that give these extraordinary women the edge over their competition. Among the factors Landrum addresses are psychosexual desire, the tendency to take abnormal risks, a visionary perspective, a dream-like but unshakable belief system, an intuitive operating style, and boundless energy.To define what genetic, imprinted, and conditioned elements contribute to this creative process, Landrum writes about the significance of birth order, personality, risk-taking propensity, educational background, inner drives, mentors, and need to achieve, the willingness to sacrifice, cultural influences, and life crises, in an effort to show what makes these women tick. Among the success stories profiled are cosmetic executives Mary Kay Ash, Liz Claiborne, Estee Lauder, and Warnaco CEO Linda Wachner; opera singer Maria Callas; actress Jane Fonda; entertainer Madonna; gift catalog founder Lillian Vernon; politicians Golda Meir and Margaret Thatcher; activists Ayn Rand and Gloria Steinem; and talk show host Oprah Winfrey.