Books: Summer 2024

Lois Quam ’83. Who Runs the World? Unlocking the Talent and Inventiveness of Women Everywhere (Forbes Books, 2024)

We caught up with Pathfinder CEO and former Fortune 50 executive and US State Department official Lois Quam ’83 to learn about her new book. (Interview by Alexandra McLaughlin ’16.)

What inspired this book?

At Macalester, I learned the importance of making a difference in the world. Through my work in global health, especially at Pathfinder, I’ve seen the difference women can make when supported. I had three kids under two—access to maternal and reproductive health services allowed me to play different roles in my life. The greatest untapped resource in our world is the talent and inventiveness of women. In this troubled, beautiful world, we need a “many-fix” approach. If necessity is the mother of invention, we need more mothers and women as inventors, for their sake and for the sake of all of us.

How can unlocking women’s talent and inventiveness address global challenges?

Women are half of all humanity, bringing half the talent and new ideas. In difficult situations, such as climate change or armed conflict, women often ensure basic needs like water, food, and health care are met. That skill set and resiliency is crucial. Research shows that when women play central roles in peacekeeping and climate work, outcomes improve.

You share many examples of individuals supporting and advancing women around the world. Who particularly inspired you?

Marie-Claude Mbuyi, Pathfinder’s leader in the Democratic Republic of Congo, stands out. She shifted from thinking she would be a doctor caring for individual patients to working at a broader level to empower women. Another inspiring figure is Collin Mothupi ’00, a Macalester graduate and Pathfinder’s board chair. He grew up as a refugee during apartheid in South Africa and embodies creativity, courage, and a relentless drive for positive change.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

I hope they will invest in women and girls, looking to organizations like Pathfinder, and decide that committing their time and money to that work is part of the way they can change the world.

Novelist, essayist, and poet Charles Baxter ’69 was elected into the Department of Literature by The American Academy of Arts and Letters in May. The 300 members of the Academy are divided into Departments of Architecture, Art, Literature, and Music, and are elected in recognition of notable achievement in their fields.

Margaret “Peggy” Kottner ’72. Cosmic Lightworker (Perfect Paperback, 2024)

Lynne Spriggs O’Connor ’82. Elk Love: A Montana Memoir (She Writes Press, 2024)

William Gordon Childs ’93. Recreation and Risk (Carolina Academic Press, 2024)

Roger S. Peterson ‘67 and Timothy J. Tobin. The Clarity Advantage: Overcome Ten Communication Pitfalls and Boost Your Influence (Rowman & Littlefield, 2024)

Rachael Stryker ‘94, Sevasti-Melissa Nolas, and Christos Varvantakis; editors. Experiments in Worldly Ethnography (Routledge, 2024)

Claudia Setzer ‘74. The Progressives’ Bible: How Scriptural Interpretation Built a More Just America (Fortress Press, 2024)

Mark Salzwedel ‘84. The Miraculous Life of Rupert Rocket (Rebel Satori Press, 2024)

Maria Dylan Himmelman ’83. Sundry Abductions (Hanging Loose Press, 2023)

Patrick J. D’Silva ’03 and Carl Ernst. Breathtaking Revelations (Suluk Press, 2024)

Bea Rendón ’13 and Olga Baumert. The Sunflowers Babushka Planted (Capstone, 2024)

Georgia Cloepfil ’14. The Striker and the Clock: On Being in the Game (Penguin Riverhead, 2024)