Clare Boothe Luce: Renaissance Woman

When Clare Boothe Luce was 16 she knew what she wanted in life, her ambitions as lofty as her dreams: to be fluent in four languages, marry a publisher, and write something that would be remembered. She accomplished much more than that; she was that rare breed whose grasp exceeded her reach, and her reach was quite extensive. In a whirlwind life that saw it all, she became an accomplished author, journalist, editor, ambassador, and Congresswoman. Life magazine was her brainchild. She was regarded as brilliant, witty and beautiful, rubbing shoulders with some of the world's prominent leaders from Nehru and Chian Kai-Shek to Presidents Roosevelt and Eisenhower. Bernard Baruch saw "the glow that emanates from her," and noted how "Her extraordinary spirit shines out of her eyes." She achieved extraordinary success and suffered the deep wounds of tragedy with an apparent phlegmatic air that belied the pain she endured. And Luce never shied away from her beliefs or call for public service. Award-winning author Daniel Alef tells her moving story rising from pretentious poverty to mixing socially with the world's elite. She was at once vulnerable and as dangerous as a wounded panther, always seeking new challenges and unwilling to accept defeat. [2,115-word Titans of Fortune article]