Additional information
by Loida Lewis (Author), Blair S. Walker (Author)
Widowed mom shatters notions of how trailblazing CEOs look and act
If Crazy Rich Asians and a Greek tragedy had a literary offspring, it would be the spitting image of Why Should Guys Have All the Fun? The true story of resolute immigration lawyer and activist Loida Lewis, Why Should Guys Have All the Fun? begins with Loida's adventure-packed Philippine upbringing. A torrid love affair with brilliant, irascible financier Reginald Lewis follows, as does regal living in Manhattan and Paris, and gut-wrenching loss, all before Loida shockingly commandeers a multibillion-dollar, multinational conglomerate and leads it with aplomb.
You'll learn how she dealt with her husband's untimely death at the age of 50 and how she managed to raise two independent daughters even as she shepherded a multinational corporation to record earnings. Readers will also find:
- Explorations of how the author overcame her severe depression after the loss of her beloved husband
- Discussions of how faith and perseverance helped Loida overcome the myriad challenges and obstacles in her path
- How the author, a Filipina-American woman, navigated a business world dominated by hard-charging white males
A fascinating and engaging memoir from one of America's leading female executives, Why Should Guys Have All the Fun? is an inspiring and uplifting true story of how an ordinary person can rise to achieve extraordinary things.
Front Jacket
In Why Should Guys Have All the Fun?, celebrated attorney, philanthropist, and author Loida Lewis delivers a fascinating and whirlwind exploration of her life and achievements. The author takes readers from her early days in the Philippines to her high-powered career as a New York lawyer, as well as her complicated marriage to an iconic, take-no-prisoners businessman.
You'll watch transfixed as Loida forges an identity as a working attorney, mother, immigration expert, real estate investor, author, and activist. Loida shares the paralyzing depression she grappled with after her beloved husband's untimely death, along with her subsequent efforts to raise two young daughters as a single parent. The author explains how her unshakeable faith in the Almighty helped her reinvigorate her late husband's ailing company, and then guide it to record earnings.
Why Should Guys Have All the Fun? pulls back the curtain on what it's like to be a Christian-oriented Filipina in a business world dominated by hard-charging White males, and even-handedly chronicles the author's business successes, as well as her miscalculations. Loida's autobiography even lets readers glimpse the delicate balancing act of raising two young girls as a widow, while simultaneously overseeing the fortunes of a multibillion dollar, multinational corporation.
A scintillating autobiography from an accomplished veteran of business, philanthropy, and law, Why Should Guys Have All the Fun? is a must-read for anyone who's dealing with life's vicissitudes, and is wondering if there are obstacles that perseverance and faith cannot vanquish.
Back Jacket
PRAISE FOR WHY SHOULD GUYS HAVE ALL THE FUN?
"Beyoncé said it loud and clear, asking 'Who Rules the World?' Well, I think that has been answered by Loida Lewis! She knows how to have fun in ways women only thought of, by showing it can be done! Brava, my sister."
--DIONNE WARWICK
"Part fairytale, part nightmare, Why Should Guys Have All the Fun? is the story of a determined, scripture-quoting cyclone who leaves shattered glass ceilings--and male egos--in her wake, while blazing trails through Asia, North America, and Europe."
--DARREN WALKER, President, Ford Foundation
"From a young girl in the Philippines to a global leader in business, philanthropy, and politics, Why Should Guys Have All the Fun? invites readers to experience Lewis' remarkable life. You will find yourself laughing, crying, and awestruck by Lewis' grace."
--SHEILA LIRIO MARCELO, Co-Founder and CEO, Proof of Learn
"Loida Lewis is an example to us all of how, in the face of devastating loss and countless obstacles, enduring perseverance and faith can lift us to achieve our highest purpose. With a story filled with mesmerizing highs, heart-wrenching lows, and a scintillating romance, Lewis' true gift to readers is sharing her map for success in the business world."
--ROBERT F. SMITH, Philanthropist, and Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners
"Loida Lewis' memoir is infused with an abundance of humor and obvious love for her late husband, Reginald. Expect to laugh and feel the romance vicariously through her eyes."
--LEA SALONGA, Singer and Actor
"For those who think there is one path to success, read this book. And for those who believe that you can only 'win' in one facet of life--read, learn, and emulate the incomparable Loida Lewis."
--SHEKAR NARASIMHAN, Chairman, Asian American and Pacific Islander Victory Fund
Author Biography
LOIDA LEWIS is the former Chair and CEO of TLC Beatrice International Holdings, Inc. A lawyer by education and admitted to practice in the Philippines and New York, Loida is the first Filipino woman to pass the New York bar without attending law school in the United States. She chairs the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation which her late husband, Reginald Lewis, founded in 1987, the same year he became the first African American to acquire a billion-dollar multinational corporation. Loida Lewis began guiding the fortunes of TLC Beatrice in 1994, a year after her husband's untimely passing.
