Award-winning journalist, TV producer, and author or co-author of 15 books, including New York Times bestseller, “The Gratitude Diaries,” Janice Kaplan has released yet another book. This one, “The Genius of Women,” explores the forces that have “rigged the system” to make many Americans believe geniuses are usually men, and celebrates the women geniuses, who have triumphed despite that misconception.
Kaplan was previously the editor-in-chief of Parade magazine and the executive producer of the TV Guide Television Group, where she created and produced more than 30 primetime network television specials. She has written for many national magazines and websites and appears frequently on TV shows, including “Today” and “Good Morning America” to talk about her work. She also hosts the daily podcast “The Gratitude Diaries” on iHeartMedia.
“The Genius of Women” discusses women geniuses in fields ranging from music to robotics. Blending memoir with one-on-one interviews with neuroscientists, psychologists, and women geniuses at work in the world today, she highlights how women are fighting to have their genius recognized, nurtured, and celebrated – and how society needs to shift to make that possible.
Kaplan looks at a new perspective on power – defining genius as a combination of extraordinary talent and celebrity, and shows how women have often had only one half of the equation – and why. She brings to light how women – across generations – have created brilliant work, even as they had to battle against male-dominated power structures.
As a participant in the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival’s recent “Pop-Up” event, Kaplan shared some of her thoughts and motivations for writing the book with Gazelle.
How did the book The Genius of Women come about? In writing “The Genius of Women,” I wanted to answer the question of how it is – that despite all the obstacles in their way – some women in every generation have managed to soar so high and achieve so much.
What can readers expect? I take readers on my own journey of discovering some amazing women from the past – like composer Fanny Mendelssohn and nuclear physicist Lise Meitner, as well as getting to know extraordinary women doing groundbreaking work right now, including Nobel Prize winner Frances Arnold and AI genius Fei-Fei Li. Never heard of them? That’s why you need the book!
What do you want people to learn from the book? I hope they will be inspired to think about the unconscious stereotypes we all hold and gain a new view of women’s possibilities. In talking to so many women geniuses, I came up with the traits that they have in common. I want readers to take away some ideas and new approaches to let their own talents and the talents of our children shine brighter.
Kaplan graduated magna cum laude from Yale University and won Yale’s Murray Fellowship for her writing. “The Genius of Women” can be purchased wherever books are sold. Visit
The St. Louis Jewish Book Festival is nationally recognized for its excellence and size, with more than 10,000 audience members annually. People from all backgrounds and religions come to festival events to hear premier speakers, share their thoughts and ask questions. Recent events have been available online.
The traditional St. Louis Jewish Book Festival for 2021 is set for Nov. 7 through 18, celebrating authors, books and ideas, with additional author “Pop-Up” events year-round. The range of author topics includes business, cooking, economics, family, fiction, history, music, religion, sports and more.
Another popular event, the J’s St. Louis Jewish Film Festival, will be held June 6 to 13, showcasing national and international cinema that explores universal issues through traditional Jewish values, opposing viewpoints and new perspectives. The Jewish Film Festival now offers year-round opportunities to experience Jewish films from around the world. In 2021, all films will be presented virtually. For more information, visit stljewishbookfestival.org.
