Katherine Graham

Katherine Graham was an aggressive woman. She had a tremendous ambition to build her empire in the media. I was impressed by her success as the most powerful woman who managed to run Fortune's hundred largest companies. I admired her formidability and her journalistic integrity.

I have come to know more about her personal life through a recent autobiography titled Personal History. Although I haven't yet purchased the book and read it, I have read an excerpt of the book in Newsweek and hope to get a copy of the book soon. I have also read the review which appeared in The Jakarta Post (Sunday, March 9) and saw an interview with her on the Larry King Show. I fell in love with her right away. Katherine Graham is such a wonderful woman that I could never have imagined such a woman ever existed in the world. She is sort of a myth, yet real.

She is a woman of today and the past. As a shy young girl, she grew up in a cultured and wealthy family before becoming a dedicated, devoted and loyal housewife in the male dominated world. But Katherine Graham ended up an especially strong and powerful woman.

Underneath her shyness, modesty, and her respect of traditional values lies her intelligence, determination and strength. Katherine Graham responds to every circumstance with her typical sense of humor. She tells her story strikingly and honestly. She is not only a powerful woman but also a humanist. I admire her very much. It is sweet of her to give us an opportunity to share her personal history in such a way. Happy 80th birthday Katherine Graham.

JENNY LAURITZ KHOENG

Jakarta