Rise to the Challenge

""Marlene M. Johnson wasn’t just the first woman to be Minnesota’s Lieutenant Governor. She was also the first Lieutenant Governor to have a specific policy portfolio. She had access and influence in ways that laid the groundwork for me and others to follow. Marlene is of a class of women who made important strides in DFL politics, and I'm grateful for her place in Minnesota's history and for this book that tells that story."" —Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan   ""An essential document of the midcentury rise of women into American politics. In this memoir of a remarkable public life, Marlene M. Johnson braids a love story tragically turned into caregiving and the domestic devotion of guardian and advocate. She proves that faithfulness in love and commitment to the betterment of the world are not opposites after all."" —Patricia Hampl, author of The Art of the Wasted Day   ""It may be a challenge for bookstores to shelve this book: under memoir/biography, women’s history, business leadership, comparative health systems, politics, journal writing, romance, or suspense. In any category, it’s a page-turner, from start-up to statehouse to international CEO. Rise to the Challenge evokes admiration and empathy for Marlene M. Johnson, a woman ‘composing her life’ thoughtfully and courageously, with good humor and resilience."" —Elisabeth Griffith, PhD, author of Formidable: American Women and the Fight for Equality, 1920–2020   ""Marlene M. Johnson's story is one of fortitude, service, and great achievement, all told with humility in this highly readable volume. This is a compelling personal account of a woman who climbed the precarious political ladder in her home state and became an international leader in the field of higher education. Her leadership created a strong network of individuals and institutions that reinforced the values of democratic institutions and academic freedom based on critical thinking and objectivity. This fascinating success story is an important read for aspiring public servants, male or female."" —J. Brian Atwood, former administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development; former dean, Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota   ""In the dynamic mid-twentieth-century women’s movement, Marlene M. Johnson stood out and stood up with clarity of vision and purpose. Her multiple public service initiatives propelled her to a national presence and then into international education leadership. This memoir of that leadership, together with the challenges of life-changing events, is told with the same refreshing candor and compelling courage with which she has led her path-breaking life. And it raises the spirits."" —Judge Harriet Lansing, retired, Minnesota Court of Appeals   ""Marlene M. Johnson weaves a professional and personal story through the lens of leadership, identifying her role, impact, and feelings at each stage of her complex bicoastal life. Enlightening and moving, this story of a strong and resilient woman is one you will not forget. I highly recommend this book."" —Pauline Boss, professor emeritus, University of Minnesota; author of Ambiguous Loss and The Myth of Closure   ""Johnson documents not only her milestone political achievement as the first female lieutenant governor of Minnesota, she also traces her inner voice through her many roles, capturing both inspiring moments and times of grief, and the power of hope, persistence and dialogue to carry her through."" —Al-Fanar Media