Columnists Name Merkel and Kingsolver Their Women of the Year

By: E&P Staff "Woman to Woman" columnists Shaunti Feldhahn and Andrea Sarvady have announced their choices for "Most Admirable Woman of 2007."

Feldhahn -- the conservative half of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution/Universal Press Syndicate writing team -- nominated German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Meanwhile, the liberal Sarvady named author Barbara Kingsolver.

Merkel, said Feldhahn, has a 75% approval rating that "bests previous chancellors back to World War II. And she has brought a sense of possibility and positive feeling to the German government and the nation as a whole" that "should be a model for the very different, ambitious woman looking to lead America."

Feldhahn added that Merkel "allows people to forget about her gender instead of constantly highlighting it. She's not so much a 'powerful woman' as much as a powerful leader." And the columnist said Merkel's accomplishments include her work to cut greenhouse gases and acquire more funds to fight for African poverty and AIDS.

Kingsolver is the author of acclaimed novels such as "The Poisonwood Bible" and "Prodigal Summer" as well as the 2007 nonfiction book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life."

Sarvady said "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" is not preachy, and added that people who read it "begin to think: Kingsolver does so much to feed her family from regional, sustainable farms, I can do something. I can put more of my grocery dollars toward food that's from here and not break the bank. I can realize that turning my back on local growers has too many consequences for my community and my health, not to mention my taste buds."