Fernanda Hardessen was born in communist-ruled Austria and at a young age was forced into military service. After the war she emigrated to the USA where she worked as a teacher and translator before becoming a fashion designer. In this period, she was a well known public figure, and many awards including the International Women of Achievement Award from IBM. However, it is not until Fernanda Hardesson’s novel The Secrets of Power that we see her true personality and talents. Although her novels are primarily focused on business and leadership, her writing is also very good in other areas including romance, children’s books, biographies, history, poetry and more.
Hardessen’s story begins with her young American partner, Patrik, who is a brilliant and driven young executive with an intense drive to succeed. As Fernanda gets to know him better, he reveals many secrets about his background, which helps her understand herself and learn to love fully. As their relationship develops, the reader discovers the many lessons that a successful woman must learn, such as determination, perseverance, self-confidence, and tolerance, and how these values will help them achieve their goals. The Secrets of Power does not focus on a specific country or era but instead looks at how each country and people develop leadership styles in order to move forward and meet their goals.
Although there are very few references to the historical era in this book, it is clear that Hardesson has strong roots in Austria, as her first name is given as a German name. Her style of writing is clear and easy to read and is entertaining throughout. I especially liked the psychological and character building details that were given through the various sections of the story. Overall, The Secrets of Power is a fast paced read with great character development and an overall message that can be understood by most people.