Oprah is one of life's great sources of the stuff you need to know. I am trying to set my life up so I can watch it every day.

Last summer, the show featured a book called Banker to the Poor by Muhammad Yunus. It offered great insight into the role of women in societies.

The book is the story of Yunus's invention of micro-credit, which is basically lending money to the poorest members of a community, the ones without collateral and the ability to fill out paperwork. He started it in his native Bangladesh and now it operates around the world.

The loans are often for $5 or $1, and they enable people to own the means of production, turning them from poorly paid employees to business owners. Oh, and micro-credit is extended to just women. Yep, women only.

Yunus believes that women run families and households and will ensure that the money well spent and repaid.

There is no bias about the marital status of the women except maybe to favor women who are the single heads of families. Everyone relies on them, and they are dependable. They have to be, simply by the nature of their situations.

This book is a great read for anyone, but it is especially affirming for divorcing or divorced women going it alone. I highly recommend it.