The life story, in her own words, of pioneer Arkansas legislator Vada Webb Sheid, the first woman to be elected to statewide office on her own, without following her husband into office, Vada started her career at age 19, when she was appointed Izard County welfare director. She tells of her frustration with suppliers of aid, who, when asked to send food and clothing relief, sent dress clothing and grapefruit, neither of which the country folk had any use for. "They didn't know what to do with them. Even the livestock wouldn't eat them." She tried her hand at County treasurer, then won a seat in the Arkansas House and later moved to the Senate. She is responsible for the funding for Mammoth Spring State Park, the bridges across Norfork Lake, North Arkansas Community College in Harrison and Arkansas State University at Mountain Home. She has also overseen the paving of nearly every state highway in north central Arkansas. She spent 22 years in office, then came back out of retirement to get funding for ASU-Mountain Home. "Every woman who seeks public office should read this book," said Skip Rutherford, director of the Clinton School for Public Service, University of Arkansas at Little Rock.