"My father was a kidder, and he could usually make me laugh; in laughing I was able to feel better about myself. He also gave me a piece of advice about beauty that has stayed with me. "Beauty fades," my father used to say, "but dumb? Dumb is forever."

Judge Judy's father impressed upon her that a bright intellect, a curious mind, and a passion for learning were priceless commodities. In the course of her career as a Family Court Judge and a presiding Judge on her popular TV courtroom show, she has seen, over and over again, the devastating fallout for women who made stupid choices on marriage, parenting, and their future. She has seen women make excuses for men who abuse them, who tolerate demeaning and demoralizing conditions at work, who instead of choosing mates allowed themselves to be chosen, and who elected to defer to men instead of their own judgment.

Here, the savvy, opinionated, and irrepressible Judge Judy exposes these dirty little secrets so many women share, and offers her own take on the destructive repercussions they have. Using real cases involving women of every background'from the most affluent and successful to young girls just starting out'as well as stories from her own life, Judge Judy shows women how to fix their attitude, and equally important, how to teach their daughters to follow their dreams while keeping their individuality intact.

In Beauty Fades, Dumb is Forever, Judge Judy uses provocative and hilarious examples from her own life to instill in women the urgency of building a solid foundation from within. Of building character. Of nourishing yourself. Of learning from mistakes and fighting battles you can't win. Of understanding what sex can and cannot do for you. Of the importance of humor and self-reliance. Her straight-talk tells women to get on with it, and never forget that Smart is Forever.

Read by Judge Judy.