A political outsider from the start, Merkel is often regarded as a mystery both in and outside Germany, a misreading that took hold as Europe’s financial crisis reverberated around the world. Now her decisions and vision for Europe - both works in progress - are shaping a pivotal moment in the continent’s history.

She has topped Forbes’ list of the world’s most powerful women for six of the past seven years and was ranked second on the latest list of the most powerful leaders after U.S. President Barack Obama. The book aims to uncover the true Merkel, the influences that contribute to her decision-making and the key moments in her chancellorship that illustrate where she might take Europe and the world if she wins a third term in the fall of 2013.

* The story of Merkel’s role in the financial crisis rippling through Europe and the forces that drive her has yet to be written, in English or in German
* Merkel is seeking re-election in September 2013, so interest in this leader will be at a high
* This project is a first, putting the leader of Germany in her political and cultural context for a global audience to explain how she sees the world as she remoulds it