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blueberry31's review against another edition
5.0
Reading this book has truly changed my life, and I am not exagerating. This book has put words, data and sociologic research on SO many things that I feel, fear, or wonder about as a woman. Not only that, it provides advice, the author's personal perspective and other men and women's stories, which is such a reassurance and an inspiration all at once! I've come to realize things about myself and I feel empowered to change things for the better. One example that really stuck with me was the part about the imposter syndrome. Reading it felt like reading an excerpt of my own diary! I realized how much often I do this, everyday almost: I keep thinking that I have only gotten this far thanks to luck, coincidence, chance... and that soon people will realize that I don't have my place, the mask will fall and will reveal that's I'm simply not competent! Talking to other women around me made me realize just how all too common this is! Now I'm aware that it's an internal barrier, I feel empowered to fight it, I shut up that inside voice and tell myself that I achieved things thanks to skills and competence, and even if that sometimes feels weird, I keep telling myself because one day I'll believe it!
There are countless principles and visions for the future of men and women in this book that I could not agree more with, going into each would take ages, so I've selected quotes that had me nodding my head and saying "YES!!! Finally someone says what I feel!!"
"Until women have supportive employers and colleagues as well as partners who share family responsibilities, they don’t have real choice. And until men are fully respected for contributing inside the home, they don’t have real choice either. Equal opportunity is not equal unless everyone receives the encouragement that makes seizing those opportunities possible. Only then can both men and women achieve their full potential."
“Women’s negative views of female coworkers are often seen as an objective assessment—more credible than the views of men.15 When women voice gender bias, they legitimize it. Obviously, a negative attitude cannot be gender based if it comes from another woman, right? Wrong. Often without realizing it, women internalize disparaging cultural attitudes and then echo them back. As a result, women are not just victims of sexism, they can also be perpetrators.”
“The ideal worker is defined as someone always available for work, and the ‘good mother’ is defined as always available to her children. So ideal-worker women need to prove that, although they weren’t always there, their children are fine, fine, fine.… Women who have rejected the ideal-worker norm and settled for a slower career (or no career) need to prove that their compromise was necessary for the good of their families. So you have each group of women judging the other, because neither group of women has been able to live up to inconsistent ideals.”
“I am hoping that each woman will set her own goals and reach for them with gusto. And I am hoping that each man will do his part to support women in the workplace and in the home, also with gusto. As we start using the talents of the entire population, our institutions will be more productive, our homes will be happier, and the children growing up in those homes will no longer be held back by narrow stereotypes.”
“We need to be grateful for what we have but dissatisfied with the status quo. This dissatisfaction spurs the charge for change. We must keep going.”
This book is an absolute must-read for EVERYONE.
There are countless principles and visions for the future of men and women in this book that I could not agree more with, going into each would take ages, so I've selected quotes that had me nodding my head and saying "YES!!! Finally someone says what I feel!!"
"Until women have supportive employers and colleagues as well as partners who share family responsibilities, they don’t have real choice. And until men are fully respected for contributing inside the home, they don’t have real choice either. Equal opportunity is not equal unless everyone receives the encouragement that makes seizing those opportunities possible. Only then can both men and women achieve their full potential."
“Women’s negative views of female coworkers are often seen as an objective assessment—more credible than the views of men.15 When women voice gender bias, they legitimize it. Obviously, a negative attitude cannot be gender based if it comes from another woman, right? Wrong. Often without realizing it, women internalize disparaging cultural attitudes and then echo them back. As a result, women are not just victims of sexism, they can also be perpetrators.”
“The ideal worker is defined as someone always available for work, and the ‘good mother’ is defined as always available to her children. So ideal-worker women need to prove that, although they weren’t always there, their children are fine, fine, fine.… Women who have rejected the ideal-worker norm and settled for a slower career (or no career) need to prove that their compromise was necessary for the good of their families. So you have each group of women judging the other, because neither group of women has been able to live up to inconsistent ideals.”
“I am hoping that each woman will set her own goals and reach for them with gusto. And I am hoping that each man will do his part to support women in the workplace and in the home, also with gusto. As we start using the talents of the entire population, our institutions will be more productive, our homes will be happier, and the children growing up in those homes will no longer be held back by narrow stereotypes.”
“We need to be grateful for what we have but dissatisfied with the status quo. This dissatisfaction spurs the charge for change. We must keep going.”
This book is an absolute must-read for EVERYONE.
suziel's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
wadezone's review against another edition
3.0
This book has some good information. It is in Sheryl's view, experience, and opinion. I have worked hard to get where I am right now, but it isn't where I want to be. I don't or didn't have the wealth that Sheryl has had during her career. I wasn't nor don't have the wealth to hire nannies for kids when I work. I drove over an hour from work to home to get my kids to activities. I wasn't or don't have the wealth to hire someone for house cleaning etc. Every time I want to move to a new company to expand on my career, Why do I have to accept a step-down position and less pay to get in the door and then prove I am talented, even with raving peer reviews. I am worth more than I make. The information in the book is good but doesn't cover other obstacles and challenges as other different ethnic people.
danoreading's review against another edition
2.0
Eh. I didn't feel like that much of this book was relevant to me.
nooneyouknow's review against another edition
4.0
I was surprised that I actually liked this book as well as I did (and that I actually finished it). Generally a very useful discussion that was fairly well balanced. I would recommend it to younger and mid-level women as something to consider alongside all the other professional development info.
xzainaby's review against another edition
2.0
2.5/5
I enjoyed reading this book. It has some wisdom and presents some very interesting points. It’s short and precise. However, what annoyed me is the focus on climbing the corporate ladder. Although the book could serve other causes, it was originally written to motivate women to only climb the corporate ladder, not to pursue life projects within their interests.
Also, I didn’t know who this woman was when I started reading the book, but then I realized that she works for Facebook, now Meta.
The thing is, Sheryl acknowledges that she is privileged but she doesn’t understand it. And so all the talk about reaching important positions in corporate firms when some women can’t even afford childcare makes no sense. She acknowledges the efforts of only those who hold high positions like hers but never mentions the efforts of her nanny who helped her the most to reach such high places, or the volunteer mom at her son’s school.
I enjoyed reading this book. It has some wisdom and presents some very interesting points. It’s short and precise. However, what annoyed me is the focus on climbing the corporate ladder. Although the book could serve other causes, it was originally written to motivate women to only climb the corporate ladder, not to pursue life projects within their interests.
Also, I didn’t know who this woman was when I started reading the book, but then I realized that she works for Facebook, now Meta.
The thing is, Sheryl acknowledges that she is privileged but she doesn’t understand it. And so all the talk about reaching important positions in corporate firms when some women can’t even afford childcare makes no sense. She acknowledges the efforts of only those who hold high positions like hers but never mentions the efforts of her nanny who helped her the most to reach such high places, or the volunteer mom at her son’s school.
varijoan's review against another edition
2.0
I would have liked to see more talk about intersections of identity, how maybe men need to be more like women than just vice versa, and more inclusion of genders outside the binary.
deschatjes's review against another edition
4.0
Reading this just goes to prove you have to actually read a book and not just read about it. I wish I'd had this book while doing my MBA. I wish I'd had it during my corporate life. I'm definitely giving it to my daughter. And yet, it does present one world view - that of western capitalism and winner take all. Of little or no maternity or paternity leave let alone holidays. And where one person needs to work 80 hours a week lest 2 people could work 40 each. Perhaps as a society we're not ready for that discussion yet. And don't get me started on school vacations- particularly the summer 'harvest' vacation