camsullivan's review against another edition
5.0
This book details the rise of EMILYs List and the incredible work the organization has done to change the face of Congress and elect women across the country. Getting the inside history from Ellen Malcolm, the founder, was a treat. This is essential reading for anyone interested in the last 40 years of American politics. It’s incredible to see how far we’ve come since EL was founded but sobering to realize how far we still have to go.
jenndazzle's review against another edition
4.0
Super fascinating to read about the stories of democratic women in congress over the past 30ish years. I was nervous it would end all yay HRC and be sad to read now since it was published in October but it didn't discuss it much, so that was good. It did have a white feminist sort of feel though, even when talking about working with women of color but it still was just missing something there. Which I guess makes sense for an org like EMILY's list but I don't love that.
betiana's review against another edition
3.0
The introduction moved me to tears. Not because it was particularly well written or because it revealed a heart-breaking event, but because it was written with the hope and near certainty many of us had that we'd have a woman serving as President by the time it went into bookstores.
The book itself has no surprises for those who have been following women in politics for the last 20 years. It does have lots of information about what to do to support women who are running for office. It also shows how to "follow the money" by getting money early.
What is most disappointing about the book is its self-serving nature. Malcolm calls Biden's actions during the Thomas-Hill hearings "not his finest moment." Indeed! Also, perhaps cynically, I saw the turn-around EMILY's List made with Carol Mosley Brown as an attempt to conceal its initial lukewarm support for women of color. I felt that the latter comparison of Ms. Mosley Brown to the Tea Party supports my assumption. I hope I'm wrong, but I've learned to notice certain attitudes hidden in pretty words over the years.
Perhaps I'm nitpicking. And yet, when a champion of women in politics makes the decision to refer to a female senator by her given name (Patty, referring to Sen. Murray) and to a male senator by his last name (Ryan, as in Sen. Paul Ryan) in the same sentence, ("Patty and Paul focused on common ground") my heart sinks. We have a long way to go.
Then again, thanks to Malcolm and her organization, we've come a long way. There were less than 5% of members of Congress, of either party, who were women the year I was born. Women now make 20% of Congress. I hope we can get to 50% in my lifetime. And I certainly hope there can be a reprint of this book when we elect the first female President of the United States. Let's hope I don't have to wait another 40 years for that.
The book itself has no surprises for those who have been following women in politics for the last 20 years. It does have lots of information about what to do to support women who are running for office. It also shows how to "follow the money" by getting money early.
What is most disappointing about the book is its self-serving nature. Malcolm calls Biden's actions during the Thomas-Hill hearings "not his finest moment." Indeed! Also, perhaps cynically, I saw the turn-around EMILY's List made with Carol Mosley Brown as an attempt to conceal its initial lukewarm support for women of color. I felt that the latter comparison of Ms. Mosley Brown to the Tea Party supports my assumption. I hope I'm wrong, but I've learned to notice certain attitudes hidden in pretty words over the years.
Perhaps I'm nitpicking. And yet, when a champion of women in politics makes the decision to refer to a female senator by her given name (Patty, referring to Sen. Murray) and to a male senator by his last name (Ryan, as in Sen. Paul Ryan) in the same sentence, ("Patty and Paul focused on common ground") my heart sinks. We have a long way to go.
Then again, thanks to Malcolm and her organization, we've come a long way. There were less than 5% of members of Congress, of either party, who were women the year I was born. Women now make 20% of Congress. I hope we can get to 50% in my lifetime. And I certainly hope there can be a reprint of this book when we elect the first female President of the United States. Let's hope I don't have to wait another 40 years for that.
libra17's review against another edition
4.0
So, first thing's first: this is a very specific history. When Women Win is a history of women in politics, but it is specifically a history of democratic, prochoice women in politics that have been assisted by EMILY's List, and it reads more like a biography of the organization rather than a history of women in politics, at that. I didn't necessarily mind that - I've heard a lot about EMILY's List since the 2016 election and wasn't opposed to learning more about it - but it does make the title somewhat misleading, as that was not what I was expecting when I purchased the book. That being said, When Women Win is well written, explains the background and politics of various periods of modern politics, chronicles the reasons behind the gender representation gap between the two major parties, and is careful to explain why electing women - and women in particular, when all things are equal (which they usually are) - has proven to be helpful in improving bipartisanship, supporting the middle class and families, supporting women as a class of citizens, and generally improving the general life circumstances for all.
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