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Book Review

Publisher's Note:

Thirty years after women became 50 percent of the college graduates in the United States, men still hold the vast majority of leadership positions in government and industry. This means that women’s voices are still not heard equally in the decisions that most affect our lives. In Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg examines why women’s progress in achieving leadership roles has stalled, explains the root causes, and offers compelling, commonsense solutions that can empower women to achieve their full potential. Sandberg is the chief operating officer of Facebook and is ranked on Fortune’s list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business and as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. In 2010, she gave an electrifying TEDTalk in which she described how women unintentionally hold themselves back in their careers. Her talk, which became a phenomenon and has been viewed more than two million times, encouraged women to “sit at the table,” seek challenges, take risks, and pursue their goals with gusto. In Lean In, Sandberg digs deeper into these issues, combining personal anecdotes, hard data, and compelling research to cut through the layers of ambiguity and bias surrounding the lives and choices of working women. She recounts her own decisions, mistakes, and daily struggles to make the right choices for herself, her career, and her family. She provides practical advice on negotiation techniques, mentorship, and building a satisfying career, urging women to set boundaries and to abandon the myth of “having it all.” She …

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Overall Book Review:

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg is one of the most talked about books of the year for good reason. As Facebook COO, Sandberg knows a thing or two about leadership and hard work. Packed with interesting and often insightful research, Sandberg establishes and highlights the many stereotypes, biases, and inequalities that plague women throughout their careers. The book is filled with a lot information and not much advice–Sandberg herself states that this “is not a self-help book” or “a book on career management”. I did appreciate her many antic dotes about trying to create a work/home balance, as well as the importance of having dinner each night with her family. Like Sandberg, I recommend this book for “women at all stages of their lives and careers”.

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: 3 religious exclamations; 4 mild obscenities; 4 derogatory words; 1 f-word derivative.

Violence/Gore: None

Sex/Nudity: A sexual reference is made; a rape is reported.

Mature Subject Matter:

Gender inequality, discrimination and stereotypes.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Mention of colleagues smoking and drinking.

Overall Book Rating
Profanity/Language
Rating:
6
10
Violence/Gore
Rating:
0
10
Sex/Nudity
Rating:
3
10

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About the Reviewer

My mother was the one who sparked my love of books. Long before school instruction, she sat me down and taught me to read. My childhood was filled with trips to the library and bookmobile to find great books. My first loves were The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Pippi Longstocking series by Astrid Lingren. Now as a mom and speech pathologist, I am constantly looking for good, clean books to use at home and in therapy. I enjoy reading many different genres, but my favorites are usually historical fiction. I married my best friend, the “boy next door”, and we have a beautiful little girl who we often find sprawled out on the floor, flipping through picture books. Together our family likes to swim, run and play tennis. Besides reading, I also love to bake, garden and travel.