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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
While overall I thought this had great insight into being a woman in the work place (including the types of men (and some women) who seek to upset her, types of self-sabotage, plus the countermeasure to use against both of these things), I didn’t find that it looked at the concept of womanhood very comprehensively. This was certainly intersectional in terms of race, but I found it really left transgender women and persons who don’t conform to the binary by the wayside.
As someone who is (hopefully) about to enter the working world, I found this an immensely helpful guide to how to try and deal with mansplaining, imposter syndrome, and how to carry myself ‘with the confidence of a mediocre white man’. YES PLEASE.
What I liked the most is that this book was immensely practical. It breaks down the many different ways that men (consciously or not) attempt to belittle women, as well as the various ways women self-sabotage themselves in their attempts to straddle the balance between ‘cold’ or ‘too nice’. Bennett then usually gives personal examples, and, best of all, the advice she has been given to try and overcome these issues. I often find feminist texts to be quite theoretical, and this was such a refreshing change.
It is also funny as hell. Bennett has a real talent in that she can talk about some of the most pertinent issues in a woman’s life – and make them absolutely hilarious.I read this on the train to London the other day, and I couldn’t stop cackling aloud. I could feel the white men around me cringe. It was brilliant.
The book isn’t perfect – in my opinion, it could have been improved by a more general awareness of trans women, as well as maybe a specific section on intersectional feminism. However, I did like the fact that it had a specific section aimed at men. I sent that section to my boyfriend, who found it really helpful! It was really nuanced in its explanation of what to do and not do, which he appreciated. And, like the rest of the book, this section was very practical.
I think I read this at the exact perfect time in my life. I’ve never had to deal with institutionalised sexism before, really, having gone to an all-girls high school, and an immensely liberal university. I was nervous about entering the working world. But now? I’m ready to kick ass.
What I liked the most is that this book was immensely practical. It breaks down the many different ways that men (consciously or not) attempt to belittle women, as well as the various ways women self-sabotage themselves in their attempts to straddle the balance between ‘cold’ or ‘too nice’. Bennett then usually gives personal examples, and, best of all, the advice she has been given to try and overcome these issues. I often find feminist texts to be quite theoretical, and this was such a refreshing change.
It is also funny as hell. Bennett has a real talent in that she can talk about some of the most pertinent issues in a woman’s life – and make them absolutely hilarious.I read this on the train to London the other day, and I couldn’t stop cackling aloud. I could feel the white men around me cringe. It was brilliant.
The book isn’t perfect – in my opinion, it could have been improved by a more general awareness of trans women, as well as maybe a specific section on intersectional feminism. However, I did like the fact that it had a specific section aimed at men. I sent that section to my boyfriend, who found it really helpful! It was really nuanced in its explanation of what to do and not do, which he appreciated. And, like the rest of the book, this section was very practical.
I think I read this at the exact perfect time in my life. I’ve never had to deal with institutionalised sexism before, really, having gone to an all-girls high school, and an immensely liberal university. I was nervous about entering the working world. But now? I’m ready to kick ass.
My favourite parts were the addendums, appendices, whatever they were (harder to know with an audiobook) toward the end. Lists of feminist fight clubs of yore, list of things for men to do to support women at work, etc.
A lot of this is amusing because of the narrator, who was great - not actually funny, but things that women all have to deal with at work (eyeroll). But I found it incredibly repetitive, probably could have been a third of the length. Just more straightforward. Also, it's more of a primer for women who haven't figured out how to deal with any of this than those who have - but for those who already use their voices, the extras are interesting, and something to look into more.
A lot of this is amusing because of the narrator, who was great - not actually funny, but things that women all have to deal with at work (eyeroll). But I found it incredibly repetitive, probably could have been a third of the length. Just more straightforward. Also, it's more of a primer for women who haven't figured out how to deal with any of this than those who have - but for those who already use their voices, the extras are interesting, and something to look into more.
A quick and informative read that unfortunately employed an almost cutesy tongue-in-cheek tone that didn’t really work for me.
I think the real stories included were reassuring - other women have been in this situation, you are not alone! - and some of the tips were helpful - provided you work in a traditional white collar office job - and I appreciated Bennett’s clear effort make the book intersectional - lots of reminders that inequities are always worse for women of color, though none of the stories from her friends she included gave any indication that they happened to women of color.
Not a bad book for women entering a traditional office workplace for the first time, but probably more for your favorite baby feminist vs your well established bad ass best friend.
I think the real stories included were reassuring - other women have been in this situation, you are not alone! - and some of the tips were helpful - provided you work in a traditional white collar office job - and I appreciated Bennett’s clear effort make the book intersectional - lots of reminders that inequities are always worse for women of color, though none of the stories from her friends she included gave any indication that they happened to women of color.
Not a bad book for women entering a traditional office workplace for the first time, but probably more for your favorite baby feminist vs your well established bad ass best friend.
So overhyped and so disappointing. The analysis it presented has been done before, the advice was underwhelming, and, most of all, the tone was incredibly annoying. I don't need every nonfiction voice I read to be at level of, say, Susan Sontag, but if I wanted to read a puff piece in Cosmo or Glamour, I would read a puff piece in Cosmo or Glamour. The writing came off cutesy, condescending, and completely twee. Don't bother with this one.
There's some scholarly research and excellent practical advice in this book, but the style wasn't for me. It's written as a manual to be dipped into and there's a lot of humour, cartoons, lists etc. in the book.
If you're more advanced in your career then you may not need much of this advice but I'd recommend it for women who are just establishing their careers or getting started in the workplace. The section on negotiation might be particularly helpful.
If you're more advanced in your career then you may not need much of this advice but I'd recommend it for women who are just establishing their careers or getting started in the workplace. The section on negotiation might be particularly helpful.
Less relevant in my line of work, but still some good tips and thinking and generally more inclusive than I expected.
Auch wenn ich nicht in einem Bürojob arbeite und mich da mit dem Sexismus von Kollegen oder Gesprächen über Gehaltserhöhungen konfrontiert sehe, war das Buch super unterhaltsam zu lesen und ein paar Tipps und Fakten kann man sich auch für das Leben außerhalb von Büros merken.
If you're a woman, you'll love this - whether you work in an office or not. Equal parts hilarious and inspiring, Jessica Bennett's advice on how to deal with the problematic figures you encounter on a daily basis is applicable to all areas of life.