Why Women Should Rule the World

by Dee Dee Myers

Book Overview

What would happen if women ruled the world?

Everything could change, according to former White House press secretary Dee Dee Myers. Politics would be more collegial. Businesses would be more productive. And communities would be healthier. Empowering women would make the world a better place--not because women are the same as men, but precisely because they are different.

Blending memoir, social history, and a call to action, Dee Dee...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061140406
• ISBN13: 9780061140402
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: Harper
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Great book!! Now it's time for a Revised Edition

Given the highly interesting and history-making events that culminated on June 3, 2008 - this book could easily afford a few more chapters, not just about Hillary Clinton, but of the women she met (some of them who were born BEFORE women received the right to vote) and the women who supported her during her long and tenacious campaign for presidential nomination. Hillary's "loss" is still women's gain - and clearly needs to be chronicled for future generations. When I first started reading this book, I thought I was reading yet another litany of "This is what was done to me because I am a woman" complaints. But No!! I was wrong -- Kudos to you, Dee Dee Myers!. As I read further, I happily realized that Ms. Myers has not only benefited from her mistakes and passes on what she has learned to her readers - but she also informs us of the subtle and not-so-subtle ways she and women in positions of power were and are still discriminated against nowadays, AND what these women have done about it. She quotes individuals, such as Amartya Sen, on the benefits of empowering women (p 60, hardcover edition), talks about "building bridges" in Kenya (110) with women as the peace educators, Swanee Hunt (111) "....Women think long and hard before they send their children out to kill other peoples' children" Of note is the passage (113) about the women who participated, during the post-apartheid transition, in the South African Truth and Reconciliation Committee which "has become model for societies facing similar transitions".. Networking among women of power, as described in Ms Myer's book-- in addition to being a great "buddy system" is definitely the way to benefit from mistakes, exchange ideas, gain knowledge and information. But what about women in lesser positions-- women (holding more than one job, in many cases, with a family to take care of as well) who have no career other than the "grunt" work they do for minimum or subsistence wages, or women who are unemployed / on welfare and are trying to put some direction in their lives but who do not have a network like these professional women do? Ms Myers needs to consider addressing this, because not only is it an epidemic of lack -- that needs to be healed - but these are the women who (and their daughters as well) could be future leaders, if given the recognition, the self-empowerment, and the opportunities for advancement. Yes - women SHOULD create "their own story lines" (225) to "rewrite history". But how complete is their raw material??? If Ms Myers is familiar with this book: "If They Only Listened to Us - What Women Voters Want Politicians to Hear" she will note the huge communication gap that appears to exist throughout this country between women - from those who are on welfare, on up to those who have careers and political clout in their communities. The former group struggles to make their needs known to those in power - the latter do not. Would having women in top positions guarantee that

Women Rule My World!

Ms. Myers' book is terrific; especially considering this is her first effort. She must love excelling at being the "first." It is packed with fascinating research and interviews, yet is a breezy, fun read. But more importantly than the brilliant way she weaves the reader in and out of stories of her family, suburbia childhood, splendid insights into her early political campaigns, fly-on-the-wall peeks into the real "West Wing," the Clinton White House and her current gigs, it is the cover picture of Dee Dee that is worth the price of the book! She looks beautiful with perfect hair, clothing, make-up and lighting. Okay, if you've read the book, you know what I really mean. It is truly the substance, not the style (even though she does look hot) that has made me recommend the book to everyone I know - male, female, young, old, blue state, red state. As Myers writes on page 90, "It's not that women are so much smarter (though sometimes they are). It's just that they provide an enormous and, too often, untapped source of talent and bring a different perspective - which by definition creates opportunity." Myers is not saying the sexes are same nor does she discount the male accomplishments in history. She repeatedly pushes the same message: the sexes are different and we should as a society acknowledge, embrace, appreciate and value those differences. Moreover, we should use these differences rather than ignore, to make the world a better and more peaceful place. This means value women as much as men. Then imagine the possibilities. I learned so much in this book, yet this isn't a textbook although should be a mandatory read in schools. The fact that almost all medical research studied only men up until 1990 is mind-boggling! The interviews with the who's who of women pioneers - Feinstein, Ride, Lansing, Goodall, McHale, Mitchell, Herman, Lee, Hutchinson, Roddick, are astounding. Plus I learned a fancy new word: verisimilitude and to be careful of a man named Panetta. As a man, I don't remember many of my male friends ever worrying about how to balance marriage, parenting and a career. For most of us men, we only focus on one thing (well, maybe two things); the career. Speaking of careers, Myers points out that college enrollment usually has more females yet what happens to them in the work-force when only small percentages end up in those studied fields from medicine to radio management. With her refreshing and educational style of writing, I can't wait for Myers' second book.

Is there only one man in the world?

Wow. I don't feel so alone after reading this book. So there ARE high ranking, public women willing to share their stories of success while simultaneously admitting to the humiliation and alienation the female gender can experience. Thank God, because in the trenches I often feel it's just me who has days of darkness as I struggle to pretend I don't know that many of the men I work with consider me a lesser being. For those of us who has faced sexism in the work place, reading Ms. Myers account of her time in the White House as the first woman press secretary is quite instructive and nothing short of a huge relief. In fact, were it not that Ms. Myers is a very public figure dealing on a very public stage, I could be reading my own story. Is there only one man in the world? And speaking of One Man, there is one man in the White House I will never think the same of again. He now makes me so angry -probably because he so perfectly personifies that which all women face at some point in their careers- I will never think of him again without a level of disdain. Myers doesn't simply talk about her time in the White House. She helps navigate the myriad of issues surrounding women the world over. And she affords a calmness and grace toward both genders that takes care not to alienate. I'm not sure I could have done the same.

To Knight Errant "30 Yr Veteran" and giver of 2 stars:

I think Ms. Myers does a good job of coming across not as a shrew, man hater, or radical but as a woman who used to speak for the most powerful man in the world until she found her own voice and realized that she too had something to say. It isn't politically incorrect to say that females are more deadly than the male, it just isn't correct. You use a Kipling poem about bears as evidence to prove your argument that women are more deadly than the male? Yes a momma bear will protect her cubs because she has invested an entire winter of her physical self to sustain her cubs during hibernation. The he-bear hooks up with a she-bear and doesn't stick around long afterwords (unlike man?). He-Bear has little invested in the cubs, in fact, rival bears often try to kill another male's cubs. In nature a bear will stake out a territory and will fight to protect it if it is invaded. Man does the same, but unlike bear fights where both bears usually come away alive, man invades and kills anyone who stands in his way. A bear doesn't invade another's territory only to be surprised when the invaded bears fight back. Your quote from Kipling cannot stand in balance to thousands of years of man killing man. Back when women were considered property, bought and sold like cattle, men were fighting each other over territory. In an unbroken chain of violence, the killing goes on today. "30 yr Veteran" means military service where I'm from so let me say I deeply appreciate your service to our country. You were fighting to protect our freedoms. One of those freedoms is the right to free speech, to exchange ideas, to not be censored in any way, unpunished for having a different view from our government. I understand why you fought so hard to defend the constitution. It is a precious document that preserves our freedom. My grandfather was in WWI, my uncles in WWII, my father in Korea, my cousins in Vietnam and now one in Iraq. I understand your point of view but consider this, who is more likely in a family to resolve conflict peacefully? Who was most likely to empathize with your pain and comfort you? Who would be there win or lose? I'm proud to be a man but I'm prouder still to have been raised by a strong intelligent mother who was raised, along with 11 siblings, by my strong intelligent grandmother. The women in my family are more deadly than a male if something is trying to hurt their kids. To tie a bow on this, men are the ones that women are usually trying to protect their kids from. I was raised by women who should have ruled the world and surely ruled mine. They, and I, think they did a pretty good job. I bet your mom did too. It sounds like she had plenty to be proud of. I would vote for either one of our moms to be less ruthless and more restrained when deciding on what kind of nation we should leave our children. Women are more likely to consider the impact on children everywhere when deciding a course of action. Women would indeed be

You go girl!

The last century been "the bloodiest in human history; a tale of war, terrorism, religious extremism, abject poverty and disease." Of course this isn't all men's fault, but the world is certainly run by them. What would happen if women were in charge? That's the intriguing premise behind this book. I found it hard to put down, and the message is inspiring. The book is divided into three sections: Why Women Don't Rule the World, Why Women Should Rule the World and How Women Can Rule the World. Myers uncaps her pen by discussing her experience as press secretary to President Clinton. She was the first woman chosen for the job, and the president and senior staff made the job less important than it had been. Myers didn't get a raise that was owed to her; the money went to a man because "he has a family." Over and over Myers tells stories about women that have more responsibility than authority, and that are judged by appearance first and accomplishments later. Frustration spills from the pages. Why should women rule the world? In a word, empathy. Myers points out that women have experience in having children, which is a primary way to think of someone else before yourself. This skill alone, she argues, would be invaluable in world leaders. Another skill women bring to the table is practicality. Myers received a hand towel from a friend that read: "If the three wise men had been women, they would have asked directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, brought practical gifts, and there would be Peace on Earth." The last part of the book discusses how women can -- perish the thought! -- actually take control. Myers argues that women can break down the barriers they have faced throughout history by helping each other out, and by teaching their children to recognize differences while embracing equalities. As Myers makes clear, this book isn't an attack on men, or an attempt to demean or marginalize them. It's a look at how the world would be different if girls were as valued as boys. It is a compelling read.