A New Face of Feminism

BOOKSHELF C19 DICK AND IKE AND CAL, TOO C21 Fanfare books newsday.com/books Anew face of feminism Facebook honcho Sheryl Sandberg’s manifestoisacall to livefearlessly LEAN IN: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, by Sheryl Sandberg. Alfred A. Knopf, 228 pp., $24.95. BY MARION WINIK Special to Newsday arely has the publica- tion of abook been met with such a volley of snark and R countersnark as “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead,” abusiness advice book by Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sand- berg. Noticeably arm’s-length coverage by Jodi Kantor in The New York Times kicked off weeks of hoopla and vitriol in the blogosphere. Critics, many of whom had not read the book, which was published OOMBERG PHOTO, 2012 Tuesday, accused Sandberg of BL overreaching; of being elitist, Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook, writes that women should face their fears and “Lean In” rather than sit back. anti-motherhood and anti-feminist; of not adequately repre- ty,” which opens with amemo- world of Heidis young and never been comfortable with, not foisting yourself on men- senting poor, minority and rable bit of research: old will be eager to hear what for Mark Zuckerberg, who “was tors, getting one’s husband to non-heterosexual women; and, Columbia Business School did she has to say. only seven years old when i be atrue partner at home, not finally, of wearing Louboutin astudy about apowerful entre- “Lean In” is all the things graduated from college.” letting kids interrupt one’s and Prada. Others rushed preneur named Heidi Roizen. Sandberg says it isn’t in her She includes not just the career, combining niceness quickly to decry what seemed Half the students read Heidi’s introduction, probably in a wisdom she gained about with insistence as you “cross a like knee-jerk feminist postur- story, and the other half read the futile attempt to pre-empt the decision-making (don’t go for minefield backward in high ing or plain old hating the rich. same story with the name haters: it is amemoir, aself- the better job, go for the faster- heels” —seem as if they would Idoubt Sandberg was sur- changed to Howard. Students help book, acareer manage- growing company) and salary be of great use to women who newsday.com prised. Despite her deep de- rated Heidi and Howard as ment guide and afeminist negotiations (turns out men aspire to leadership. For this sires to be likable and useful to equally competent but found manifesto. (Well, she admits it’s almost always and women reason, Iplan to save this book society, both crystallized in Howard much more appealing. sort of afeminist manifesto.) almost never ask for more than for my 12-year-old daughter. this book, she has been atarget Heidi was seen as selfish and The anecdotes that illustrate the offer), but also the person- As she makes her way through at every step of her career. not “the type of person you her points begin in childhood: al factors that make her unique the world, Iwould very much NEWSDAY, SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 2013 “About to ruinFacebook forev- would want to hire or work for.” As her brother put it in awed- story relatable —adivorce like her to have access to er” was justone of the warm Sheryl Sandberg is the ding toast, “Some of you think that made her turn down a “What Would Sheryl Do?” I’d welcomes she received as she uber-Heidi, and she knows it. we are Sheryl’s younger sib- position in her ex’s city, a like her to hear the question climbed what she prefers to But once the critics get out of lings, but really we were Sher- pregnancy that made her reject Sandberg asked in the Barnard describe as the corporate the way, Ithink awhole yl’s first employees —employ- adream job, the nightmare of commencement speech where jungle gym rather than ladder ee number one and employee finding out her kids had head she first exhorted young (more entry points, lots of number two.” We hear about lice just before taking them women to “lean in” to their challenges and obstacles, no NOWONLINE the challenges she faced in her aboard acorporate jet. If she careers: single pinnacle, you “aren’t rise from Harvard Business didn’t have me at hello, she “So please ask yourself: stuck staring at the butt of the For more reviews, School to consultant at McKin- certainly had me at the lice. What would IdoifIweren’t person above”). author profiles sey, to chief of staff at the Sandberg’s conclusions afraid? And then go do it.” The likely reason for the and book news Treasury Department, to Goo- about the techniques and life Let’s hope this is abook that backlash is found in Chapter newsday.com/books gle veep, to her current posi- strategies that work for is read as much as talked Three, “Success and Likeabili- tion, working in afield she’s women —asking for help but about..

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