No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think about Power [Hardcover]

Gloria Feldt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2010

Feminist icon Gloria Feldt pulls no punches in her new book, which encourages women to step into positions of power and leadership—now. In No Excuses, she argues that the most confounding problem facing women today isn’t that doors aren’t open, but that not enough women are walking through them. From the boardroom to the bedroom, public office to personal relationships, she asserts that nobody is keeping women from parity—except themselves.

Through interviews, historical perspective, and anecdotes, No Excuses examines why barriers to equality still exist in American society. Feldt employs a no-nonsense, tough-love point of view to expose the internal and external roadblocks holding women back, but she doesn’t place blame; rather, she provides inspiration, hope, and courage—as well as concrete “power tools”—the 9 ways, with one highlighted in each chapter—to aid women in securing equality and justice for themselves.

No Excuses is a timely and invaluable book that intends to help women equalize gender power in politics, work, and love.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As the former president and CEO of Planned Parenthood, Feldt (The War on Choice) has years of experience in shepherding feminist causes. In her latest book she examines how women can move past low societal expectations, learn to embrace their ambitions to advance feminism, and achieve equality by addressing power and leadership. Feldt focuses on Hillary Clinton's campaign for president and several female business executives and entrepreneurs, illustrating how women can mobilize support to advance everyone. Her advice is sharp, well-documented, and supported by anecdotal evidence. She manages to balance a generous feeling of support with a sense of urgency; though women are moving closer to equality, Feldt argues that they remain in danger of losing their gains and offers a great deal of practical advice for women who want to be active in politics, business, or their personal lives. With heartfelt encouragement and a push for empowerment through equality (including strategies for including men in feminist causes), this guide is accessible to all.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Review

“I was incredibly moved by the inspiring stories in No Excuses. To honor the women who came before us, we need to recognize each other and listen for our inherent wisdom. This is a book you’ll be quoting.” —Rosario Dawson, actress

“Feldt is one of the most motivating women in America, period. Her observations are sharp and her courage is contagious—for women of both political parties.” —Cindi Leive,
Editor-In-Chief of Glamour magazine

“An up-to-the-minute, indispensable book. This book is the coach young women need.” —Gloria Steinem

“One of those books that has the power to change your life. It’s challenging and smart, but most important, it gives you actual tools you can use to walk in your own power.”
—Jane Fonda

“Gloria’s redefinition of power is exactly what the world needs today.”—Peter Buffett, composer, philanthropist, and author of Life Is What You Make It

“No Excuses challenges women to embrace their strength and choose power over fear.” —Jehmu Greene, President, Women’s Media Center

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Seal Press (September 28, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580053289
• ISBN-13: 978-1580053280
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.3 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #691,675 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gloria Feldt knew when she was five years old and saw her first poem recited publicly that she wanted to be a writer. But her passion for social justice propelled her life's work in a different direction first. Her latest book, "No Excuses: 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think about Power" is the culmination of what she learned on the way. She is a sought after keynote speaker on women, power, and leadership and also conducts workshops to give women the practical "power tools" in "No Excuses" in bite-sized takeaways they can use at work, at home, or in their civic and political life.

Gloria was a teen mom who rose to become president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America where she led the charge to get contraceptives covered by insurance plans and made the organization a political powerhouse.

Her previous books are "Behind Every Choice Is a Story," "The War on Choice," and the New York Times bestseller "Send Yourself Roses" co-authored with actress Kathleen Turner. She founded GloriaFeldt.com and its blogs, Heartfeldt and 9 Ways. She teaches "Women, Power, and Leadership" at Arizona State University.

Vanity Fair named Gloria to its Top 200 Women Legends, Leaders, and Trailblazers, Glamour named her Woman of the Year, and Women's e-News "21 Leaders for the 21st Century." She's proud to have been mentioned more often than Betty Friedan in Kate O'Beirne's anti-feminist tract, "Women Who Make the World Worse," because that must mean she's doing something right. A social media addict, (please) find her on Facebook, Twitter @GloriaFeldt, and LinkedIn. She and her husband, Alex Barbanell, share six children and fourteen grandchildren.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars What do YOU want to make happen in this world? September 25, 2010

By JOAN KOERBER-WALKER

Format:Hardcover

It takes power to make things happen and to me a key take away from this book is that we all have access to power IF we choose to embrace it. This book is not about gaining power over others; it is about power to bring change. "No Excuses" is not one of those "guru" self help books. This is a well researched, step by step opportunity to learn that combines lessons from life and from history to demonstrate what we each can do to make a difference in our personal lives, our business roles, and in our communities.

In the book there is a great quote from then-Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton. "My mother was born before women could vote. My daughter gets to vote for her mother for president." But what we see as the chapters progress is that while women have more opportunity today, many are still not comfortable reaching for it. (I have always considered myself pretty empowered. Then I read the the questions on page 26 and had to think again. Maybe I am not as far along as I thought.)

So challenge yourself to do more and be more. Read "No Excuses" and use your power to make a difference.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars You will see yourself in this book October 5, 2010

By B. McEwan VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

I worked for Gloria Feldt for a few years back in the 90s and always believed that if there was one woman who didn't have a problem embracing power it was Gloria. She faced off Henry Hyde in the House of Representatives. She debated Bill O'Reilly on Fox. She cajoled. She intimidated. She persuaded. She yelled. Whatever it took to promote the cause. (As long as it was legal).

So imagine my surprise when I read No Excuses and learned that Gloria's own assessment of her relationship to power is mixed. In the first few pages, she confesses that she failed to fully embrace her power during much of her life, and that she used what power she did have to help other women clarify their life purpose, rather than focusing on her own.

This particular line from the introduction resonated deeply with me: "It is this relationship with power -- almost a spiritual factor, rarely acknowledged by the metrics or even the philosophers, which I've witnessed in myself and countless other women -- that fascinated and propelled me to write this book. For until we understand and redefine our relationship with power we will stay stuck in our half-finished revolution."

Wow. "Our half-finished revolution." That feels so true it aches. So how do we move ahead? No Excuses suggests nine ways to do that, starting with understanding your own internalized barriers and ending with my favorite bit of advice, "Don't follow your dream -- lead it." Throughout the nine chapters, each focused on a different technique for changing the way you think about power, Gloria Feldt offers stories of women, well-known and not, who faced the same challenges we face now. And if you like good quotations as much as I do, you'll find a wealth of those in here too, scattered like bread crumbs helping you find your way.

In short, this is a great book that reads well, will get you thinking, and with a touch of grace, taking action. Highly recommended.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Time to Take Those Unlimited Opportunities October 5, 2010

By Manisha Thakor

Format:Hardcover

Gloria Steinem famously said "power can be taken, but not given." I get chills just typing that quote. It's so true.

But all too often, over the years, I found myself getting stuck on the "how to take" part. ("Don't want to seem pushy, b*tchy, selfish or <gasp> M.E.A.N.)

Enter another feminist icon also named Gloria - Gloria Feldt, former CEO and president of Planned Parenthood Federation - with the recipe for action. In her new book, NO EXCUSES, Gloria presents 9 practical and tactical steps that we woman can use to (re)claim our power. You can think of it as "everything you always wanted to know about power but were afraid to ask.")

Honest, authentic, heartfelt, and inspiring - this is the kind of book that you will want to refer back to over and over as you work to figure out how to make the most of your precious time here on this earth. Thanks to Gloria & her terrific new book - I'm off to unlimit, unleash, and just do it. No more excuses.

If there something in you just waiting to burst forth and make a difference in this lifetime, you must read this book. Highly, highly recommended.