50 Ways to Improve Women's Lives: The Essential Women's Guide for Achieving Equality, Health, and Success (Inner Ocean Action Guide) [Paperback]

National Council of Women's Organizations (Editor), Martha Burk (Introduction), Madeleine K. Albright (Afterword)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 21, 2007 | Series: Inner Ocean Action Guide

A powerful new call-to-action series was launched with the New York Times bestselling MoveOn's 50 Ways to Love Your Country. The second book in the series, 50 Ways to Improve Women's Lives,written by nationally recognized women, is poised to again become an instrument for change and reinvigorate a movement. 50 Ways to Improve Women's Lives parlays the collective expertise of the National Council of Women's Organizations' 200 member organizations — which include Planned Parenthood, NOW, League of Women Voters, Code Pink, the AAUW, National Council of Negro Women, and the YWCA — and features 50 personal, inspiring essays with "Helping Ourselves" or "Call-to-Action" sidebars. Covering subjects as diverse as pay equity, reproductive health, childcare, racism, and women in leadership, the book addresses topics that affect women (and all of us!) on a personal and political level, and provides readers with ways to move beyond old arguments and turn inspiration into action. Contributors include Madeline Albright, Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, Eleanor Smeal, Hillary Clinton, Congresswomen Maloney, Slaughter and Pelosi, and many others.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Have you noticed that work and family balance is viewed as a mother's issue and not a parent's issue? Do you know in your heart that violence is never the answer and want to stop it? Do you wish you saw more women leaders and politicians in decision-making positions?

Women’s voices are needed now more than ever, at the kitchen table and at the global roundtable. Covering subjects as diverse as pay equity, reproductive health, child care, racism, and leadership, 50 Ways to Improve Women’s Lives addresses topics that affect women (and all of us!) on a personal and political level—and provides readers with ways to move beyond tired arguments and turn inspiration in to action.

About the Author

Martha Burk, Ph.D., is cofounder and president of the Center for Advancement of Public Policy in Washington, D. C.org), a network of more than 200 groups collectively representing ten million women. Dr. Burk is also a syndicated columnist who appears often on radio and TV and a frequent contributor to electronic and print media, including USA Today, The Nation, Ms., Women’s eNews, and the Washington Post. She is the author of Cult of Power: Sex Discrimination in Corporate America and What Can Be Done about It.

Madeleine K. Albright was named the 64th Secretary of State of the United States in 1997, becoming the first woman to hold that position and the highest ranking woman in the history of the U. S. government. As Secretary, Dr. Albright reinforced America’s alliances, advocated democracy and human rights, and promoted American trade and business, labor, and environmental standards abroad. She is the founder of The Albright Group LLC, a global strategy firm and continues to lead at the international table.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: New World Library (June 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1930722451
• ISBN-13: 978-1930722453
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #696,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Martha Burk is a political psychologist and women's issues expert who is co-founder of the Center for Advancement of Public Policy, a research and policy analysis organization in Washington, D.C. She is currently Director of the Corporate Accountability Project for the National Council of Women's Organizations (NCWO). She also serves as the Money Editor for Ms. Magazine, and she is a syndicated newspaper columnist. Her public radio show Equal Time originates from KSFR public radio in Santa Fe, and is marketed through Public Radio Exchange from Public Radio International.

She holds a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Texas at Arlington. Her background includes experience as a university research director, management professor, and advisor to political campaigns and organizations. Her latest book Your Money And Your Life: The High Stakes for Women Voters in '08 and Beyond (April 2008) is a Ms. Magazine book selection and New Mexico book award winner for best political book of 2008. She is currently updating the book for the 2012 election cycle.

Dr. Burk has long been active in public debate and political analysis. She has provided briefing papers for presidential candidates, including Bill Bradley, Wesley Clark, Howard Dean, and Bill Richardson, and has worked closely with members of the United States Congress on issues of importance to women. She served as a Senior Policy Adviser for Women's Issues to Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico.

From 2000-2005 Dr. Burk served as Chair of the National Council of Women's Organizations a network of over 200 national women's groups collectively representing ten million women. Dr. Burk led the NCWO effort to open the Augusta National Golf Club to women, and remains at the forefront of the debate on women's progress in Corporate America. She has appeared on a great number of news shows, including The Today Show, ABC World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, Newsnight with Aaron Brown, Lou Dobbs Moneyline, CNN Financial, Bloomberg News, Wolf Blitzer Reports, CBS This Morning, Brian Williams Show, American Morning with Paula Zahn, UpClose, Crossfire, Fox Morning News, News Hour with Jim Lehrer, News with Connie Chung, Hardball, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.. In addition she been seen on many sports shows, including HBO Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, ESPN Outside the Lines, Listen Up! With Charles Barkley. She has been featured on hundreds of talk radio programs.

Dr. Burk has been a regular guest on the PBS public affairs program "Debates, Debates," and a contributor to major newspapers, websites, and print outlets on public policy, including USA Today, The Nation, Knight-Ridder wire services, Scripps Howard news services, Louisville Courier Journal, Los Angeles Daily News, Working Woman, Business Woman, Executive Female, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, TomPaine.com, Alternet, and The Huffington Post.

Print coverage of her work has been extensive, with multiple articles in every major and many minor newspapers and magazines, including extensive coverage in The New York Times. Profiles, some with front page coverage, have appeared in People Magazine, The Washington Post, USA Today, The Dallas Morning News, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Chicago Tribune, the Baltimore Sun, Sports Illustrated, The New Yorker, More Magazine and a number of others. Prior to her signing on as Money Editor to the magazine, Martha Burk was named a Woman of the Year by Ms. Magazine in 2003.

Dr. Burk has served on the Commission for Responsive Democracy, the Advisory Committee of Americans for Workplace Fairness, the Sex Equity Caucus of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and the board of directors of the National Committee on Pay Equity, where she headed the Legislative Task Force. She currently serves as an advisory board member to several other national organizations, including the Ford Foundation and Women for World Peace, a project of the Twenty First Century Foundation.

In addition to extensive work on domestic policy, Dr. Burk has conducted training workshops with women's NGOs internationally in Macedonia and Kuwait, under the sponsorship of USAID, and has conducted training in the U.S. for delegations from Russia, Botswana, Korea, Romania, Bulgaria, and the Middle East. She has recently been a member of official U.S. Delegations to international conferences in Iceland, Lithuania, Estonia, and China.

Institutional consulting clients have included the University of Texas, the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, the Smithsonian Institution, Kansas House of Representatives, Women's International News Gathering Service, National Education Association, Search for Common Ground, the United States Information Agency, and the U.S. Department of State.

Dr. Burk's previous book, Cult of Power: Sex Discrimination in Corporate America and What Can Be Done About It (2005), is published by Scribner.

She resides in Corrales, New Mexico with her husband, Ralph Estes. Her two sons and five grandchildren live in Texas.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A diversity of subjects of particular interest to women, June 4, 2005

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 50 Ways to Improve Women's Lives: The Essential Women's Guide for Achieving Equality, Health, and Success (Inner Ocean Action Guide) (Paperback)

50 Ways To Improve Women's Lives: The Essential Women's Guide To Achieving Equality, Health, And Success by the National Council of Women's Organizations (a nonpartisan coalition of 200 women's groups representing more than 10 million woman across the United States) addresses a diversity of subjects of particular interest to women including pay equity, reproductive health, child care, racism, education, social responsibilities, political leadership, and more. Very highly recommended and accessible reading, 50 Ways To Improve Women's Lives provides practical advice that will enable the reader to become actively involved in advancing the quality and independence of her life, and to more effectively pursue her personal and professional agendas.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Way to Put Our Passion into Action, March 8, 2005

By 

K. Newton "Maui Mom" (Hawaii) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 50 Ways to Improve Women's Lives: The Essential Women's Guide for Achieving Equality, Health, and Success (Inner Ocean Action Guide) (Paperback)

This book gives a great overview of issues that most effect women by sharing stories and facts to illustrate important areas where change needs to occur, from childcare and family issues to equal pay, and women in sports and science.

I found it quick and easy to read--and I have very little time as a working mom!--with practical and doable actions if I so chose. For example, I was appalled to hear about the state of (very little or misleading!) sex education for high school students. Since I have kids about to enter their teens, this issue spoke to me. And it gave several ways for me to get active: by not supporting funding for harmful abstinence programs; asking my elected officials to fund honest and comprehensive sex ed; and then how to make sure my kids develop their own decision-making and critical thinking skills related to sex (and how to talk to them about it!) And this is just one of the 50 Ways... in the book.

I highly recommend this for people who want to get involved but are not sure how--and who don't have time to read huge volumes of books on politics and public policy.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Want to Help Women? Start Here, December 27, 2006

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Veronica Anzaldua - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 50 Ways to Improve Women's Lives: The Essential Women's Guide for Achieving Equality, Health, and Success (Inner Ocean Action Guide) (Paperback)

Though I didn't read the whole thing, this is a good book. It doesn't merely complain about the problems that we women (sadly) still face. It actually provides us with solutions on how to remedy problems ranging from threats to reproductive freedom to pay inequities to racism against women of color, among other things. The book also provides a list of websites, books, and organizations that readers can contact for additional help. At a time when we as women are still facing injustices because of our sex, this book gives us what we need to fight the good fight and achieve justice, dignity, respect, and freedom for us and our sisters.